| Description | William comments on the blessing of being within a day's post of the mail now, and he has just received his father's last letter accompanying Maria's [Maria Sophia Herschel]. He discusses the Latin in a translation of Goethe. The picture of Carry is exquisite and William asks for a fresh print of her and Gordon [Caroline Emilia Mary Herschel, who married Alexander Hamilton-Gordon] as both of his have faded. William took charge of his new office yesterday and in the last 36 hours he has had a dozen cases of disputes between planters and ryotts. The Magistrate in the next district was forced to issue a proclamation stating that ryotts were not obliged to plant indigo unless they chose to. This did more mischief than good as the Indians now believe that the Governor intends to put down indigo planting altogether. They resist both illegal and legal demands of planters and William has been surpised at how organised they are. The planters are in difficulties and it will require tact on the bench. They are arming themselves with gangs of club men and seizing ryotts. He hopes to make them see sense. He has ordered a map of the district from his booksellers for his father. He describes his recent jolting journey by palkee [palanquin]. He encloses Johnny's diary [John Herschel]. William's station is pretty and considered the healthiest in Lower Bengal. It suppports a college, church and missionaries, the latter going out of their way to incite the ryotts against the planters. He describes the schools and clubs and other features. Wilson has given William a financial statement and the income tax will cost him £200 by the time he goes home. |