John McCosh

“ Most people prefer paying extra, and having a carriage to one's-self. Enough baggage is allowed to supply one's wants on the journey. Travellers may either run along night and day, at the rate of seven or eight miles an hour; or they may halt a few hours at the numerous staging bungalows upon the route, paying a charge of one rupee for the accommodation. These bungalows are placed at from ten to fifteen miles distant along the whole trunk road. ”

“ In this last way ten or twelve miles a day is good work. When neither sail nor tracking can be had recourse to, the boatmen take to their oars, or push along with bamboos at the rate of only one mile an hour.
To one not acquainted with the navigation of large rivers, a voyage up the Ganges in country boats may possibly be considered a mere pleasure-trip; but much experience convinces me that it is full of risk both to person and property. The rate of insurance for a four month's voyage on the Ganges is about the same as that from Calcutta to London. ”

“ A larger boat is generally unwieldy and too heavy for the crew allowed it. Up-countrymen are always preferred to Bengalese, and Hindoos to Mussulmen. Before engaging a boat, examine if she is sound, well found in cables sails, ropes, and a good iron anchor. Boats are engaged by the month or by the trip, the latter is the best way. A written agreement should be made, and not more than one-third paid in advance, the rest by instalments at different parts of the voyage. Those not experienced in boating ought to allow the boatmen to have all their own way ”

“ The voyage from Calcutta to Adahabad is made in from fifteen to twenty days, and no better opportunity can be found of seeing Indian life and scenery than in such a trip. The stranger not pressed for time, cannot do better than engage a passage in one of the steamers. ”

“ He will have a comfortable cabin to himself, as much tonnage as he requires, he will have a good table, plenty of society, a spacious deck to exercise upon: every evening the steamers anchor; and at most stations they halt a few hours, admitting of a run on shore, and an inspection of what is best worth seeing in the neighbourhood.
4. DAWKING.—There are no mail coaches in Bengal, but there are several transit companies, where one can take his passage along the grand trunk road almost to the banks of the Sutlej. ”

“ The events at any one presidency are known at any other presidency an hour or two after they have taken place; and messages can be transmitted by the public at large at the rate of one rupee for sixteen words. ”

“ Of all modes of carriage, camels are the best, and carts or hackeries the worst: the latter are constantly liable to accidents; and it is no unusual thing for one to come up late in the afternoon, having been detained by an axle-tree breaking and the cutting down a tree to make a new one. ”

“ One tent is sent on in the evening to the new ground, where it is found ready to receive its owner next morning. The sleeping tent and the heavy baggage follow their master at daylight, and generally arrive about noon. ”