Page:Wanderings of a Pilgrim Vol 1.djvu/274

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CHAPTER XIX.

THE RETURN TO ALLAHABAD.—EXECUTION OF TWENTY-FIVE THUGS.

"WHO HAS SEEN TO-MORROW?"

i.e. Enjoy to-day, no one knows what will happen to-morrow[1].


Removal to Allahabad—Crocodiles—Aurunzebe's Fort—The Old Well at Kurrah—Arrival at Allahabad—The Thermantidote—The King's Picture and the Celestials—Pattū—Execution of Twenty-five Thugs—Cholera—The Effect on the Insane—The Arabian Leprosy—Elephantiasis—Asylums for the Blind and for Lepers—Lachhmī, the Goddess of Prosperity—Intense Heat—Early Rising—Danger of a Thermantidote—List of Servants.


1831. Feb. 1st.—We quitted the Residency at Lucnow, feeling greatly gratified by the kindness we had experienced from the Resident, and returned to Cawnpore.

We now prepared for our removal to Allahabad, the horses and carriages having been dispatched by land; the furniture, &c., was put into six great country boats, one of which, an immense 900 m[)u]n patailā, contained cows, sheep, goats, besides a number of fowls, guinea-fowls, turkeys, &c.; and on the top of all was a great thermantidote.

17th.—We quitted Cawnpore, and commenced our voyage down the Ganges.

18th.—The low sandbanks in the river swarm with crocodiles; ten are basking on a bank to the left of our boat, and five or six are just ahead. The sāhib has fired at them several times, but they are beyond the reach of pistol shot. They are timid

  1. Oriental Proverbs, No. 42.