Gourmandise is a vice-a sad failing, at least ;- "roast," fried," "boil'd," or Nor on delicate "woodcocks served up upon toast!" Don't give people nick-names!-don't, even in fun, That whenever you please you can "give him the sack!" Last of all, as you'd thrive, and still sleep in whole bones, Tappington Everard, THE SEDAR. BY H. R. ADDISON. I RECEIVED a letter addressed to me at Calcutta, from a friend at Berhampore, stating that several robberies had taken place in my household during my absence, and that my sedar-bearer, on whom I could rely, had begged of my friend to write to me to return as soon as possible. This information reached me as I lay on my couch, completely worn with the fatigues of the day previous; for I had been with some brother-officers to Barrackpore, to see a hunt by leopards a sight the most curious that I ever beheld in India. These animals are so tame, that they range at large, and actually sleep beside their keeper. This I can vouch for, as I have seen it. They protect him with the same fidelity that a dog would defend his master, if any stranger should approach him during his slumbers. This I particularly know, as I unfortunately went to awake him, unaware of his faithful guardians, and nearly paid the penalty of my folly. The keeper, however, started up, and called them off. They obeyed with the docility of domestic animals, and fell behind him at his word of command. They belong, I believe, to the Governor-General for the time being, and are kept in the park of the government-house. It was here that I saw them run down a deer. Never in my life have I beheld anything so graceful as their movements, or so rapid as their speed. Considerably swifter than greyhounds, they bounded along, and soon brought down their game. Fatigued with the excitement of this beautiful sport, I returned to Calcutta, and, as I have mentioned, was lying on my couch when the information, conveyed by my friend at Berhampore, arrived. No time, however, was to be lost; so, starting up, I ordered my palanquin to be brought to the door, determined on travelling up the one hundred and sixteen miles by bearers. This mode of proceeding may appear strange to Europeans, who will scarcely believe the rapidity with which such a journey is accomplished. By the river, on account of the current, seven days are required to arrive at Berhampore; by land, it only takes twenty-eight hours. The bearers, like post-horses, are relieved every twelve or fifteen miles. Each relay consists of eight men, who shift the burden to each other at the end of about every league. The others trot alongside to rest themselves, the whole party singing and jolting on at the rate of about four miles and a half an hour. During the night the disengaged bearers carry torches, to scare away the wild beasts. The fire-flies buzzing about, like innumerable stars, add to the beauty of the picture, and render this scene most romantic and picturesque; though I must confess the uneasy motion, the broiling of the sun in this luxurious, coffin-like conveyance, and the fear of a voracious tiger, or other savage monster, take away, in my opinion, all the charms which would otherwise gild this mode of travelling. At daybreak on the second morning, (for I had halted a few hours at Aghardeep,) I arrived in the cantonments, and entered my house, which stood in the extensive barrack-square. After breakfasting most luxuriously on Bombay ducks, (a small salt fish, something like the European caplin,) the sable fish, (closely resembling our salmon,) and snipes, which are here far more plentiful than sparrows in England, I secretly sent for the WISE MAN of the place to come and discover the thief; then, ordering the servants to fall in, in a row under the verandah, I quietly and confidently awaited his arrival. I had often seen his powers tested, and never knew them fail. I am aware that my countrymen will smile at my credulity; but, as I have the conviction from personal and constant observation, I do not hesitate to assert, that his manner of discovering crime, though the simplest, was the most wonderful that I ever beheld. The present instance served to strengthen my belief. In every bazaar or village in India there exists a wise man, a sort of half-priest, half-conjuror, who predicts events, tells fortunes, secures families, and discovers crimes. These individuals are looked upon with great awe by the natives, and are often found useful in the last instance by Europeans. On the arrival of the magician, he made the men form a circle round him; then, uttering some prayers, he produced a small bag of rice, and taking out a handful, gave it to the man nearest to him, and desired him to chew it, while he continued to recite certain prayers, or incantations. In a moment or two he held a plate to the man, and desired him to spit out the grain. He did so; it was well chewed, and the man instantly declared innocent. Another and another succeeded. At length he came to one of my favourite servants-one whom I never suspected. On taking the rice, the man seemed dreadfully convulsed. He ground his teeth, and worked hard to masticate it; but all in vain. When he rendered it on the plate, the grain was uncrushed, unchewed. The WISE MAN instantly proclaimed him to be the thief; upon which, the servant, falling on his knees, confessed the crime, and detailed a series of thefts, for which I had suspected, and even punished, others. By his own showing he must have been the greatest rascal, the greatest scoundrel alive. He had, however, lived long with me; so I contented myself with instantly dismissing him. In the evening I was sitting at whist, when I was called out by my sedar-bearer, whom I before mentioned as one of the most faithful creatures in existence. He begged of me instantly to set out for Moorshedabad-a distance of about ten miles, in order to see a cousin of mine, who had sent me a verbal message by a pune (a foot-runner,) requesting my instant attendance, as he had met with a serious accident. When I asked to see the servant, I found he was already gone; and, when I expressed my astonishment that he had not even sent me a chit (note), my bearer assured me the accident had deprived him of the power of writing; but that he earnestly solicited me to lose no time in setting out. Of course I did not hesitate ordering my palanquin out once more. Though sadly tired, I started off, after making an apology to my friends for thus abruptly leaving them. On my arrival at Moorshedabad, I hurried to the bungalow of my relative. Here I found all the world fast asleep; and, amongst others, my cousin. He was perfectly well, and slumbering most comfortably. On being awoke, he positively denied having sent any messenger whatever to me, and had met with no accident, nor was ever better in his life. The deception thus practised on me staggered me so much, that, in spite of every remonstrance, I borrowed a relay of bearers, and set out on my instant return home. On re-entering my quarter I found all quiet and still as the grave. I aroused some of the sleeping-servants; and, having obtained a light, asked for the sedar-bearer, determined to make an example of the rascal for having thus played off a practical joke on me. None of the others, however, knew where he was; so I proceeded to my bed-room, resolved to punish him in the morning. As I passed through my dressing-room, I perceived my drawers open; I examined them, and found that a suit of my clothes had been extracted; and, by a turban I found lying near, I discovered that they had been taken by the sedar. That a man, whom I had hitherto looked upon as incorruptibly honest, should thus act, was a matter of the greatest surprise. That one, who had ever been considered as the most faithful of my servants, should thus suddenly turn thief, annoyed, and disappointed me. But, what puzzled me more than all was, that my people declared he had been seen to enter this room early in the evening, but most positively had not passed out again. Tired with conjecture, I went into my sleeping apartment. I started back with surprise. Upon the bed lay a figure, the very counterpart of myself! My heart misgave me as I rushed forward, and tore a handkerchief from the features of my other self, who so closely resembled me, as he appeared stretched on my bed, that my followers kept staring first at me, and then at the figure before them, as if doubtful of my identity. As the covering was removed, I perceived the countenance of my sedar. He was fast asleep. I attempted in anger to awake him. He was a corpse. Stone dead before me was stretched my late favourite servant. On a close examination I found a sharp-pointed instrument (probably poisoned) thrust into his heart, from which it was still undrawn. I could not decipher the dreadful mystery. Presently one of my kidmutgars rushed up. He held a leaf in his hand on which some characters in Hindostannee had been traced (as usual) with a pin. I sent for my munchee (interpreter), who thus translated them. "Beloved master! a plot was formed by the man |