Page 214 - The Pirate Coast (By Sir Charles Belgrave)

that all Calcutta turned out; as to the number of vehicles, it was
like Hyde Park on a day when it was moderately crowded. The
number of different kinds of vehicles was truly amusing, from the
most splendid carriages, built after the most perfect ni London,
or imported from England, to the most miserable hackery or
bullock carts, added to which, there were equestrians, and those
born in palanquins, besides many natives walking or lounging.
There were huddled together in a space of not more than a mile,
many thousands of every religion, caste, country and dress, speak­
ing most of the languages under the sun.’
Another place which roused Loch's admiration was the Botani­
cal Garden opposite Adam’s house. They crossed the river in a
‘snake boat’, a narrow sharp-pointed vessel rowed by eight men
‘who made the boat, as sailors say, almost fly through the water’.
The gardens were started by Colonel Kyd in 1786. At the time
when Loch saw them, they contained almost 4,000 different
species of trees, shrubs and plants. Among the features of the
garden, were magnificent banyan trees covering vast areas of
ground, and a Burmese Pagoda, somewhat reminiscent of the one
at Kew Gardens. Visitors were asked not to pick the flowers,
but when they arrived at one bush, which had magnificent
flowers, ‘not unlike the Cardinal Plant, only much larger’, Loch
was invited to pick some. He did so. ‘No sooner had I plucked
it, than I felt as if I had been stung by fifty wasps. The flower
left my hand quicker than it had come into it, and in spite of
shaking and jerking my arm, I found numbers of Great Black
Ants settled and biting with all their might, and to no small
purpose, as it was a real pain. This garden is different to the
Garden of Eden. You are informed on entering that you are not
to pluck the fruits, but when you reach this bush, you are allowed
to do so; yet it is similar, for you are no sooner enticed to pluck
the flower, that you are heartily punished for attempting to
ravish the beauties of the shrub.’
Before he left Calcutta, Loch went over the dockyards. They,
too, had been built by Colonel Kyd, who was at one time Chief
Engineer of the East India Company. The docks were known
as ‘Kydapore’. They were now managed by Kyd’s two sons,
‘East Indiamen’ who were famous ship-builders. In 1818, H.M.S.
Hastings, named after Lord Hastings, a 74-gtm ship, was built in
these docks. The docks, according to Loch, were about the size
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