| Description | A continuation of the account of his health cruise, commencing with some mock-heroic verse. He sketches the Hoogli river from Fort William to Moorshadabad [Murshidabad]. On 15 June he and [William] Waterfield accompanied Dr Ross on his rounds: Ross looks after five hospitals, a post office, and has a jail to manage in the absence of the magistrate. They visited a Hindu college where he saw his father's 'Outlines of astronomy' translated into arabic, and he conversed with the professor there. There were Roman Catholic churches about, and he spoke with a witty priest living at the convent there. William reiterates the monotony of the river with the exception of a suspension bridge, describing a village and life on board the boat. He has shot many birds and he and Waterfield landed where they pleased. William gives an account of arguments with villagers about provisions and his settling a dispute without understanding the language. On 16 June he received a letter of 3 June, with news that his father has returned to Collingwood is is set to work on the Sun, 'how happy he must be again to be free of the smoke'. He comments on Indians and the ambitions of his [unnamed] bearer to extort people who come into contact with William. He promises to write about the aristocracy next time. William narrates his encounter with a snake on the riverbank, eventually smoking the reptile out of its hole and seeing it rearing up to distend its hood, recognising a cobra from a sight of a snake charmer the day before. He shot the snake and gives an account of it, with a sketch of its head and fangs, promising to send a tooth so they may see the hollow poison channels. He gives mesages for his father including his progress with language examinations, noting that he must now work towards high proficiency. He has been invited to visit Sir L [Lawrence] Peel. He concludes by commenting on family photographs. |