George Turnbull (1809-1889): Autobiography: Chapter 6

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Chapter 06. 1853. (pages 133-141). East Indian Railway.

1853. January 1st.— Left Mirzapore to-day, and journeyed west for Allahabad. Parted with Major Baker, who returns to Benares, thence to Monghyr. West of Mirzapore are many fine houses of natives, merchants and others, also Hindoo temples and musjeeds for miles out of the city. Passed Kittoe’s famous bridge, over a deep nullah, “ Ogillah,” I believe, nearly dry. The bridge was nearly finished; three Gothic arches of 60 feet span each, cost said to be Rs. 60,000, built of rubble-stone with cut-stone “ dressings,” coping, &c. ; stone quarries a few miles off. 1 could not admire the design; too great flat spaces ih the spandrels.

We heard that the steamer, “James Hume,” was expected up to-day on her way to Allahabad, but would have to stop at Sirsa, as there was not water enough beyond.

Reached Sirsa on the 3rd, and encamped as usual. This is a large village, or rather town, near the confluence of the River Tonsee with the Ganges. A great deal of business is done here; much cotton cleaned and shipped for Calcutta. Only steamers of very small draught can get past this place in the dry season.

At 1.30 p.m. temp. 66°; very agreeable weather.

The “James Hume” steamer arrived at 1 p.m.

Temp. 7 a.m. 42°.

Here I wrote full instructions to Mr. Laney about the surveys and line of trial levels, but he was laid up with fever near Mirzapore, and De Cruz was laid up with fever at Sirsa unable to move, and so 1 mounted my horse and rode into Allahabad by myself, leaving the tents at Sirsa, being the only one left in sound condition of the party which left Calcutta on the 6th of November, 1852.

This was my first visit to Allahabad, and I greatly regretted that, owing to the sailing of the steamer, I had only two days to spend there.

January 4th. Rode along the bridge of boats across the river Jumna into Allahabad, and put up in Berril’s Hotel. The town lies between the rivers Jumna and Ganges, which unite here. Berril says the waters of the Jumna bridge of boats. On the 7th I visited write down verbatim some remarks “first impressions”— meagre enough

at the confluence of the rivers, in a commanding position, high above the bed of the river; a very large place ; barracks, officers’ quarters, great many rooms with massive walls, strong masonry, all on a grand scale.

architecture -inside, rather spoiled by Roman ornament; inside of dome painted in colours in fair preservation, handsome, with a row of fine columns or pillar set up in the middle of the Fort, called the Laat I think; it is one stone, said to be 44 feet high, smooth surface, about 18 inches diameter. Some inscription in Persian character, also in Nagri, on the shaft, in which occurs the name of Akbar. On top is a small carved lion : the lion is not well done, but the effect of the whole is very good.

There is a grand view from the Fort of the confluence of the rivers Jumna and Ganges; they look not much different in size from this point of view, only the Jumna waters are clear and the Ganges water turbid. Berril says the Jumna water is not good either for cooking or drinking, but the Ganges water is excellent.

There is a second bridge of boats across the Jumna, a little above the Fort, which seemed much frequented. The native part of the town is not remarkable ; some long streets and good bazaars ; Mosque of the Sultan Khosroo, and fine gardens : vegetables very fine. The go-downs of the Steam Navigation Co. and ghat or landing-place on the Jumna, a little above the Fort, where there is a good depth of water. The river said to rise 50 feet here in the rains.

On the 6th I got on board the “James Hume” at Sirsa, with the (chota ghora) horse and syce, leaving De Cruz with the tents and carts to find his way back to Calcutta as well as he could, The breezes on the river very cool and refreshing. Captain Argles “was the captain's name,” as the song has it. He said 2^ maunds wood equal to one maund of coal. Price of wood at Allahabad 17 rupees per 100 maunds, coal about 75 rupees a 100 maunds. He says they use no wood fuel lower than Monghyr, below that place wood is as dear as coal.

On the 5th we were at Mirzapore. Lancey’s tents were near the Jubbulpore road. Called on Mr. Gordon, of Pelletier & Co., and dined with him. Captain Argles, Major Norton, Mr. Lancey, Mr. Devrines. Reached Benares the same night and anchored.

On the loth anchored opposite Ghazipoor. On the nth steamer got aground twice on sand-banks. Some damage done; the flat broke adrift, carrying away cleats, stanchions, gear. Thick fog on the morning of the 12th.

Temperature, g a.m. 55°; ii a.m., 62° ; noon, 60” ; 2 p.m., 60".

On the 14th passed the mouth of the river Soane, and anchored at Dinapore.

On the 16th arrived at Monghyr, and found Walter Bourne and James Perry there in camp at 2 p.m. Left the steamer here with the intention of marching along the line of railway downwards. 7 a.m. temp. 48°.

Visited the Hot Springs, about three miles from Monghyr. The water in the pool, which is walled round with brickwork, is beautifully clear, and said to be perfectly pure; that is, there is no saline or mineral matter in it. An isolated hill or rock near it is called Pier Puhar, up which there is a winding road leading to a beautiful residence occupied by the collector, who was out on a tour of duty; the view very fine in every direction. On the south side, and at the base of the rock, is an enclosure with a low brick wall and an iron railing, inside of which is a tomb or mausoleum, with a white marble slab with the inscription:—

“ Be still, she sleeps.” Mary Anne Beckett, 19 July, 1832.

The history of this quaint inscription I could not find, out; there was no one in the neighbourhood then who could give any information about it. It seemed to be neglected, and was partly overgrown with jungle. It was somewhat touching, this, as it were, stumbling on such a record in a lonely, out-of-the-way place. It is to be hoped “ she sleeps in Jesus.”

On the 20th rode on to Bhaugulpore, twenty-two miles, through Sultangunge, a large village on the banks of the river (Ganges). A little way out is a small rocky islet, with an ancient Hindoo, originally said to have been a Booddhist, temple ; a very picturesque object. The rock, which is gneiss—approaching granite—has a number of inscriptions and figures of animals and gods, sorely worn, and some almost obliterated. These are called the Rocks of Jehangeerah. These rocks are very curious, as they are one of several masses projecting from the alluvium of the plains, and quite exceptional. Several, smaller in size, peep out in the bed of the river Glogah in the neighbourhood, not more than 15 or 20 feet above the surface. The rocks at Colgong are projected up in the same manner, but are much larger, and cause a bend in the Ganges and deep water round them, and show what is in the earth below.

The next four days were spent examining the country about Bhaugulpore, reaching Colgong on the 25th, close to and on the west side of the Coah Nuddy, a large stream in the rains, but little water in it now; a good three-arched bridge over it has the following inscription :— “Erected by Puddo Saho IMahajun, 1841.” The south-west spandrel and retaining wall had fallen down. It was then under repair. It has pointed arches.

Mr. Barnes’ house at Colgong is beautifully situated on rocky ground, well above the river; the view very fine. Mr. and Mrs. Barnes very kind and hospitable old people ; he is an indigo planter in good circumstances. I dined with him, his daughter and wife and his son, Charley Barnes, a very intelligent, pleasant man, whom we saw in after years at Darjealing and other places. Mr. Littledale had just married another of Mr. Barnes’ daughters on the 20th ; he was then Collector or Magistrate at Bhaugulpore, I forgot which.

Some time was occupied in exploring between Colgong and Rajmahal; the first part is open, undulating country, but from the old, ruined fort of Tebaghurree to Rajmahal all is swamp and jungle. The ruin is a curious example of a native fort perched on top of a rocky hill at its north end, overhanging an old channel of the Ganges ; a very strong position, as there is no passage, nothing but swamps and jheels from the foot of the abrupt rocky face to the main channel of the river. The stone is basalt, mostly in large boulders. The keep or citadel is quite small, only about 150 yards across. The walls of brickwork with courses and coigns of dressed whinstone (basalt). At the east gateway is a ruinous chamber arched, and lined with dressed ashler masonry. The stone as perfect as when first set. The chisel marks quite visible. Pointed arches. Rose-shaped ornaments carved in the spandrels. Banyan, peepul and tamarind trees growing luxuriantly over the ruins; their roots have split the masonry and the arch has fallen in. The ascent of what was formerly the road, is very steep on both sides of the fort, and there are the remains of more than one surrounding wall at considerable distances from the central fort or citadel, the gateways in which remain. There were then five gateways; and I estimated the extreme distance between the outside gateways at about three quarters of a mile.

From Telcaghurree all the way to Rajmahal, and on to Ooda- nullah, where a battle was fought, the line of the old Mohammedan road is easily traceable; there are a number of bridges now standing, some not very much dilapidated; all overgrown with jungle, except one or two near Rajmahal. The tracing out of this road, in some places going through swamps, was a subject of much interest to us, as it was clear that where they could make a road we could make a railway. There is no doubt this was the main road originally between Moorshedabad and Patna, and so of historical interest.

February 1st. Messrs. Vigors and Denham were at Rajmahal, and after various trial surveys the line was settled for final survey skirting the swamp called the Jaha Jheel; an unhealthy, malarious place, but unavoidable to the best of our belief.

We visited Mirajpore to see the waterfall there, and a curious valley covered with jungle; about ten miles from the mouth of the valley, various attempts have been made to obtain coal. The scenery is fine, but there was very little to be seen.

There are two falls, the lower one looks about 150 feet perpendicular height, the upper one may be about 60 feet. The rock is basalt, in some places columnar, the columns heptagonal. It seems to lie in two large masses. Two beds of clay slate and coal, and shale. The coal seemed to be of very little value, more like coal shale, but it might be worth while to prove the strata by boring, or shaft sinking, which would cost only a trifle.

A man of the name of Sweetland. made efforts to get coal here, a strange, eccentric character; he lived in the cave formed by the excavation of the coal shale, and made an attempt at shaft sinking; he had little money and no credit, and so his operations soon came to an end.

Some very good wild duck shooting and other birds in the jheels about here. Also west of Telcaghurree, alligators were numerous in the long jheel: but we could not get any of them, we frequently fired at them, they disappeared, and no other result.

On the 7th left Bhaugulpore and rode south, intending to explore an alternative line for the railway, which was called the More Valley line. There were no maps of any consequence of this part, only Tassin’s map of one-eighth of an inch to a mile, and so we had to feel our way very much. George and Hamilton Smith were surveying the line.

Very full notes were made on this line route which I need not insert here, as the line was not adopted, and these details now possess little interest.

The country was very hilly in some parts, and in some parts might be called beautiful and well cultivated, and with some large villages.

A place called Hasdiha is the summit of the country; arrived at Noni Hant on the 12th, a large, thriving village close to the River More.

On the 14th my note-book says : “Left Koomerabad, a large, thriving village in Beerbhoom, and on through a narrow pass where the River More finds its way out into the plains. The scenery here is good, it is like Killiecrankie on a small scale, only there is a small breadth of nearly level ground between the foot of the hills and the river.”

Arrived at Sooree on the 16th, a large important place. Here or in the neighbourhood I came on Major Baker’s camp,, and had a long conference with him. Also with Mr. Loch, who was living with Mr. Garrett, the judge.

James Perry, Walter Bourne and the brothers Smith, were all in camp at Sooree, and their trial sections plotted. This showed much diligence, and I was much gratified as I did not expect they could have done so much office work in addition to their heavy out-door exertions.

At Peepra, near the summit of the country, spent Sunday the 13th. The temp, as follows:— 6.0 a.m. 50“, 0.30 p.m. 86°, 2.0 p.m. 87°, 2.30 p.m. 88°, on the 14th, 6.0 a.m. 52. This shows that the temp, is much affected by the elevation above the sea, as the therm, showed 92° in the shade at noon near Sooree, which is only about 25 miles further south, but low lying in the plains.

From the trial section it appeared that a line could have been got through to Bhaugulpore direct, at no more gradient than i in 300, and I reflect now that we were too ready to abandon the More Valley Line and so round by Rajmahal, but the government officers set their faces so steadily against such a gradient as i in 300, that the Rajmahal line was adopted.

On the igth rode along the line with Sibley and encamped at Soorool, which place became of some importance by and bye, being adopted as head-quarters for Beerbhoom District.

On the 24th rode with Major Baker and Edward Purser on to Poonabad and Singarron Bridge, River Tumtah Bridge foundations all excavated and ready, good solid sandstone rock, although soft.

Reached Burdwan by palkie dak on the 2Sth ; piling engines at work in Banhanuddy foundations ; then along the line and inspected the works of Ryan’s contract, Daniel’s contract, Johnson’s contract, none of these were making good progress ; a contrast to Burn and Co.'s, which was making excellent progress, the Morgra and Sin- suttee Bridges well in hand and foundations finished. On to Bandel with Goldsmith, and arrived at Serampore on the 28th February, at 8 p m., having been absent since 6th November, 1852, four months all but six days, and done a good deal of hard work.

March. A large office was hired at Serampore, and the engineers who had been out exploring, making plans,’ sections and estimates, were set at work vigorously. These were King, H. Smith, Perry, Bourne, Fox, Claxton, Laney, "Vigors, Denham, George Smith.

On the I gth I had written my report, and sent it to Calcutta with plans, sections and estimates of a line of railway from Rajmahal to Allahabad.

April. On the 6th Mrs. Sibley died at Soorool. She was 28 years of age.

On the 8th R. Macdonald Stephenson left Calcutta in the Haddington Steamer, on a six months’ leave of absence.

The weather was unusually hot this season, and whether owing to that or other causes, several of the engineering staff fell ill. Laney so ill that I applied for six months’ leave for him. The thermom. in the office at 3 p.m., stood at 95°.

Bishop Wilson took a house at Serampore, where he entertained J, J 1 giving-breakfasts. On the 5th a large party, where were Archdeacon Pratt, Bray (Joseph), Hunt, Townsend, Murray, Starkie, Mrs. Pratt, Mrs. Bray, Miss Phillott and others. The Bishop was very hospitable and entertaining.

May. At this time there was a discussion as to the line of railway going through the French settlement of Chandernagore. This small French colony or settlement is about four miles long and about two miles broad, on the banks of the River Hooghly. A very pretty place, with a row of good houses facing the river. A Governor and a Court of Justice, and a handful of sepoys ; in fact, a regular establishment. I had drawn the line of railway in the best way I could for the accommodation of the traffic in passengers and goods, without any reference to the territory being French, and so it was stated in my report.

The French Governor was very willing that it should be so, but said it must be made only on sufferance, pending reference to his Government in France, and that he had no power to transfer French property absolutely. I was anxious to carry the line through Chandernagore, it would have been so much better for all concerned to have had a station close to the town and on the river side. The Governor-general, Lord Dalhousie, was, however, obdurate or obstinate as he often was, and would not hear of it, so we made a detour and carried the line outside of French ground, and built the station as near the town as we could, that is about ten miles from it so far as I can remember.

About the middle of May I was ill with a fever and biliousness; Dr. Sheridan took me in hand and dosed me well. Cubitt Rundle and I took a trip down the river to the Sandheads in the tug-steamer “ Dwarkanauth,” which did us both good. This illness lasted only a fortnight.

Mr. Hodgson, the locomotive superintendent, made his appearance on the scene now, which was very opportune, as the works at Howrah Station were going on, including workshops, and it was important that he should have a voice in the arrangements.

June. Finding Serampore inconvenient as being too far from Calcutta, where most of the railway business was transacted, I removed the offices to Seebpore near Howrah, on the Sth July.

July. My cousin, Robert Sandeman (Lieut.-Colonel) was now at Barrackpore, opposite Serampore, and very ill pleased with me for not calling on him. But in the first place I did not know he was there, in the second place, I thought he might have called on me.

At this time there was a great deal of work about plans of the numerous stations that had to be built, and I had no architectural draftsman to assist. Claxton fell ill, and was sent to the hospital, his mind seemed quite gone, and he was ordered home. Cubitt Rundle was ill, and went away on a six months’ leave of absence.

On the 12th I met with a painful accident which caused much pain and trouble. By the collapsing of an iron chair in Mr. Hodgson’s verandah, the end of my third finger was cut off. Dr. Chevers attended to it, and managed it well without amputation.

On the 22nd Mr. and Mrs. Claxton sailed in the “Victoria Regina" for London.

The next three months were occupied in several tours of inspection of works which were going on from Howrah to Raneegunge, and up to Rajmahal. Also in plans and sections from Rajmahal westwards. Also designs of bridges, stations and working drawings.

October. On the 26th Richard Thomas arrived in the “ Formosa’’ from China. He came to dine with me on 1st November.

I have no note of when R. M. Stephenson returned to Calcutta, but a memo, states, I conferred with Major Baker on the 1st November and met Mr. White there.

November 9th. Richard Thomas was now second officer in the P. & 0. Company’s steamer, “Formosa,” on the Calcutta and China line. He was then a fine young man, well conducted, and respected by all who knew him.

Tour of Inspection. On the 10th along the line from Howrah with R. M. Stephenson, Major Baker, General Anson, C. White, Hodgson, and others. They returned to Calcutta, and I went on with Goldsmid to Bandel. On the 27th December I was at Monghyr, riding along the line, and setting the engineers and contractors to work. Henry Tucker and his brother William were then resident at Monghyr.

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