The prisoners here cannot be so
desirous of escaping as those in Europe, for I saw numbers of them,
very slightly ironed, wandering about in groups or alone, in the
place itself and its vicinity, without having any gaolers with them.
They are properly taken care of, and employed in various kinds of
light work. There is a paper manufactory, which is almost entirely
carried on by them.
The inhabitants appeared to possess a more than usual degree of
fanaticism. I and another passenger, Herr Lau, had gone to take a
walk in the place, and were about to enter a small street in which
there was a Hindoo temple; but no sooner, however, did the people
perceive our intention, than they set up a horrible yelling, and
pressed on us so closely, that we held it advisable to restrain our
curiosity and turn back.
19th December. Today we perceived the low ranges of the Rajmahal
Hills, the first we had seen since we left Madras. In the evening,
we were again stuck fast upon a sandbank. We remained tolerably
quiet during the night, but, as soon as it was morning, every
possible means were adopted to get us off again.
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