The travels of Bengalis in the past
Sumana Dam
(Continued from the last part)
In August 1886, the author set sail for Scotland by sea. The ship sailed along the Thames River, then through the North Sea. Gradually, the ship reached the port of Leith in Edinburgh. Edinburgh is a city of picturesque beauty. The view from Castle Hill, Salisbury Hill, and Calton Hill, looking down, is extremely enchanting. In Edinburgh, the author visited Princess Street, Princess Street Gardens, St. Giles' Gothic Cathedral, County Square, and Holyrood, where he saw the rooms of Mary, Queen of Scots, and other distinguished personalities. He also saw Sir Walter Scott’s monument.
The next day, the author traveled to Perth. He observed trout fishing in the beautiful environment of the blue waters of Loch Leven (Loch is what they call lakes in Scotland). From Perth, the author arrived at a small station in the Highlands called Pitlochry. From there, he crossed the Kili-Crankie Pass and walked to Blair Atholl. This route involved passing through many narrow passes, deep ravines, and crossing rivers. From there, the author walked along the Tilt River Gorge for 16 miles. The journey, surrounded by green bushes like carpets on the mountainsides, with the delightful weather and the sound of the river, made the trip very pleasant. In the evening, while standing on the Dee River bridge, he saw how incredibly narrow and dangerous the river had become with strong currents. It was here that the poet Byron had once nearly fallen to his death. While staying in a Highland cottage, the author felt a sense of affection for an Anglo-Indian boy, thinking of him as native.
Next, the author traveled towards Ballater. He first visited Balmoral, the Highland residence of the Empress. Then he visited the Prince of Wales’ Abergelly Estate. He saw the snow-capped peaks of Loch Nagar Mountain. There are many farmhouses in this region. The locals, with respect for their esteemed guest, kept offering the author whiskey and tea. At one point, the author saw many homeless men and women, wanderers who roamed about begging for food.
From Ballater, the author traveled by train to Aberdeen, a developed city located on the sea coast. Here, herring is caught commercially. Also, oysters, prawns, crabs, and other sea products are available. The author then went to the Killin Pier. After crossing Loch Tay on a small steamer, the author saw grassy slopes covered in green, tall trees in dense forests on elevated ground, autumn yellow leaves from deciduous trees, and high mountain peaks, all of which appeared to him like scenes from a fairy tale. Loch Tay has a small island, and on it, there are the ruins of an ancient castle. After that, the author passed through Dalmalley and arrived at Kilchurn. The train track went along the lake for some distance. From a place called Ak-na-Quit, a small steamer travels across Loch Etive. Then, after passing the Connel Ferry Station, the author arrived at Loch Nell. From there, the views of Fort William and Ben Nevis were extremely beautiful.
After spending a few days there, the author went to Glasgow by steamer. Glasgow is one of the largest cities in the world and a major trade port. In Glasgow, the author saw many statues of famous personalities in George Square, a large statue of Sir Walter Scott, the New University, and the Museum. The author then took a horse-drawn carriage towards Trochacks. This path went along Loch Venachar for some distance. The coast was surrounded by dense forests, and many small rivers flowed into the lake. Leaving Loch Achre behind, they entered the Trochacks Gorge. On the right side, there was Ben Alam and on the left, Ben Denou, steep hills covered in dense forests. On the other side of Trochacks was Loch Catrel. It had not been easy to reach here in the past. A steep, tree-rooted ladder path had existed, but now, with the good road, it was much easier to reach. They crossed the lake on a small steamer.
After returning from Scotland, in October 1886, the author went to Oxford. There, he visited Christ College, Queens College, Macdonald College, the Cathedral, the Museum, the Library, and the Man Mandir. The hotel where the author stayed was entirely managed by a woman. The author observed that women in Europe, especially in hotels, shops, pubs, post offices, and factories, worked in positions of responsibility and even worked past midnight, which, at that time, was unimaginable in India.
In the last few days in England, the author visited the notable places in London and its surrounding areas. He visited Parliament twice and watched a session. He saw the clock tower and the Big Ben bell. In Westminster Abbey, the coronations of kings take place, and there are many graves and memorials of kings, queens, and distinguished personalities. He visited the Tower of London, which had been a place of refuge during attacks by foreign enemies on England in the past. The Crown Jewels of England, including the famous Koh-i-Noor, are kept here. Many historically famous individuals had been imprisoned here, and several executions were carried out. One day, the author was present at a prayer ceremony in St. Paul’s Cathedral. Other places the author visited included the Geological Garden, Botanical Garden, Bank of England, National Gallery, Hampton Court, Exchange, the Kensal Green Cemetery (where Dwarkanath Tagore is buried), Madame Tussaud’s wax figure exhibition, etc. The author mentioned that the British Museum had so many diverse items that it would take a lifetime to explore them all.
Finally, on December 13, 1886, the author left England for Rotterdam in the Holland (Netherlands). The next day, while traveling by steamer over the river, the author saw numerous windmills on both sides of the river. The author arrived in the Dutch city of Haarlem. He visited the local museum, which housed various items from Dutch colonies such as Java, Sumatra, Borneo, and the Philippines. The author then proceeded to Amsterdam, where he visited the Zoological Garden, Aquarium, and Museum. The canals of the North Sea and the North Holland Canal connected Amsterdam to the German Sea. The city is divided into 95 islands by canals and connected by 300 bridges. Since the ground is soft, many wooden piles are driven into the soil, upon which the city is built. The royal palace stands on 14,000 piles.
Next, the author’s destination was Paris, France. This most beautiful city was adorned with streets, parks, and palaces. In Paris, the author visited the Museum of Natural History, the Eden Theater, and the New Opera House. Due to wearing a turban, the author was treated with great respect. However, since the author did not know any European languages other than English, he could not enjoy their conversations. He wandered through the boulevards, watched the crowd of energetic people at the Lizee in the evening, saw the Arc de Triomphe, which was built to commemorate Napoleon’s victories, visited the Louvre Museum, and saw the Notre-Dame Cathedral, which was built in the 12th century. He also visited La Chapelle, Pathinian, etc.
After Paris, the author went to the German city of Cologne on the banks of the Rhine River. There, he visited the cathedral and churches. Cologne is also known for producing Eau de Cologne. The author then took the train to Berlin on December 31, 1886. In Germany, the train compartments were equipped with heating systems. A dial was installed on the train's wall to adjust the temperature. The hotel where the author stayed in Berlin had electric lights. It had been snowing day and night, but the hotel maintained a constant temperature of 70 degrees Fahrenheit with the help of pipes.
From Berlin, the author traveled to Vienna, Austria. Upon reaching a place called Tetschen near the Austrian border, the author had trouble understanding the language and remained on the same train. Later, a ticket collector came and checked the tickets, demanding a high fare because the train was going to a different destination. The author tried to explain that he was traveling on the wrong train and should not be charged. However, the authorities did not seem to understand. At a small station, they forced the author to get off the train and threw his luggage out. In the deep of the night, in the midst of heavy snowfall, the author felt utterly helpless in the mountainous region of Bohemia. Eventually, the author, with great difficulty, gathered his belongings from the tracks and made his way to the stationmaster, who reluctantly helped him arrange for a porter to assist him for money. The porter carried the author’s things and the author followed him. Initially, the snow was deep, and the path was slippery. After walking some distance, they reached a wooden bridge over a large river. The porter took some of the author's silver coins, probably to pay the toll. They arrived at a small town around 3 am, which was half-awake due to Christmas. The porter went to change the author's remaining gold coins and returned to take him to a hotel, where they spent the night. The next morning, the author realized that he had to take a train to Vienna at 9:18 am.
The next day, the author managed to catch a train to Vienna from the nearby station. The train sped through the sea of snow, passing countless small hills, dense pine forests, and picturesque villages. Occasionally, ancient castles were visible.
Vienna was a clean and palatial city, much like Paris. The author visited the royal palace, museums, and libraries there. On December 27, the author left Vienna and traveled by rail through the Austrian Alps.
That night, the author arrived in Venice, Italy. In Venice, the guide showed him a house where Shylock had once kept money. The author visited the Piazza, also known as St. Mark's Square. The author then went to Florence, the city of flowers, where he was mesmerized by the stunning paintings, sculptures, and masterpieces of artists like Raphael and Michelangelo.
From Florence, the author arrived in Rome on December 31, 1886. In Rome, he was unable to visit the Vatican because it was the holiday season, and he didn’t have enough time to obtain permission. However, he did visit the Colosseum and the Flavian Amphitheater. Afterward, he went to Naples, where he saw the museum, aquarium, underground tombs, and art gallery.
From Naples, the author went to Brindisi, where a ship took him to Alexandria. Finally, on January 3, 1887, the author left Europe and returned home by regular mail ship, after spending almost nine months in Europe.
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