Tuesday I will share it with my dear Marian.-I ought to bid you stay till after the first of January; but if I do, I'll be shot. I have something to write, but I have forgot it.-Adieu, my beloved.-Compliments to Mrs Sulivan, Mrs Sands, Mrs Samson, and dear Mrs Motte-How I envy her! Adieu.

Yours ever, ever, more than can be written,

W. H.

Tell when you set off, and perhaps I may meet you if I have a Chance of it.

LETTER XIX.

GHERETTY (the word is spelt in many different ways), close to Chandernagor, had been the private residence of M. Chevalier, the Swiss Governor of that place for the French. When Sir Eyre Coote landed, after the capture of Chandernagor by the English, he claimed Gheretty in virtue of a sanad from the Nawab Kasim Ali Khan during his former residence in India. Hastings recognised the claim, and placed him in possession of the house and grounds, much to the indignation of Francis, who denounces the whole affair as a job, and records that Coote was busy erecting a riding-house and laying out the gardens, "as if the old fool had an age to live." The place would seem to be represented on the Ordnance Map by the modern Gourhattee, but though it was the scene of a military camp and a review by Hastings in 1785, it must soon have lost its social importance. Bishop Heber writes, in 1824, "There is a large ruined building a few miles to the south of Chandernagore, which was the country house of the Governor during the golden days of that settlement,

and of the French influence in this part of India. It was suffered to fall into decay when Chandernagore was seized by us; but when Mr Corrie (his archdeacon) came to India, was, though abandoned, still entire, and very magnificent, with a noble staircase, painted ceilings, &c.; and altogether, in his opinion, the finest building of the kind in this country. It has at present a very melancholy aspect, and in some degree reminded me of Moreton Corbet, having, like that, the remains of Grecian pillars and ornaments, with a high carved pediment."

LADY COOTE (whose maiden name is unknown to the Dictionary of National Biography), was Susanna Hutchinson, daughter of a former Governor of St. Helena. She seems to have been universally admired and beloved. Hastings' friend Holt speaks of her "engaging and noble merits" in a letter to him, and Coote's chaplain, Westrow Hulse, calls her "that living pattern of excellence." She was much younger than her hus band, and was accompanied everywhere by a girl-friend, with whom she had grown up at St Helena, where they vowed never to be separated. Mrs Fay calls this young lady Miss Molly B, and a letter of Sir Eyre Coote's mentions her as Miss Bazett. Coote seems to have expected to end the Carnatic War quickly when he sailed, but in March, 1782, he broke up his establishment at Gheretty, evidently seeing little hope of returning to it. There are several letters from Lady Coote in the Hastings Correspondence, entreating the GovernorGeneral to support her husband, at first with reinforcements, and later against the opposition of Lord Macartney, the Governor of Madras. When Coote sailed for the Carnatic for the last time in March, 1783, she was with him, and anxiety for her safety heightened the anguish of mind which brought about

1 An advertisement in the India Gazette' announces the sale at Calcutta of his horses from Ghyretty through his Engl sh coachman, Williamson.

his death on being chased by a French fleet. She implies distinctly, in a letter to Hastings, that the Madras Government might have rescued him had they wished, and that their animosity continued unabated even after Sir Eyre's death is shown by the chaplain's letters complaining of their behaviour to Lady Coote. She sailed for England in the Belmont on February 6th, 1784,1 taking with her her husband's body, to be buried at Rockburne.

PULTA, where Hastings would find his boat awaiting him for the return to Calcutta, was about twelve miles lower down the river than Chandernagor.

A CHUPPER (chapar) was a hut with a thatched roof. At the time of the siege of Calcutta in 1756, there was a considerable town of these close to the city, the smoke of the burning of which inconvenienced the defenders severely. Captain Price2 mentions that when Hastings became Governor, he insisted on the removal of these buildings to a distance, and refused to allow them in the European quarter, but under the rule of the Majority they were permitted to return, so that Europeans allowed their servants to take up their quarters all round their houses, simply to keep other natives from settling there. Mrs Hastings was evidently intending to try an “openair cure," in which, and in the virtues of exercise and cold water, her husband had great faith.3

When Hastings quitted India, SOLIMAN and SOLIMA were left to Thompson's care. "I never pass a morning at Alipoor without feeding Solymaun and the grey Buggy Horse with Bread," he says. "The former, if I ever return to England, shall certainly be my Companion, however old.-Trifling as this would appear to every Body else to you and to your Lady I don't apologize for a Word of it." "The Horses are all well; so are the Birds, and Selima," he writes again. 2 Some Observations on a Late Publication,' 1783. 3 See infra, p. 348.

1 India Gazette.'

In 1786 Hastings writes to him, "Captain Ley (Lea of the Hinchinbrooke) has promised to take charge of a Horse for me. Procure a good one for me, if you can; one equal to Sulliman. It is for Mrs Hastings, who cannot get one for herself in England."1 In reply, Thompson sends her Soliman himself, saying that there is no horse like him, and he will carry her well for six years at least.

The ASSEMBLY would be the New Year's Day entertainment, which was to be followed by a boating excursion to Suksagar.

(31.)

CALCUTTA. Saturday Evening.

MY MARIAN,—I rode this Morning to Gheretty, where I arrived a little after 8; and am just returned. Lady Coote made many Enquiries after you, and said she hoped you would stop at Gheretty. I replied that I could not tell, as your Resolution had been sudden, and I only knew that you had promised to be with me by Tuesday Night.-One Purpose of my Ride was to complete the Cure of my Cold.-The Morning was pleasant, and though I rode near Two Miles beyond Pulta, and accomplished the Journey in Two Hours, I walked as many at Gheretty, and felt no more Fatigue than if it had been but an Airing. Are not you glad of this? I had the Happiness to find a Letter from you on my Return.-I am pleased with every Part of it, your Morning's Rides, the cold Water, their Effects, and your Demand for a Haunch of Venison. I have ordered the Haunch to be sent to you to morrow Evening. I will order a Chupper to be erected for you on the Top of the House.

1 Gleig, III 20.

Let me know when you set out, whether on Monday or Tuesday, and at what Hour.

Adieu, my beloved.

W. H.

I am ashamed to say that I have not seen Soliman,— but I see it is Solima you enquire after. She is well.— I ride Suliman to morrow to Mr Wheler's, where I pass the Day, and shall endeavour to engage Mrs W. both to the Assembly and to Sooksaugur.-The Jacksons dined with Us, and gave a good Account of you.

LETTER XX.

This letter is found in the series endorsed by Mrs Hastings "Letters from my excellent Husband when I was at Hugly and Chinsura," and has accordingly been considered hitherto to date, like the rest, from 1780. But in the first place, Scott was not Major until January 13th, 1781, when he was promoted on going home with. despatches,1 and in the second, McPherson, who had left Madras in 1776, did not return to India as member of the Bengal Council until September 30th, 1781.2 At this time Mr and Mrs Hastings were both up the river (see Series II.), and did not return to Calcutta until February, 1782. The Lively, by which the present intended for Queen Charlotte was to be sent, sailed in December, 1782, carrying letters for Major Scott, Mr and Mrs. 'Bengal Gazette.'

1 'India Gazette.'

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