Transcribed from the 1852 John Murray edition by Les Bowler.
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.
The interest which was manifested in the Nepaulese Embassy duringthe short residence of Jung Bahadoor in England leads me to hope thata description of the romantic country and independent Court which hecame to represent, as well as some account of his own previous eventfulcareer, may not be unacceptable to the English public—more especiallyas no work upon Nepaul has been published in this country, that I amaware of, since Dr. Hamilton’s, which appeared about the year1819.
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 opportunityof obtaining much interesting information, and of gaining an insightinto 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 modeof elephant-catching, so totally unlike that of any other country, whilethe grand scale on which our hunting party was organised was equallynovel.
I therefore venture to submit this volume to the public, in the hopethat the novelty of a portion of the matter contained in it will insome degree compensate for its manifold defects.
CHAPTER I. Arrival of Jung Bahadoor in Ceylon—Voyageto Calcutta—Rifle practice on board the Atalanta—Rifle-shooting—ColonelDhere Shum Shere—A journey along the Grand Trunk Road of Bengal—Theexperimental railway—The explosion at Benares.
CHAPTER II. Benares—Cashmere Mull’s house—TheChouk—The Bisheshwan temple, and Maido Rai Minar—The Ambassadorin Benares—A Rajah’s visit—The marriage of Jung Bahadoor—Reviewof the Nepaul rifle regiment—Benares college.
CHAPTER III. Jaunpore—A shooting-party—Scenes incamp and on the march—A Nepaulese dinner—Ghazipore—TheCompany’s stud—Indian roads—Passage of the Gograh—JungBahadoor’s mode of despatching an alligator.
CHAPTER IV. A picnic on the Nepaul frontier—A boar-hunt—TheTerai and its resources—Our shooting quarters—Incidentsof sport—A tiger-hunt—The great elephant exhibition of 1851—CampBechiacor.
CHAPTER V. March to Hetowra—Cross the Cheriagotty Hills—Scenesof the war of 1815-16—Preparations for a wild-elephant hunt—Theherd in full cry—A breakneck country—Furious charges ofwild elephants—The lost child—Return to camp.
CHAPTER VI. March to Bhimphede—National defences—TheCheesapany pass—Lovely scenery—Night adventure—Thewatch-fire—Reception at camp—Arrival at Katmandu.
CHAPTER VII. The British residency—Houses at the templeof Pusputnath—Unprepossessing appearance of the Newar population—Theirdress and characteristic features—Ghorkas—Temple of Pusputnath—Viewfrom the hill above it—The temple of Bhood—Worshippers fromThibet and Chinese Tartary—Their singular and disgusting appearance—Strikingscene in the grand square of the city of Katmandu.
CHAPTER VIII. The temple of Sumboonath—View from theplatform of the temple—The valley of Nepaul and its resources—Traditionrespecting it—Entrance of the Prime Minister into Katmandu—Thetwo kings—A brilliant reception.
CHAPTER IX. Sketch of the career of his Excellency GeneralJung Bahadoor, Prime Minister of Nepaul.
CHAPTER X. The titles of hi