Page:Wanderings of a Pilgrim Vol 2.djvu/498

 Moored our vessels off Turnbull Gunge. Of all the native villages I have seen this is the most healthy-looking; it consists of one very long broad road or street, with houses on each side, built after the native fashion, but on a regular plan; and on each side the road a line of fine trees shade the people as they sit selling their goods in the verandahs of their houses.

The Gunge was built by a Mr. Turnbull, a medical man, who made a large fortune in India when medical men were allowed to trade; the place bears his name, and is situated about two miles higher up the river than Chunar.

9th.—A little beyond Turnbull Gunge is a white mandāp (temple), on the right bank; the top of the spire has been broken off, and it stands by a fine peepul-tree. Just in front of it a bank of hard red mud runs out into the river; the budgerow ran upon it with such violence that many things in the cabin were upset; after this little fright we proceeded very well. The dandīs were particularly miserable on account of the rain; almost every man had clothed himself in a red jacket; for these cast-off military jackets they had given a rupee apiece; they were very proud of them, and afraid of getting them wetted. They wore below the usual native dhotī—i.e. a piece of linen, in lieu of trowsers, above which the European red coat had a curious effect. Anchored on a very fine sandbank in the midst of the river; here we found a chaukidār under a straw thatch, ready for vessels.

10th.—"Seven miles above Chunar, on the right bank, is the village of Kutnac, with rocky bottom and hard lumps of earth in the river; a little above is a ravine, which is to be avoided by all boats."

"Fourteen miles above Chunar is the crossing ferry of the Benares grand road, and of Kitwa and Bhundoolee to Mirzapūr; thence to the latter place is a fine road, distance seven miles and a half by land, and sixteen by water."

"Ten miles above the ferry, and seven below Mirzapūr, on the left bank, is Bhajoan, with a white tomb and a patch of kankar in the river, on which many boats are lost: hence the cantonments of Mirzapūr are visible.