Time passed swiftly in discussing social, religious, and political problems with the old Mahratta, and we felt sad when the conversation was interrupted by the carriage halting at the gate of a small bungalow. Here we had to alight to see all that remains of the old ramparts of Fort St. David. Entering the garden we could trace, by means of a broken wall, the position of one of the old bastions facing the river. The view from it was noble. Below, the river spread itself out, full and broad, between low banks covered with palms. Large boats, furnished with brown sails, were dropping lazily to the sea, and in the far distance, beyond the wide expanse of waters, could be seen the red and white houses of the old city of Cuddalore. After enjoying the fair prospect for a little time, we proceeded to examine some of the subterranean " Roman ways," to which Orme alludes in his history. They seem to have gone completely round the Fort, under the glacis, and to have formed means of com munication for the garrison. The greater part of the site of the old Fort is now covered with tall Casuarina trees and at the edge of the grove we found a bench where, desert ing our companions, we sat for some time, and conjured up spirits of the past. We see the " writer " come forth after a busy day at the ledger, and the factor enjoying with his wife and children the freshness of the evening air. A stout, hale man, of about fifty, dressed in scarlet coat, with a rapier by his side and a three-cornered hat under his arm, is engaged in earnest conversation with a slim stripling. Major Stringer Lawrence, commandant of all the Company's troops in the East Indies, is relating his experiences with Clayton's own regiment, to Clive. He tells him about Gibraltar and its siege, in which he took part, when serving in the ranks, and he gives him an account of his adventures with Wager's fleet on the coast of Italy. He describes how the column, headed by the King's son, broke the heart of the French line at Fontenoy, and how they have won the day if they had not been deserted by the Dutch. The lad's heart beats fast as Lawrence describes the gallant charge of the French guards, and how, with a wild yell, the Highlanders broke our ranks at Culloden, They eagerly discuss the news from Trichinopoly, which Lawrence con siders, from all accounts, must be very like Gibraltar, and Clive with eagerness assures him that if he could get together a small force, he might, by a rapid dash on Arcot, save the rock from falling into the hands of the French. Time is precious. News has reached them of a large convoy of French ships having left Mauritius, and they scan the hori zon with anxious eyes, to see if they can catch the first glimpse of the English fleet, which is expected from Madras. Their conversation is interrupted by a messenger, who comes in hot haste to inform them that the Mahratta horsemen have attacked " the Bounds," and two of their small band of officers have fallen, fighting gallantly to the last. Lawrence orders the call to arms to be sounded, and sends Clive to see that the gates are securely guarded. The evil tidings swiftly spread, and the men and women hasten away from the rampart. No sound breaks the stillness of the air, except the tramp of the sentry, and the roar of the ocean, as it breaks on the bar.
A voice interrupts our reverie. It is the old Mahratta, who has come to remind us that it is growing dark, and we must hasten home, for the road is not very good.
At break of dawn we start with our Mahratta friend to visit the city of Cuddalore. A more enjoyable drive it would be difficult to imagine. The air is fresh, the road is lined with noble trees, and the country is rich with maize, corn, and rice, spreading as far as the eye can scan. Before we reach the town, we skirt the broad river, lit with the scarlet shafts of sunrise, and here nature grows even more rich and lavish. But man has not been lavish in his bounties on the city of Cuddalore. The streets are extremely narrow and dirty, and with some difficult we thread our way through them, in order to reach the old factory. We pass through a lofty gateway and enter a wide courtyard, where a large number of women are busy in packing ground-nuts, which are exported in large quantities to Europe for the manu facture of "olive oil." The rapid growth of this export has done much to increase the prosperity of Southern India, but my conservative friend refused to regard it as a blessing. Men, he stated, had begun to cease to grow corn and rice in order to cultivate the ground-nut, and when there was no corn grown the people would starve. In fact the good old man displayed as much ignorance of economics as a cabinet minister. Passing through the courtyard we come to a fine massive building which was once the old factory. For some years it had been used as a gaol. On the ground floor
are spacious vaults, in which the factors stored the piece goods, the cinnamon, the pepper, meant for Europe : above is a spacious lofty room which used to be the common dining room, and adjoining it is the chamber which, by order of their masters, was fitted up as a chapel, for the directors of the East India Company were as solicitous for the welfare of the souls of their servants as of their bodies. They not only sent arms and ammunition for the Fort, but also a supply of Bibles and catechisms for distribution, and " when any shall be able to repeat the catechism by heart, you may give to each of them two rupees for their encouragement." In the present day we fear there is not a single Member of Council or Secretary to Government who could earn two rupees by repeating the catechism. It was ordered that " whosoever shall be guilty of lying shall pay four fanams." " Whosoever shall profaine the name of God by swearing or cursing he shall pay twelve pence to the use of ye poore for every oath or curse, and in case of non-payment after demand, the said sume shall be levyed by distress, and in default of such distress the offender shall sett in the stocks three hours." The penalty for remaining out of the house all night (without license from the chief), or being found absent at the time of shutting the gates after nine at night (without reasonable excuse), was " ten rupees to the use of ye poore, or sett one whole day publikely in the stocks." But whosoever committed the offence of having " appeared to be drunk " had to pay five shillings for the use of the poor for every offence, and in case of non-payment after demand, " the said sume shall be levied by distress, and in defect of such distress, the offender shall sett in the stocks six hours." Every Protestant that lodged " within the house " who was absent from the publike prayers morning and evening on week days, " without lawful excuse," had to pay twelve pence for the poore, or be confined one whole weeke within the house for every such default ; but what soever Christian in the Hon'ble Company's service that was absent from the publike prayers morning and evening on the Lord's Day, without a lawful excuse, had also to pay twelve pence for the poore for every such offence, but in case of default the offender had to suffer imprisonment " until payment of said sume so forfeited by law." It was also com manded " that these orders shall be read publikely to the ffactory twice in the yeare, that is, upon the Sunday next after Christmas day, and upon the Sunday next after Midsummer day in the forenoone, after Divine service, that none may pretend ignorance thereof ; and all persons concerned therein are hereby strictly charged and commanded to give due observance and not contrary to the same, upon paine of undergoing the penaltys appointed, and suffiring further displeasure." These orders were made by " the Agents and Council for affairs of the Hon'ble the English East India Company upon the coast of Chormandell, and in the Bay of Bengal (for advancing the Glory of God, upholding the honour of the English nation, and the preventing of dis orders) to be observed by all persons imployed in the said Hon'ble Company's service in the Factorys in the Bay of Bengal." They were issued the i2th day of December, Anno Domini, 1679, and in the one and thirtieth yeare of the raigne of Our Soveraigne Lord Charles the Second, by the Grace of God, King of England, Scotland, France, and Ireland, Defender of the Faith, etc.," and they show that the wild orgy of the Restoration had not reached India, but that the factors were what Puritanism had made them, serious, earnest, sober in life and conduct.
After wandering over the old factory we proceeded to the church, a small neat building, which is believed to be the identical building taken from the Jesuit priests in 1749, on their expulsion from Cuddalore as French spies. In the churchyard there are some interesting old tombs. Here lies Agnes Macdonald, "who died on the 7th July, 1732, of a broken heart, aged 20 " ; her husband had been " murdered by an infuriated noble of Muslem " a fortnight before. Leaving the churchyard we found our way with some difficulty to the old cemetery. With proud and pensive thought we wander among the tombs and read the in scriptions carved upon them. It is only when we visit these old cemeteries scattered about the land, we realize the courage and self-devotion, the suffering and woe, by which England's Empire has been bought. These old tombs are sacred trusts, and it is gratifying that in future they are to be carefully preserved by the State. The cost of saving them from ruin ought not to be great, for, though the illustrious living are many, the illustrious dead are few.