Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Acknowledgements
- Text and Annotations
- Abbreviations
- Glossary of Non-English Terms
- Letter Recipients
- Introduction
- THE LETTERS
- 1 Preparation and Journey (Letters 1–67)
- 2 Calcutta and Early Ministry at Dinapore (Letters 68–135)
- 3 Dinapore with Sabat (Letters 136–222)
- 4 Cawnpore (Letters 223–92)
- 5 Departure from India and Residence in Persia (Letters 293–327)
- Manuscript Source Locations
- Select Bibliography
- Index
4 - Cawnpore (Letters 223–92)
from THE LETTERS
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 29 March 2020
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Acknowledgements
- Text and Annotations
- Abbreviations
- Glossary of Non-English Terms
- Letter Recipients
- Introduction
- THE LETTERS
- 1 Preparation and Journey (Letters 1–67)
- 2 Calcutta and Early Ministry at Dinapore (Letters 68–135)
- 3 Dinapore with Sabat (Letters 136–222)
- 4 Cawnpore (Letters 223–92)
- 5 Departure from India and Residence in Persia (Letters 293–327)
- Manuscript Source Locations
- Select Bibliography
- Index
Summary
To Daniel Corrie
Cawnpore. May 1, 1809
The entrance to this place is through plains of immeasurable extent, covered with burning sand. The place itself I have not yet been able to see, nor shall, I suppose, till the rains: at present it is involved in a thick cloud of dust. So much for exordium. Let me take up my narrative from Mirzapoor, from whence I wrote you a note. I reached Tarra about noon. Next day, at noon, reached Allahabad, and was hospitably received by Mr. G.; at night dined with him at the Judge's, and met twenty-six people. From Allahabad to Cawnpore, how shall I describe what I suffered! Two days and two nights was I travelling without intermission. Expecting to arrive early on Saturday morning, I took no provision for that day. Thus I lay in my palanquin, faint, with a headache, neither awake nor asleep, between dead and alive, the wind blowing flames. The bearers were so unable to bear up, that we were six hours coming the last six kos. However, with all these frightful circumstances, I was brought, in mercy, through. It was too late on Saturday to think of giving notice of my arrival, that we might have service; indeed, I was myself too weak. Even now the motion of the palanquin is not out of my brain, nor the heat out of my blood.
No extant original. Text found in Sargent, pp. 260–1.
Cawnpore, Martyn's new station. Martyn had stopped to visit Corrie at Chunar before continuing his journey.
Modern Mirzapur in Uttar Pradesh state. This would have been Martyn's first stop after leaving Chunar.
Not extant.
Possibly Tara Gav village in Uttar Pradesh, midway between Mirzapur and Allahabad.
Not identified.
Sargent note: twelve miles.
Martyn arrived at Cawnpore and proceeded to the house of Henry Sherwood (1776– 1849), captain of the 53rd Regiment of Foot, and his wife Mary Martha Sherwood (1775–1851) on May 30, immediately fainting. He recuperated in the following days at their house.
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- The Letters of Henry Martyn, East India Company Chaplain , pp. 393 - 496Publisher: Boydell & BrewerPrint publication year: 2019