Transcribed from the 1852 John Murray edition by Les Bowler.
A JOURNEY TO KATMANDU
(THE CAPITAL OF NEPAUL),
WITH
THE CAMP OF JUNG BAHADOOR;
INCLUDING
A SKETCH OF THE NEPAULESE AMBASSADOR AT HOME.
BY LAURENCE OLIPHANT.
LONDON:
JOHN MURRAY, ALBEMARLE STREET.
1852.
TO
SIR ANTHONY OLIPHANT, C.B.,
CHIEF JUSTICE OF CEYLON,
THE FOLLOWING PAGES ARE INSCRIBED BY
HIS AFFECTIONATE SON,
THE AUTHOR.
PREFACE.
The interest which was manifested in the Nepaulese Embassy during the short residence of Jung Bahadoor in England leads me to hope that a description of the romantic country and independent Court which he came to represent, as well as some account of his own previous eventful career, may not be unacceptable to the English publicmore especially as no work upon Nepaul has been published in this country, that I am aware of, since Dr. Hamiltons, which appeared about the year 1819.
Through the kindness and friendship of the Nepaulese Ambassador, I was enabled to visit Katmandu under most favourable circumstances; and during the journey thither in his company I had abundant opportunity of obtaining much interesting information, and of gaining an insight into the character of the people, and their mode of every-day life, for which a residence in camp was peculiarly favourable.
In the Terai I was fortunate enough to witness the Nepaulese mode of elephant-catching, so totally unlike that of any other country, while the grand scale on which our hunting party was organised was equally novel.
I therefore venture to submit this volume to the public, in the hope that the novelty of a portion of the matter contained in it will in some degree compensate for its manifold defects.
CONTENTS.
CHAPTER I. Arrival of Jung Bahadoor in CeylonVoyage to CalcuttaRifle practice on board the AtalantaRifle-shootingColonel Dhere Shum ShereA journey along the Grand Trunk Road of BengalThe experimental railwayThe explosion at Benares.
CHAPTER II. BenaresCashmere Mulls houseThe ChoukThe Bisheshwan temple, and Maido Rai MinarThe Ambassador in BenaresA Rajahs visitThe marriage of Jung BahadoorReview of the Nepaul rifle regimentBenares college.
CHAPTER III. JaunporeA shooting-partyScenes in camp and on the marchA Nepaulese dinnerGhaziporeThe Companys studIndian roadsPassage of the GograhJung Bahadoors mode of despatching an alligator.
CHAPTER IV. A picnic on the Nepaul frontierA boar-huntThe Terai and its resourcesOur shooting quartersIncidents of sportA tiger-huntThe great elephant exhibition of 1851Camp Bechiacor.
CHAPTER V. March to HetowraCross the Cheriagotty HillsScenes of the war of 1815-16Preparations for a wild-elephant huntThe herd in full cryA breakneck countryFurious charges of wild elephantsThe lost childReturn to camp.
CHAPTER VI. March to BhimphedeNational defencesThe Cheesapany passLovely sceneryNight adventureThe watch-fireReception at campArrival at Katmandu.
CHAPTER VII. The British residencyHouses at the temple of PusputnathUnprepossessing appearance of the Newar populationTheir dress and characteristic featuresGhorkasTemple of PusputnathView from the hill above itThe temple of BhoodWorshippers from Thibet and Chinese TartaryTheir singular and disgusting appearanceStriking scene in the grand square of the city of Katmandu.
CHAPTER VIII. The temple of SumboonathView from the platform of the templeThe valley of Nepaul and its resourcesTradition respecting itEntrance of the Prime Minister into KatmanduThe two kingsA brilliant reception.
CHAPTER IX. Sketch of the career of his Excellency General Jung Bahadoor, Prime Minister of Nepaul.
CHAPTER X. The titles of his Excellency General Jung Bahadoor Coomaranagee in EnglandExtraordinary notions of the British public on Indian affairsJung Bahadoors conciliatory policyOur unsuccessful attempt to penetrate beyond the permitted boundariesDangerous position of the Prime MinisterHis philanthropic designsGreat opposition on the part of DurbarNative punishmentsA Nepaulese chief-justiceJungs popularity with the peasantry and army.
CHAPTER XI. The temple of BalajeeThe old Newar capitalThe houses and temples of PatnView from the city gatesNepaulese festivalsThe Newars skilful artisansThe arsenalThe magazine and cannon-foundry.
CHAPTER XII. Kindness of the Mahila SahibHis motiveDrawing-room ornamentsVisit to the palace of Jung BahadoorA trophy of the London seasonGrand Durbar at the reading of the Queen of Englands letterDress of the officersReview of troopsDancing boys.
CHAPTER XIII. Distinguishing features of the races of NepaulThe GhorkasMaintenance of the Nepaul armyBheem Singhs monumentA feast at the MinistersWe bid him adieuAscent of the SheopooriMagnificent view of the Himalayas from its summit.
CHAPTER XIV. A visit to the Ministers brothersDexterity of Colonel Dhere Shum ShereScenes for lovers of the FancyAdieu to NepaulThe view from the summit of the Chandernagiri passThe scenery of NepaulThe pass of BhimphedeNight quarters.
CHAPTER XV. A dilemma at BisoleahIgnominious exit from the Nepaul dominionsThe resources and capabilities of NepaulArticles of import from Thibet and Chinese TartaryA vision of the future.
CHAPTER XVI. Journey to LucknowNocturnal disastersView of the HimalayasWild-beast fightsBanquet given by the King of OudhGrand display of fireworksOur return to cantonments.
CHAPTER XVII. A Lucknow Derby-daySights of the cityGrand Trunk Road to DelhiDelhiThe CoutubAgraThe fort and TajThe ruins of Futtehpore SecrehA loquacious ciceroneA visit to the fort of GwaliorThe Mahratta DurbarTiger-shooting on foot.
CHAPTER XVIII. The carnival at IndoreExtraordinary scene in the palace of the HolkarA night at the caves of AjuntaThe caves of Ellora and fortress of DoulatabadThe merits of a palkeeReflections on the journey from Agra to BombayAdieu to India.
CHAPTER I.
Arrival of Jung Bahadoor in CeylonVoyage to CalcuttaRifle practice on board the AtalantaRifle-shootingColonel Dhere Shum ShereA journey along the Grand Trunk Road of BengalThe experimental railwayThe explosion at Benares.
Towards the close of the year 1850 a considerable sensation was created in the usually quiet town of Colombo by the arrival in Ceylon of His Excellency General Jung Bahadoor, the Nepaulese Ambassador, on his return to Nepaul, bearing the letter of the Queen of England to the Rajah of that country.
The accounts which had preceded him of the magnificence of the jewels with which his person was generally adorned, had raised expectations amongst the natives which were doomed to disappointment: intelligence had been received by Jung of the death of the Queen of Nepaul, and the whole Embassy was in deep mourning, so that their appearance on landing created no little astonishment, clad, as they all were, in spotless white, excepting their shoes, which were of black clothleather not being allowed to form part of the Nepaulese mourning costume.
His Excellency had a careworn expression of countenance, which might have been caused either by the dissipation attendant upon the gaieties of his visit to London, by grief for his deceased Queen, or by sea-sickness during his recent stormy passage across the Gulf of Manaar. He had been visiting sundry Hindoo shrines, and it was for the purpose of worshipping at the temple of Ramiseram, which is situate on the island of that name, in the Gulf of Manaar, forming part of Adams Bridge, that he touched at Colombo. Here I was fortunate enough to make his acquaintance, and, attracted by his glowing description of sport in Nepaul, accepted an invitation to accompany him to that country, in order to judge of it for myself.
