Notes of an Overland Journey Through France and Egypt to Bombay | Page 2

its trade followed by reduction of the
population--Speculations as to the probability of ultimately resisting the
Arabs--Exaggerated notions entertained by the Shiekhs of the wealth of
the British--Aden a free Port would be the Queen of the adjacent
Seas--Its advantages over Mocha--The Inhabitants of Aden--The
Jews--The Banians--The Soomalees--The Arabs--Hopes of the
prosperity of Aden--Goods in request there--Exports--Re-embarkation
on the Steamer--Want of attention--Makallah--Description of the
place--Its products--The Gazelle--Traveller in Abyssinia--Adventurous
English Travellers--Attractions of the Arab life--Arrival at Bombay
* * * * *

CHAPTER IX

.
BOMBAY.
Contrast between landing at Bombay and at Calcutta--First feelings
those of disappointment--Aspect of the place improves--Scenery of the
Island magnificent, abounding with fine Landscapes--Luxuriance and
elegance of the Palms--Profusion and contrast of the Trees--Multitude
of large Houses in Gardens--Squalid, dirty appearance of the Native
Crowd--Costume of the Natives--Inferior to the Costume of
Bengal--Countenances not so handsome--The Drive to the Fort--The
Burrah Bazaar--Parsee Houses--"God-shops" of the Jains--General use
of Chairs amongst the Natives--Interior of the Native Houses--The
Sailors' Home--The Native Town--Improvements--The Streets
animated and picturesque--Number of Vehicles--The Native
Females--The Parsee Women--The Esplanade--Tents and
Bungalows--The Fort--The China Bazaar--A Native School--Visit to a
Parsee Warehouse--Real ornamental China-ware--Apprehension of Fire
in the Fort--Houses fired by Rats--Illumination of Native
Houses--Discordant noise of Native Magic--The great variety of
Religions in Bombay productive of lamp-lighting and drumming
* * * * *

CHAPTER X
.
BOMBAY--(_Continued_).
Bombay the rising Presidency--Probability of its becoming the Seat of
Government--The Anglo-Indian Society of Bombay--Style of
Living--The Gardens inferior to those of Bengal--Interiors of the
Houses more embellished--Absence of Glass-windows an evil--The
Bungalows--The Encamping-ground--Facility and despatch of a change
of residence--Visit to a tent entertainment--Inconveniences attending a
residence in tents--Want of Hotels and Boarding-houses--Deficiency of
public Amusements in Bombay--Lectures and Conversaziones
suggested, as means of bringing the native community into more
frequent intercourse with Europeans--English spoken by the superior
classes of Natives--Natives form a very large portion of the wealth and
intelligence of Bombay--Nothing approaching the idea of a City to be

seen--The climate more salubrious than that of Bengal--Wind blows
hot and cold at the same time--Convenience a stranger finds in so many
domestic servants speaking English--Their peculiar mode of speaking
it--Dress of servants--Their wages--The Cooks--Improved by Lord
Clare--Appointments of the tables--The Ramoosee Watchmen--Their
vociferations during the night--Fidelity of the Natives--Controversy
concerning their disregard of truth.
* * * * *

CHAPTER XI
.
BOMBAY--(_Continued_).
Residences for the Governor--Parell--Its Gardens--Profusion of
Roses--Receptions at Government-house--The evening-parties--The
grounds and gardens of Parell inferior to those at Barrackpore--The
Duke of Wellington partial to Parell--Anecdotes of his Grace in
India--Sir James Mackintosh--His forgetfulness of India--The
Horticultural Society--Malabar Point, a retreat in the hot weather--The
Sea-view beautiful--The nuisance of fish--Serious effects at Bombay of
the stoppage of the trade with China--Ill-condition of the poorer classes
of Natives--Frequency of Fires--Houses of the Parsees--Parsee
Women--Masculine air of the other Native Females of the lower orders
who appear in public--Bangle-shops--Liqueur-shops--Drunkenness
amongst Natives not uncommon here, from the temptations held
out--The Sailors' Home--Arabs, Greeks, Chinamen--The latter few and
shabby--Portuguese Padres--Superiority of the Native Town of
Bombay over that of Calcutta--Statue of Lord
Cornwallis--Bullock-carriages--High price and inferiority of horses in
Bombay--Hay-stacks--Novel mode of stacking
* * * * *

CHAPTER XII
.
BOMBAY--(_Continued_).
The Climate of Bombay treacherous in the cold season--The land-wind

injurious to health--The Air freely admitted into Rooms--The Climate
of the Red Sea not injurious to Silk dresses--Advice to lady-passengers
on the subject of dress--The Shops of Bombay badly
provided--Speculations on the site of the City, should the seat of
Government be removed hither--The Esplanade--Exercise of Sailors on
Shore and on Ship-board--Mock-fight--Departure of Sir Henry
Fane--Visit to a fair in Mahim Wood--Prophecy--Shrine of Mugdooree
Sahib--Description of the Fair--Visit to the mansion of a
Moonshee--His Family--Crowds of Vehicles returning from the
Fair--Tanks--Festival of the _Duwallee_--Visit to a Parsee--Singular
ceremony--The Women of India impede the advance of
improvement--They oppose every departure from established
rules--Effect of Education in Bombay yet superficial--Cause of the
backwardness of Native Education

MEMOIR.
* * * * *
Experience has, especially of late years, amply refuted the barbarous
error, which attributes to Nature a niggardliness towards the minds of
that sex to which she has been most prodigal of personal gifts; the
highest walks of science and literature in this country have been graced
by female authors, and, perhaps, the purity and refinement which
pervade our works of imagination, compared with those of former days,
may not unjustly be traced to the larger share which feminine pens now
have in the production of these works. It would appear to countenance
the heretical notion just condemned, to assume that a robust
organization is essential to the proper development and exercise of the
powers of the understanding; but it is certain that, in several instances,
individuals, who have exhibited the most striking examples of female
pre-eminence, have not reached