The travels of Bengalis in the past
Sumana Dam
(Continued from the last part)
In this part, the relevant countries are England, Scotland, Ireland.
The author Romesh Chunder Dutt's travel destination this time is Cambridge. At Christ's College here, the mulberry tree planted by the poet Milton himself is still carefully preserved. King's College Chapel and St. John's Chapel are beautifully decorated. The library of Trinity College is worth seeing. Cambridge offers the fortunate opportunity to visit places where great figures like Bacon, Newton, Byron, and Tennyson studied. The picturesque small town along the River Cam is definitely a must-see. They also watched the boat race on the Thames, held between Oxford and Cambridge. After nine years, Cambridge won that year's race.
In Brighton, they witnessed a march past by 26,000 volunteers and a mock battle. From the beautifully adorned and luxurious coastal city of Brighton, they went to Worthing to see Arundel Castle, the oldest fortress in England. Then they visited Windsor, where they saw the Queen’s residence, college, and Windsor Forest, and also the grave of poet Gray.
The author and his companions then went to Derby to watch the famous Derby race. In this race, the English, typically reserved and composed, were seen displaying their enthusiasm and exuberance.
Without experiencing rural life, one’s visit to England feels incomplete. The country houses in the villages are clean and beautifully built. They have large yards, lovely gardens, and lawns. The roads are long and beautiful, with many parks where deer roam freely. Various wildflowers bloom everywhere. Every village has a church. The people of rural England are much more sociable compared to those in the cities.
One day, they went to see the Tower of London, the royal fortress and palace, an ancient prison, and the place where the crown jewels are displayed. They entered through the Lions' Gate and exited through the Bell Tower. It was here that the cruel Queen Mary (of the 16th century) imprisoned her sister Elizabeth. Many royal and brutal murders took place here. In the Horse Armoury, they saw weapons used by kings. In the Jewel Room, they saw various crowns used by kings and queens. The most fascinating item was the model of Koh-i-Noor, the largest diamond in the world, taken from India. Outside the Tower of London, they saw Tower Hill, where traitors were executed, and in the grounds of St. Peter’s Church, they saw the graves of the condemned.
Next, they visited the magnificent St. Paul’s Cathedral.
They then spent some joyful days in Devonshire, a region filled with green mountains and valleys, visiting places like Totness and Dartmouth to enjoy nature.
Next on their list were the ancient Kenilworth Castle and Stratford-upon-Avon, Shakespeare’s birthplace. On the wall of the room where the poet was born, they found countless tributes from visitors. Among them, Ramesh Chandra Dutta found the names of Walter Scott and Charles Dickens. The house has been well-preserved and turned into a museum. In the church there, they saw the graves of the poet and his wife. This marked the end of the author’s visit to tourist places in England.
The next destination was Scotland, with the journey starting on July 21, 1869. While traveling by steamer along the Thames, the author noticed that the river water, like London’s, was quite dirty for a long stretch. But after a while, the scene changed: fields of crops, grazing lands, grassy fields, and trees appeared on both sides of the river, and the water became clear. Eventually, the steamer left the Thames and entered the North Sea (German Ocean). They passed through the city of Yarmouth, and after that, no land was visible. The next morning, the Flamborough cliffs came into view. After passing through Scarborough and Whitby, they saw Scotland’s coastline in the afternoon. They crossed a picturesque mountain called Bass Rock, which is home to thousands of sea birds. On the evening of July 22, they arrived in Granton, Scotland, and proceeded to Edinburgh.
Edinburgh is smaller in size and population than London. The city is graced with numerous beautiful houses, churches with spires, and hills that provide breathtaking views. Calton Hill and Castle Hill are located in the city, and Arthur’s Seat and Salisbury Crags are nearby. A monument in honor of Sir Walter Scott (the Scottish poet and writer) stands here, offering a panoramic view of the city. The view from Calton Hill is even more splendid, and here is a museum dedicated to Robert Burns (the Scottish poet and lyricist). They also visited the Holyrood Palace and Chapel and saw Edinburgh Castle. This castle, located by the lake, houses the Scottish crown.
Linlithgow is a small town surrounded by hills and grazing lands. Its main attraction is the ruins of the Scottish kings' palace. In the small town of Stirling, they visited the monument to William Wallace and explored the Stirling Castle. Then, they traveled to a place called Callander, nestled in high, snow-capped mountains, where they first felt the true extent of Scotland’s endless mountains and forests.
From there, on a horse-drawn carriage, they traveled to Trossachs, passing countless mountains, lakes, valleys, and gorges. It felt as though the vast mountain range was guarding the country. Loch Katrine and Loch Lomond, without a doubt, are some of the most beautiful places in Scotland and the world. The tall mountains surrounding the lakes added to their beauty, and the calmness of the area amplified their grandeur. Loch Lomond is home to a stunning waterfall.
Next, they took the train to Glasgow through Balloch. Glasgow is larger than Edinburgh and serves as Scotland's commercial hub. In the city, they visited George Square, which features statues of Queen Victoria and her husband, and a monument to Sir Walter Scott.
They then boarded a steamer to Oban, passing through the Firth of Clyde and reaching the sea. Oban is a beautiful town with the ruins of Dunolly Castle. Scotland’s western coast is rugged, barren, and mountainous, and the high-altitude town overlooking the sea is incredibly scenic.
The next day, they sailed to the Isle of Iona, where they saw the ancient St. Mary's Church. Afterward, they visited the Isle of Staffa and explored some strange natural caves. In Fingal’s Cave, they traveled by boat from the sea and saw numerous naturally formed basalt columns. The sound of the sea waves echoed and amplified in the stone, creating an unique atmosphere.
Next, they sailed to Glencoe, a place where a terrible massacre occurred during the time of King William III. The following day, they viewed the highest peak in Scotland, Ben Nevis (4,400 feet). Afterward, they traveled through the Caledonian Canal, which artificially connects three lakes: Loch Lochy, Loch Oich, and Loch Ness.
From Inverness, they proceeded to Aberdeen, a city known as the Granite City because almost all its buildings are made of local granite. From there, they traveled via Edinburgh to Leven Lake, where Queen Mary of Scotland was once exiled.
Then, they went to places like Kinross, Hawthornden, Melrose, and Roslin, and finally reached Abbotsford, the home of Walter Scott. They saw his study, library, and personal belongings. They visited Scott's grave at Dryburgh Abbey.
They then traveled through Carlisle and Penrith to Keswick, in the Lake District, which is similar to Switzerland’s lakes and mountains. Keswick, a town by Derwent Water Lake, is surrounded by mountains. The lakes here are as beautiful as those in Scotland’s highlands. After seeing the famous waterfall at Lodore, they were enchanted by the area. Once they finished exploring, they returned to London.
On June 15, 1870, the author embarked on a journey to Ireland. After crossing the Irish Channel, they arrived in Dublin, where they visited the university and parks. Near the city, they visited Kingstown, a place where Dubliners come to relax and date and enjoy the sea.
They continued their journey through the valley of the Avoca River, surrounded by tall mountains, and arrived in Glendalough, where they saw the ruins of seven sixth-century churches. They then proceeded through Bray, Boyne, Drogheda, and Belfast, heading toward the famous Giant’s Causeway (a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Northern Ireland, known for its thousands of basalt hexagonal columns formed by volcanic eruptions), which resembles Scotland’s Fingal's Cave. Afterward, they saw Dunluce Castle, perched on a cliff by the sea.
Then they visited Londonderry, where there is a monument to Walker, the Protestant clergyman who led the defense of the city during the 1689 siege. They then sailed on Lake Erne. From Limerick, they visited the Shannon Falls and saw the proud Killarney Lake, which rivals Scotland’s lakes in beauty. Ireland is filled with lush greenery, fields of crops, and tree-covered landscapes, earning it the nickname "Emerald Island." Its beauty is unmatched in England.
The Irish peasants rely solely on potatoes, as they rarely get to eat meat. Potato fields are seen all around, and the villagers live in poverty, working in the fields under the sun and sleeping in filthy huts alongside pigs, ducks, and chickens. Despite being a fertile country, the farmers are as poor as those in other countries (like India).
In Bristol, they visited the tomb of Raja Ram Mohan Roy, which was built in the Indian architectural style. They then visited Milford Haven, Aberystwyth, Carmarthen, Devil’s Bridge, Carnarvon, Llandberis, and Conway in Wales before returning to London on July 14, 1870.
(To be continued)
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