The land of the Veda; being personal reminiscences of India, its people, castes, thugs, and fakirs

525 Pages·2017·12.85 MB·English

by  Butler, William, 1818-1899

III
isceflcesof IfJd i/\.
View in the Himalayas.
THE
LAND OF THE VEDA
lJE IN G
PERSONAL REMINISCENCES
OF
I N D I A
It s P e o p l e , C a s t e s , T h u g s , a n d F a k i r s
ITS RELIGIONS, MYTHOLOGY, PRINCIPAL MONUMENTS,
'p a l a c e s , AND MAUSOLEUMS
T O G E T H E R W I T H T H E
I N C I D E N T S OF T H E G R E A T S E P O Y R E B E L L I O N
OTCT'BIjIIEDE EIDITI03ST
By WILLIAM BUTLER, D. D.
N E W Y O R K : E A T O N & M A IN S
C IN C IN N A T I: JENNINGS & GRAHAM
Copyright by
CARLTON & LANAHAN
1871
Copyright by
HUNT & EATON
1894
Copyright by
EATON & MAINS
1906
P R E F A C E .
H E writer of this book has aimed to act toward the reader in
the relation of a guide, as though he were going over the
ground again, and giving the benefit of his experience, in pointing
out the objects of interest with which years and study have famil­
iarized his own mind. The thread of the narrative runs through
the work, and, so far as the subject permitted, its continuity has
been preserved.
In a theme like that of India, and after the reading and note-
taking of fifteen years, it is a difficult task for an author to trace
every entry to its source, or adequately to discriminate between
what is original and what is borrowed. Every reasonable effort,
however, has been made to give proper acknowledgment wherever
it was found desirable to use the ideas or language of others.
W hile the denominational relation of the writer is evident enough,
he trusts that there will not be found on these pages a single sen­
tence that can give offense to any member of Christ’s Church, but,
on the contrary, that their perusal may encourage and strengthen
the faith of God’s elect in that almighty Power which, even in the
idolatrous and conservative East, is so manifestly subduing all
things unto Himself. Here may be discerned the dawn of that
day, so long foretold, when all Oriental races shall be blessed in a
Redeemer who was himself A siatic by birth and blood and the
sphere of His personal ministry— whose cross was erected on that
continent, and whose first ministers and members were taken
from among that people. The hundreds of millions of their de­
scendants now await this redemption, and shall yet joyously unite
to crown him “ Lord of all.”
T he writer has not concealed his conviction that human history,
4 P R E F A C E .
and the movements and changes of thrones, and powers, and
kingdoms, can be fully understood only in the light of the doc­
trine of the Second Psalm. Jesus Christ, the divine and eternal
Son of God, who created and redeemed this world, is its “ Master
and Lord.” The number, the malignity, the counsel of his foes, are
lighter in his estimation than the chaff of the summer threshing-
floor, and as easily swept from the path of his almighty move­
ments. He has not abandoned this world, with its thousand
millions of accountable and dying men, to be the victims of the
whims and caprice of selfish potentates, deceiving errorists, or
wicked spirits in high places, to be forever crushed down beneath
their tyranny and misdirection. He has undertaken, and will
accomplish, man’s redemption in every sense, temporal, spiritual,
and eternal.
That repose which the world, and particularly its Oriental por­
tion, so much needs and has so long sighed for, is to be found
only in Him ; and it will come when He has overthrown the foes
of the world’s welfare, and rectified its many wrongs. Then, be­
neath the benign administration of this “ Prince of Peace,” human­
ity at length shall rest, each of them under his own vine and fig-
tree, and none shall make them afraid.
The government of Christ alone explains the condition and the
history of the world. W e acknowledge him to be “ The blessed
and only Potentate, the K i n g o f K i n g s a n d L o r d o f L o r d s , ”
whose scepter sways “ all power in heaven and in earth.” A t his
feet, who is “ Prince of the kings of the earth,” and “ Head over
all things to the Church,” is laid this humble effort to illustrate
his high providence, as one more heartfelt tribute to be added to
the many which are already ascribing— “ Blessing, and honor, and
glory, and power unto Him who sitteth upon the throne, and unto
the Lamb for ever and ever ! ” W. B.
C O N T E N T S .
CHAPTER L
T H E P E O P L E O P IN D IA — C A S T E A N D IT S IM M U N ITIE S.
G re at Em ergencies o f C h ristian ity— O ur N arro w Escape— O rigin o f C a ste— T he
Brahm in— B rahininical D evo tio n s— Prerogatives and Investiture— D iscrim in ations in
the Brahm in’s F avo r b y the L a w — F o u r Stages o f a Brahm in’s L ife— Brahm inism a
D ead F ailu re— T h e People o f In dia— T h e Ladies o f the L a n d — T h e N au tch G irls—
T h e G entlem en o f India— Conversion and C areer o f M aharajah D hu leep S ingh— H a b its
o f the H in do o A ris to cra cy— C h ristian ity alone C reates a H om e— H in do o V is its o f
C erem ony— M arriage Expenses— M anners and C u sto m s............................................. P ag e I I
CHAPTER H.
STA T IS T IC S , M Y T H O LO G Y , A N D Y E D IC L IT E R A T U R E .
C iv il and R elig io us Statistics o f In dia— T h e Lan guages o f In dia— India Com pared
to E u ro p e— T rad e, C om m erce, and R evenue— R ailroads and T elegrap h s— E nglish
E m p ire— V a lu e o f In dia to E ngland— T h e H ig h er M otives for E nglish R u le— M apping
out E tern ity— M easurem ents o f T im e— M yth o lo g y , G eography, and A stro n o m y o f the
H in do o s— T h e V ed as— B eef-eatin g San ctioned b y the V edas— M anners o f the H indoos
at the T im e o f the M acedonian Invasion, (326 B. C .)— V ile C haracter o f V ed ic W o r­
ship— D eception as to the C o ntents o f the V ed a — H in d o o L ite ra tu re— T h e R am ayana
— T h e T em p tatio n and A b d u ctio n o f S ee ta— T h e M a h a b arata ....................................... 66
CHAPTER HI.
A R C H IT E C T U R A L M A G N IF IC E N C E O P IN D IA .
Personal N arrative o f A p pointm ent and Journey— O ur R eception in India— C h a rac­
ter o f M oham m edan R u le— T h e M oslem D yn a sty Passing A w a y — Zeenat M ahal— T h e
K h ass and the M ogul S inking T o g eth er— A rch itectu ra l T a ste o f the Em perors—
M oore’ s Blunder in L a lla R o o k h — Paradise and its P riv ileges— T h e D ew anee K h ass and
its G loriou s F urn itu re— In terview o f N ad ir Shah and M oham m ed Shah— T a c t o f the
C o u rtier— T h e F irst S ig h t o f the T a j M ahal— V ie w from the G ate— Inside o f the T aj
— T h e E ffect o f M usic over the T o m b — T h e T a j M atchless— O rigin o f the T a j— T h e
L o st O p po rtu n ity o f Rom anism at A g r a — A P rayer w hich G od w ill ever R efuse to
A n sw er— Cost o f the T a j— E tm ad -o o d-D o ulah ’s T o m b — T h e D au gh ter o f the D esert
— T h e H ero in e o f M o o re’ s Poem — T h e K o o tu b M inar— Its O rig in and S ty le— T h e
G overnm ent o f Jehovah Christ o ver N atio n s and D ynasties— T h e Unfinished M inar—
T h e Palladium o f H in do o D o m in ion ............................................................................................. IO I
CHAPTER IV.
O R IG IN A T IN G C A U SE S O P T H E SE P O Y R E B E L L IO N .
P osition o f the E m peror o f D elh i— T erm s o f the E nglish B argain w ith the M o gu l_
W h y the M unificent Provision F aile d — T h e P agean t felt to be a B o re— M oslem H ate
6 CONTENTS.
o f Christ and Christians— T h e N ana S ah ib — H is A g en t A zeem oolah— A H yp o crite
w ho has no E q u al— M oham m edan M onopoly o f P lace and Pow er— Sepoy A rm y and
its D isadvantages— A n n exation o f O u de— D read o f Christian C ivilization— T h e F ak irs
o f In dia— H um orous A n ecd o te o f S elf-torturin g F a k ir— T h e Y o g e es— H indoo Rules
o f M oral P erfection— N um ber and Expense o f Saints in India— M ilitant F ak irs— L u ck ­
now, its B eau ty and V ileness— T h o se w ho N eeded us M o st— O ur M ission F ie ld --J o e l,
our F irst N ativ e Preacher— P e g g y ’ s Sacrifice for her S a v io u r............................... P age 170
C H A P T E R V .
“ IN P E R IL S B Y T H E H E A T H E N , IN P E R I L S IN T H E 'W IL D E R N E SS.”
R eception at B a reilly— A M an w ho N ever H e ard o f A m erica— T h e G reased C a r­
tridges— M ethods and M o tives Em p loyed to F om ent R ebellio n — W illo u g h b y ’s G allant
D efense o f the D elh i M agazine— M assacre o f M eerut and D elhi— Providential C o m ­
pensations— O ur W arn in g to F le e — D eclin ed to L e av e— Reconsideration and F lig h t—
L e ft in the T era i at M id n igh t— G o d ’s A n sw er to a B rie f Prayer— O ur F irst S igh t o f
N ynee T a l— T h e M assacre at B a reilly— J o el’ s N arrative o f his Escape and F l ig h t- -
D eath o f M aria— Brom field-street and B a reilly on the Sam e D a y — M assacre at Shah-
jehanpore— T h e M urdered M issionaries— “ T em p erin g the W in d to the Shorn L a m b ”
- - O u r M easures o f D efense at N yn ee T a l— T h e V alu e o f O ur H ead s— “ T h e M utiny
B a b y ” — H o w w e L ived , and our Com m issariat— M utilation o f our M essengers— H u n ­
gry for N ew s— M rs. Edw ards and the G arm ent o f Praise— L y in g and Blasphem ous
P roclam ation s o f the R ebel A u th o rities— T h e Spirit o f the M oslem C reed— T h e D elhi
B a ttle o f the 23d o f June— Scarcity and D earness o f our Provisions— O ur R am pore
F riend— L e Bas and the N aw ab o f K u rn al— T h e F a k ir and the B a b y— O ur Sudden
F lig h t from N yn ee T a l to A lm o rah — A g ain “ in Perils in the W ild ern e ss” — L ig h t in
the D arkness— A lm o rah R eached at L a st— T h e F earfu l S tate o f T h in g s before D elh i
-O u r B a ttle at H u ld w an e e............................................................................................................... 221
C H A P T E R V I .
T H E C A W N P O R E M A SS A C R E A N D T H E R E L I E F O F LU C K N O W .
A m erican B lo o d am ong the F irst Shed at C aw np ore— “ T hese are T h ey which
C am e O u t o f G reat T r ib u la tio n ” — A u th o rities for the S to ry— Sir H u gh W h eeler’s
P reparation— T h e B eginning o f the L o n g A g o n y — A Sorrow w ithout a P ara lle l— T h e
N an a Sah ib ’s Infernal T rea ch ery— R eserves the Ladies for A n o th er Doom — T h e D a rk ­
est Crim e in H um an H istory— T h e N an a Sah ib M eets G eneral H a v elo ck — T o ta lly
R o u ted — H a v elo c k ’s Soldiers at “ T h e W e ll ” — “ I B elieve in the Resurrection o f the
B o d y ” — T h e Shrine erected by a W eep in g C ou ntry— B lo w in g A w a y from G uns and its
M o tiv e— Siege ol L u ck n o w — Sir H en ry L a w ren ce’ s Preparation for D efense— T h e D is­
astrous D efeat o f Chinhu t— T h e U nequal C onditions o f the C o n flict— T h e M uchee
Baw un Blow n U p— S ir H en ry L a w ren ce’ s D ea th — D eterm ined R esolu tion o f the G ar­
rison— V a lu e and P rice o f Stores— S o o th in g Influence o f P rayer— T h e Om en o f C om in g
L iberty and Peace— H a v elo c k ’s O pportune A rriv a l at C a lc u tta — M ilita ry Services and
C a reer— B egins his G rand M arch w ith a H andful o f T ro o p s— T h e B a ttles o f F u tty -
pore and Pandoo N uddee— E nters Caw np ore July 17th — T o o L a te after all to S ave the
L adies— Crosses the G anges and M arches for L u ck n o w — W in s his Seven th V ic to ry —
O bliged by C h o lera and the C ond ition o f his T ro o p s to W a it for R einforcem ents—
Sir Jam es O u tram ’s N o b le Concession— R einforced and On his W a y again— T h e R e s­
idency R eached and the Ladies Saved— Shut in A g a in — Sir C olin C a m pbell’ s A pproach
to L u ck n o w — Jessie B row n and her “ D inna ye H e ar the Slogan ? ” — M eetin g o f C am p­
bell, O utram , and H a v elo c k — E vacu ation o f the R esidency— H a velo ck D yin g — R e cep ­
tion o f the Ladies at A lla h a b a d ....................................................................................................... 20-?
CONTENTS.
CH A PTER V n .
T H E C A U SE S A N D F A I L U R E O F T H E S E P O Y R E B E L L IO N .
E n glan d ’s M isrepresentatives— T h e E ast In dia C om pany Answ ered b y O ne o f its
own H indoo Su b jects— E scape o f India from French R u le— Y o u n g B en g al’ s Opinion
o f C h ristianity— N ativ e A p p reciation o f E nglish G overnm ent— H in doo E stim ate o f
M issionaries and C h ristian ity— T h e Interested E nem ies o f British R u le— Su ttee w ith ­
out V ed ic S an ction— T h e M ode and E xten t o f Su ttee— T h e M otives o f the Im m olation
— Instances o f S u ttee— A bolished b y L o rd B entinck— T h e T h u g s o f In dia— O ur Inter­
view w ith T w o H undred o f T h em — D ivine San ction for T hu ggeeism — W h at the C o n ­
flict In v o lv ed — E n g lan d ’s Confession o f her Sins— A M issionary Succeeds w here a G o v ­
ernm ent F a ils— Sir John L aw ren ce’ s Christian C o u rage— O ur Position again A ssailed
— A n o th er D iv in e Interposition in our B eh alf— D elh i F a lls at L a st— O ur Journey
A cro ss the H im alayas— In D an ger from the W ild Beasts— A rriv a l o f our F irst M is­
sionaries at C a lcu tta— In Sorrow , Supposing us K ille d — W e R each the Plains and P ro ­
ceed to D elh i— T h e N akedness o f the Captu red C ity — A lo n e at M idn ight at the K o t-
Walie— T h e S igh ts o f D elh i— M oham m edan T reatm ent o f H indoo Idols— O ur V isit
to the F allen Em p eror— O ther R o yal C ap tives aw aiting T r ia l— A tten d in g Christian
W orship in the D ew anee K h ass— W h y the Sepoy R ebellion F ailed— C o n stitutional
Freedom F o reign to Eastern M in d s.................................................................................... P age 358
CHAPTER VIH.
R E SU L T S O F T H E R E B E L L IO N TO C H R IS T IA N IT Y AN D C IV IL IZ A T IO N .
M eetin g w ith O ne o f the B a reilly R efu gees— C olonel G ow an ’ s M unificence— D octor
W en tw o rth ’s In vitation to China— Sad Service at the M eerut P ost-O ffice— Joined by
the M issionaries and their W iv es— Lo d ged in the T a j M ahal— Proceed to N ynee T al
and Com m ence our W o rk — T h e Sheep-H ouse C o n gregation — T h e B a ttle o f B areilly—
T h e G rave o f the G reat R ebellio n — D escent to B a re illy and V isit to m y R uined H om e
— C ond ucting W orsh ip for H a v elo c k ’s H eroes on their Last Battle-field— V isit to K han
Bahadur in Prison— H is T ria l and H o w he D ied — Journey to F u tty g h u r and Caw npore
R e-enter L u ck n o w — R eception by S ir R o bert M ontgom ery— M arvelous Changes—
R esults o f the R ebellio n view ed from the R esidency— E ffect on the M oham m edans—
T h e Irishm an in the L u ck n o w C o u rt— “ O ne o f Y o u shall Chase a T h o u s a n d ” — A b o ­
litio n o f the E ast India Com pany— C ondition and Prospects o f the G ospel— M artyr
C am pbell’ s P rayer A nsw ered— C hristian ity Invincib le and In evitab le ........................... 430
C H A PTER IX.
T H E C O N D ITIO N O F W O M A N U N D E R HINDOO L A W .
W om an ’s W ron gs in India are L e g a l— Fem ale Infanticide— “ D a rk S au go r’s impious
Stain ” — B etrothal o f H indoo G irls— Courtship U nknow n in India— L eg al A g e for
M arriage— Seclusion follow s B etro th al— E d ucation o f the H indoo M aiden— Su bordi­
nation o f W om an L e g ally E njoined— T h e W ife Prohibited from E a tin g w ith her H u s­
band— R equired to Serve him w hile he E a ts— Illustration o f R o ya l T yran n y— A
W om an’s Curse D readed— Po lygam y A llo w ed by L a w — Its E x te n t— Polyand ry— Its
Ancient Character illustrated from the M ahabarata— W idow hood in India— Its C o n d i­
tion and E ffect— D ea th and F un eral o f the H indoo W ife and M other on the B anks o f
the G a n g es.................................................................................................................................................. 468
8 CONTENTS.
C H A P T E R X
DEVELOPMENT OF THE MISSION
E xplantory N ote—M ethods of W ork—Throne of the Great M ogul—A V ision
of the F uture—T h e O rphanages—F irst M ethodist P ress—F irst H osp ital—
T h e W om an’s Foreign M issionary Society—T he Theological Sem inary... 506
C H A P T E R X I
THE YE AR OF JUBILEE
T h e R iver of In d ia’s M ethodism —Benares and B areilly— F irst Convert—
R eviva l Spirit— Lepers R ejo ic in g—Bishop T hoburn’s A ccount of E xp an sion —
T he System of the W ork—A m on g the H ead H unters of Borneo—Gujarat
A w ak en in g— On to T hibet—India the G e m .............................................................. 524
G l o s s a r y o f I n d i a n T e r m s .......................................................................................................................
I n d e x
559