Page:Wanderings of a Pilgrim Vol 1.djvu/242

 Nov. 8th.—My husband received an order to return to Allahabad; this gave us much satisfaction.

17th.—Mr. S, of the Civil Service, told me to-day, speaking of the Thugs, "It is about a year ago that Major H, the assistant to the agent for the Governor-general, had a narrow escape from a Thug. He was sleeping in his tent at Powergong, a place between Saugor and Dinapore, when a Thug entered, and put a noose over his head! The gentleman stirred, and his nightcap prevented the noose slipping over his face; he awoke, the Thug fled, leaving the noose in the tent, nor were they able to secure him."

Mr. S tells me he has seen, on the Nurbudda, numerous images in stone of Bhawānī, and that they are very beautiful, she being one of the most beautiful of the Hindoo idols! I have requested him to send me an image, or a picture of the goddess, as the likenesses I have seen are any thing but agreeable. He has been looking over my cabinet of curiosities, and promises to send me some turquoise he procured at the turquoise mines in Persia, as specimens of really good stones. He tells me, at those mines you purchase the stones just as they come from the beds at two rupees eight ānās a sēr, about five shillings for two pounds' weight of turquoise!

I gave him a rough emerald, one of five that I purchased of a native, who found them in the Soane river, and brought them to the door for sale.

Another fire has taken place in the fort at Allahabad, and sulphur, valued at two lacs of rupees, melted by the heat, ran over the square like lava; fortunately the fire did not reach the powder magazine. This is the second attempt that has been made within the space of a few weeks to burn the fort; the discharged natives who used to work at the powder mills are supposed to be the persons who kindled the fires.

The damage done by these fires is much greater than the saving which has arisen to Government from cutting the pay of the men, or from dismissing them; so much for economy!

18th.—To-day, our Mug cook died suddenly after a short illness; the corpse will be burned, and the ashes thrown into