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«* 0£ T'H E LEA B-E.B. [No. 4lSy March 2...
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INDIAN COMMEllCE. The Commerce of India....
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Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
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Western Mexico. Mitla. A Narrative Of In...
these dangers , and determined to proceed alone with his own small party , although a deputation , consisting of a native lawyer ; waited on him at his meson on Benalf of some twenty or thirty Mexicans who were about to take the same route , entreating the reciprocal protection of himself and friends . The shrewd German declined , however , for three potent reasons : firstly , because a ? large party seldom escapes the notioe of the Indians ; secondly , because he had little faith in the courage of his petitioners ; and thirdly , because if the company were allowed to go ahead they would either be victorious or defeated , and in either case the Indians would retire for a time fronv the theaire of action , and by starting a day or two later he and . his . comrades- wouldfind the road clear . This reasoning , which he kept to him-Mexican band
self , proved to bo prophetic , as the fate of the unfortunate subsequently testified . After M . Tempsky had q uitted Mazatlan and passed beyond El Coyote , on a suspicious part of the way , just as the grey twilight ot -evening was deepening the natural gloom of the defile they had to thread , he was stopped by his -fellow-traveller , who pointed to an object half m shade lyiag crouched on the road . Both cocked their rifles and advanced stealthily ftom tree to tree . Opposite the object they halted to reconnoitre , and awaited some movement . The form was human and naked , consequently an Indian ; the attitude , so much as was discernible , crouching like some one with his ear to the ground . It was no doubt an outpost of some larger detachment , lo dispose of hin * with , a shot would , therefore , have been imprudent . 1 un-¦* h «»* . hA mv tnlf « " s * va . M . Temnakv . " nut my rifle down , cautiously measure
my distance * , and with a spring have his throat in my grasp . My knife is descending , when to my horror I feel by the clamminess of his throat that the hand of death has forestalled mine . At that moment the moon for * ome time shrouded , breaks through the clouds and glitters on the scalpless . skull of a body perforated with lance wounds . The face is contracted and rigid * and I see we have mistaken a Mexican victim for an Indian murderer . With a shudder we go onward , and find another and another in the same * t ate : and so on until we count twenty-nine bodies ! At last , we recognized in one the features of the Mexican lawyer , who invited us at Mazatlan to . accompany him !*' than
Although these Indians appear in the course of the narrative more once , and always in this terrible character the book is full of cheerful And interesting matter , the pictures of Mexican life both in town and country being vividly sketched and artistically descriptive . Whatever was picturesque in the manners , practices , and costumes of a Cavallero or a 43 efiara— --whatever wa * striking-in the construction of a Hacienda , the arclntectaare : of a cathedral , or the style of a street—whatever was lovely or grand in nature , evidently had strong and peculiar charms for his appre-< nating eye . The various incident * that occurred upon the road whilst remote from human habitation , the lonely , deserted pathways he had to track , the rapid streams to cross , thegulleys to penetrate , the precipices to climb ,
are described with a faithfulness that brings home the subjects of description , and places them before the reader as in a panoramic view . M . Tempsky Also pridea himself upon being a connoisseur of female beauty . He dilutes upon the witchery of a woman ' s eye—especially a Mexican lady ' s—and professes to understand all its little plays when brought out by the exciting scenes of the promenade or the opera . He is at a bull fight , and speaks of the deep , black , expressive glance peculiar to the Spanish-Mexican race . All the Avhile » when seemingly tongues are monopolizing the attention of listeners , other communications , questions , and answers are , he says , crossing the air silently . The electro-magnetism of the eye is in full operation , and fans assist with jail their power these telegraphic dialogues . coolness
To the uninitiated , he adds , a fan by Us agitation conveys only * o it » owner ; be does not see the heartburn it transmits . to one who is watching the capricious movement , until at last it is pressed to the bosom , as indicative of emotions in his favour going on there . But other eyes are frequently ae vigilant , and then the fexta or delightful fandango is terminated toy a tragedy , ao hot is the temper of jealousy in this sultry dime—as many an anecdote told in these pages will testify . Whilst M . Tempsky remains at a distance from the city of Mexico , the ground is comparatively his ovrn , and his pictures are novel and striking . His account of the Kancherou and then' habits is highly interesting ; the
manner of rearing and training horses , and the methods of defence they use Against the Indians , no less so ; but as he approaches the seat of government , he enters an arena occupied before him by numerous writers . He has , Auerefbre , wisely refrained froud giving an elaborate description of this and -other capitals of the central provinces , and passes on his way along the mighty ridge of which the cloud-capped Popocatepetl and IstaccMiuatl arc the crowning peaks , to the towns on the western side of this grand watershed , visiting Mifcla , a- village lying somewhat off the main road , where * he xuina off some palaces of Montezuma still exist . The group consists of four buildings , fronting towards an open square in the midst of them , of which two oro in a perfectly dilapidated condi-£ ion , whilst two preserve their original completeness , savo that they have become roofless ; The walls of all these buildings , according to M . Tempsky , have two distinct parts- — the inner , whioh consists of round , unhewn boulders cemented together , and the outor , formed of tessera ? about
aeven inches in length , one in depth , and one-oighth in breadth , composing a , beautiful mosaic . The doors aud windows are- square , wide , ana low , andtha lintels constructed of -very large solid slates of stone . The principal characteristics of the groups is that each represents four buildings , of which three are of aunilai size ,, and the fourth much larger than the rest , containing 1 one large hall . In on © of these stand six solid atone , pillars , erected at —eqtual < -intervalB-along-the'centre-o ^ tho-p rfnoely-ch » mber .- ~ -Tii « ir-purpoae . aoems to have been to support ) the roof ; they are of granite , each of one maaaive piece , and have neithor pedestal , capital , nor architecture ; thoir height is about twelve feet , and theiir diameter about foux * at tUe base , from wtudu it diminishes gradually in a sugar-loaf form . To this h « H adjoins a iworjecting- part of the building , looking towards the mountains iu an opposite * direction from the contml court-yard . In id are four apartments , t hvoo 1 « 8 bob ones and a large one in the centre ; a flat roof of stone still cofcm one of the smaller chambers . Tho * pillar of death , ' uo-ottllod becauao
the Indians believe that whoever embraces it will perish shortly after stand ? in one of the minor eoinpartments of the building . ' w As a descriptive writer , M . Tempsky has shown considerable ability and produced a work of original interest . We learn from his narrative the miserably disorganized state of Mexico , the ruin into which cities onoe flourishing are falling , and the comparative stagnation of trade , comm erce and manufactures , but he is evidently unable to investigate the causes ' which have led to them , or explain the sources of this decay . The few hints he throws out betray gross ignorance of the principles which operate in producing a flourishing empire , and the frequent reference he makes to the brighter state of things before the ' Indepeudencia' proves that he utterly mistakes the causes of the present corrupt and pitiable condition of the country . Having warned the reader against casual errors , we do not hesitate to recommend this instructive narrative of travel .
«* 0£ T'H E Lea B-E.B. [No. 4lsy March 2...
«* £ T'H E LEA B-E . B . [ No . 4 lSy March 27 , 1858 . . : __————^——— : ! ¦ - ¦ ' ' __ ^
Indian Commellce. The Commerce Of India....
INDIAN COMMEllCE . The Commerce of India . By J 3 . A . Irving , M . A . London : Smith , Elder , and Co . A certain general familiarity with Eastern topics gained by Mr . Irvinw through his special' study of India in its religious and social aspects ) stimulated him , we may infer , to extend his Oriental researches , varying them by directing his inquiries to the condition of the Indian territory itself , its material resources , and the improvement of these by adaptation to commercial purposes . The practical tendency of Mr . Irving ' s views renders his information really available , and qualifies him to deal effectively withhis subject , which he does not approach merely to sport with irreconcilable theories and fanciful schemes , but to treat earnestly by suggesting sound
measures of substantial utility . Yet , with this sobriety , he manifests no want of enthusiasm , as is evident , not only from his advocacy' of active enterprise and more strenuous endeavour , but from his censure of the apathy which in the Legislature , no less than among the public , has too long obtained with respect to the affairs of India . Commerce , with the accompanying quickening of international communication , Mr . Irving regards as a primary agent in the work of civilization , and , as such , he insists upon its development , as indispensable to the welfare of India and to a full realization of the advantages to be derived from it as a British possession . To demonstrate the fine capacities of the country , the first chapters of Mr . Irving ' s history detail the ancient commercial intercourse of India with the various reaions of the East tln-ouirh the several
channels of the Persian Gulf , the Red Sea , and the Cape of Good Hope . Through these the rich and multifarious merchandize of India , gold and precious stones , exquisite fabrics of silk and cotton , ebony , and ivory , fragrant spices , indigo and cochineal , were wafted to swell the opulent marts of the cities on « the Tigris and Euphrates , enriched by the diverse products of regions far and near . The comely damsels of Gircassia , the classically-famed snow-white steeds of Nyssa , the wool and wine of Helbore , "with the fine linen of Egyptian looms , timber from the forests of Bashan , the scented wood of Hennon , cassia , cinnamon , honey , oil , and balm , were amon " the possessions of Assyrian affluence .
From a review of Indian trade with distant nations , the narrative proceeds to consider the internal commerce of the peninsula , and evidence is adduced , by the way , sufficing to prove that active commercial intercourse was kept up in ancient days between the different territories of India . Tho fact , indeed , is verified by the importance attached to commerce in the vanerable code of Menu , where a third and important class among Hindoos is set apart for its pursuit . Among the Sudras , even , nre enumerated 1 ship-builders and sailors , as many as navigate rivers . ' At a Inter period we see the riches of'Oriental commerce aggrandising the republics of Italy , forming , indeed , the central source of that prosperity ¦ which gave wealth to her cities and splendour to the palaces of her merchant princes . Attempts at settlement and trading were made successively by the 1 ' ortuguese , tho Dutch , and the French , but were speedily surpassed with
unprecedented success by the English . Passing by the History of the Charter and the development of enterprise under tho lCast India Company as matters of record universally known , we glance at Mr . Irving ' s suggestive passages . Though acquiescing in tho generally beneficial influence of the British rule , he regards as the great obstacle to its prosperity , and to tho progress ot India , tho absence of facilities for commerce . Tho chief cause of national indigence he finds to consist in the entire want of accessible markets for the productions of tlie country , arising from the national poverty in tho means of conveyance , the inordinate cost of carriage , the impossibili t y , consequently , of transporting goods , and as result , their comparative worthlossnuss . Owing to the dilliculty of the means of transit , sixteen times ns many men , it is calin land
diluted , in proportion to load and distance , are omployed as Eng . Articles the most easily and cheaply produced , euch as wheat , linseed , hemp , rioo , sugar , indigo , silk , and , above all , cotton , the native plant ot India , are unavailing as moans of prosperity , from the inability of tho people to export them . The exquisite uiuulin fabrics of Dacca and Cuundereo are thus superseded by l , hoso of Manchester or Pnitiluy , for it is estimated ' that a piece of the finest Chuuderee muslin , ot only five yards long and half a yard wide , costs as much as _ t ? pieces of muslin seven yards long and a yurd wide , carried to the vicinity of Chundereo itself . ' To the increnne of railways and other routes of trunsit , Mr . Irving looks as tho process indispensable , not only to further material prosperity , but to develop those moral and montnl m-
iluunoea-whtdi ~ wilL . bu 0 k , proinotQ , thu empire . Centuries of misHionury toil , ho considers , might bo nuceHMiuj yt 0 goiieruto that gradual enlightenment of national opinion whioli can alone uproot the timo-flti'ongthened idolatries of tho East ; but closer contact witn Christendom would cuuec " tho systems of Bralunaand JiuUiilia to melt awny before Christianity like enow before a summer ' s sun . " Had tho Hindoo boon disciplined to tho arts of poaoo aa to those pf war , it is probable indeed thatliis culture would Iiavo boon far more humaniHing , and productive of more benefit to himsolf and to his European conquerors .
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Citation
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Leader (1850-1860), March 27, 1858, page 18, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_27031858/page/18/
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