Journal of Susan Townsend [5D09] 1832-1843
Susan Townsend’s Journal 1832 - 1843
Susan Townsend’s Journal came to light in November 2023 when Peter Gahan of Los Angeles, the great grandson of Katherine Jane Townsend, the eldest daughter of Susan, contacted John Townsend. Peter subsequently sent a copy of the Journal to him for transcription. The Journal covers the period 1832 - 1843 and comprises 15 volumes. The transcription runs to 35,500 words and is a very detailed record of the towns and villages she and Edward visited in Maharastra and Karnataka. It is very difficult to follow in places and is too long and complex for these family records. Nevertheless it contains many interesting entries and these have been extracted and are reproduced below in chronological order.
Susan describes their routine; how they travelled early in the day or in the evening to avoid the heat, moving from government bungalow to government bungalow when available or living in tents of which they had at least four. They had a large entourage of natives to move their personal possessions, furniture, beds, tents, cooking equipment etc and 145 books including 6 bibles and 11 dictionaries. All were loaded onto bullock carts (gaurees) and the family travelled in a phaeton, on horseback, in a bullock cart or in palanquins (palkees), each of which required a team of 12 bearers.
Rather like her sister Henrietta, Susan's punctuation left much to be desired and the many dashes have been replaced by commas and full stops. Her spelling of place names is phonetic and, where possible, these have been corrected.
Ten days after their wedding on 13 March 1831 Edward and Susan left Derry bound for India and landed in Bombay in June that year. Fifteen months later Susan started her Journal and her first entry is typical of her terse style.
Tuesday Sept 18th 1832. Naggar, Maharastra. Left Naggar to go into the District. Edward and I travelled in the phaeton. Baby and ayah in the palanquin. We went out by Tho Jibhi to the left of Beckerti Haugh and arrived without adventures at Shingnapura about 3 stops from Naggar.
October 11th 1833. Poona, Maharastra . Left Poona this evening for the districts. Not expecting to return to P. but be sent to Solapor where E. has been appointed sub-collector by the Governor but as the appointment is not actually confirmed by the council there is a little degree of uncertainty. However Lord Clare told E. he might set out when he pleased. We have brought all our goods because leaving them behind incurs another month’s house rent. We dined at the Woods with our dear friend Mr Groves, who has been with us since Tuesday. Capt & Mrs Pennyfeather and Capt Lister were there to meet us, also Richard Meade who has been with us about a week. We parted from our dear friends with much regret. The Woods we may meet again in this country, but dear Mrs P, who proposes going home in December, we may never meet again. We sent on the bairns in the bullock gauree to Loonee and arrived there ourselves safe and sound before 7 o’clock.
October 23rd 1833. Kholapoor, Maharastra. Yesterday according to our purpose we left Indapoor. We were anxious to be off soon having a river to cross at the end of our march which is rather deep though fordable. This river, the Bhima, is the boundary between the Kholapoor and Poona Collectorates. We arrived there in good time but the crossing was a pretty piece of business. I and the children, some of the servants and ayah crossed in a good sized boat. Edward drove the phaeton across, it was tolerably deep, but did not actually go into the phaeton. The current was not very strong but the bed of the river was stony. The bullock gauree followed the phaeton; one of the most difficult parts was getting up on the opposite side. Not so much from the steepness of the bank as its rough ground. English eyes would have deemed it impossible for a phaeton. But somehow we got over to my astonishment. Our tent was pitched at some little distance upon high ground. The way to it not deserving the name of a road - very rough, stony and rocky. This is our first specimen of Kholapoor - not a very promising one, but we must hope the best. This morning our road was very rough indeed and stony. No pains had been taken to clear it which made our stage a very uncomfortable one. However we got on and arrived at our stopping place before 7. It is a native house belonging to a Sirdar. Part of the house is going to ruin but we have a sitting room, 2 dressing rooms and a bed room; very good. It promises to be cooler than the tents. At 12 o’clock, now as I write, the therm is a little above 86.
January 8th 1834. Bijapur, Karnataka. On Sunday evening when we returned from seeing the tomb of Mohamed Shah we found Dr Cameron at our mosque. On Monday morning we went to see 'Ibrahim Rosa’ - the tombs of Ibrahim Adder Shah and his family. Ib. Ad. Shah was father to the great Mohamed who built the Dome. This, though not so extraordinary a place for its size, is I think almost better worth seeing than the Dome itself. There is a tomb and a mosque of the same size. The carving on them is the same and the only difference is that the mosque only opens to the east and the tomb is arched at four sides. Inside the tombs there is a pretty wide space first and then the room containing the tombs, the wall of which outside is beautifully carved - carved with inscriptions in Arabic presumably taken from the Koran. The walls and windows of the tomb were injured by shells when the city was taken and the roof shaken by the shock of the great gun when it was fired at the same time. The outskirts of this tomb and mosque are terribly light and elegant, the minarets very high and beautifully carved. I rode to this place and then went on in the palanquin to see the great gun (Malik-E-Maidan). This is curious from its size, but it is an unwieldy looking thing. It was cast at Ahmadnagar and supposed to have been brought thence by elephants. It is very highly polished; there is the representation of a tiger swallowing an elephant, the open mouth of the tiger forming the mouth of the gun. An interesting story attached by the natives to it I must not omit. The person who first fired it off, fearing the effect of the great noise on his ears, had a place prepared into which he put water to jump into so as to cover them effectively. He did so but the effect was very different from what he expected. The heat was so great when the gun was fired that the water boiled! Alas the poor man instead of being deafened as he apprehended was boiled in the water into which he had jumped to preserve his ears.
May 20th 1834. Tuesday. Dharwar This day the Lord took to himself our sweet baby Caroline. She was just 11 months and 8 days old.
Monday April 13th 1835. Hurri Hur. This day we had intended to move on our way to Kaneh Bednore but as the rain had fallen during the night we thought it better to delay for a day and it was very well as it turned out that we did so. We took a drive in the evening and when coming home the sky began to look very lowring and there was a good deal of lightening. As the evening advanced these appearances of rain increased and about the time it began to fall, not very heavily at first, I never saw so much lightning both sheet and forked. The sky seemed in one continual blaze just darkened a moment between the flashes to make them look brighter. The thunder was very loud. It was quite fearful and seemed to show what poor creatures we are and what a great Being He must be who orders all things “Who holdeth the lightning in his hands. Who sendeth forth his thunder upon the earth". There is something so beyond us, so entirely beyond our control as thunder and lightning that it serves I think more than most things to give us some idea of what mere worms we are, dependent for every breath we draw on Him in whom we live, move and have our being. How can anyone who sees His power manifested as we saw it this evening dare venture to say there is no God. Thanks to his merciful protection we were all preserved in safety during the night and brought in peace and health to the beginning of another day. May we be enabled to praise the Lord for all his mercies. The rain continued till 12 o’clock at night, so there is a stop put for the present to our moving from hence. Thursday evening about 4 we had another heavy fall with high winds.
September 25th 1835. Dharwar, Karnataka. We are journeying again but not as last year on a jammabundi (a record regarding ownership of property etc). but on our way to leave poor Dharwar. I am sorry today, but as the move was not of our own seeking, indeed contrary to our wishes, we hope it has been ordered for us and then we may trust that all will be well. The appointment of Acting Secretary to the Government was given to Edward on 15th August but as he wrote to beg to be allowed to remain in his present situation if he might be 5 months of the year in Dharwar. The Governor was displeased and both cancelled the first appointment and secondly gave no answer with regard to remaining in Dharwar. We then unpacked all our goods and prepared for living in the jungles. Ed wrote to the private secretary to do away with the Governor’s wrath and, to our surprise, the cancelling was cancelled and Ed was desired to join his station as soon as possible. On Saturday night September 29th the letter came and on Monday morning we set about packing; selling what goods we had to sell etc, etc, and made such haste that we were ready to start on Thursday morning.
October 3rd 1835. Sangli, Maharastra. Yesterday we left Gadori and reached Hiritch about 10 I think. We slept in a mosque at Hiritch, a noisy place and sent our goods on desiring the hamauls (servants) to call us at ½ past 3 that we might follow to Sangli at 4; instead of that they called us at ½ past 2. I dressed the little baby and gave her to ayah in the palanquin, Richard and I went in the other and Edward rode. We reached this place before 6 and I was awoke by the hamauls putting down the palanquin. None of our people had arrived, however we found quite enough to do in admiring the place and garden until they came. The house that we put up in was built by Chintaman Rao for the reception of Europeans. It is built after the native fashion; he has put chairs in it, a sofa and 3 mirrors besides tumblers to gratify Europeans I suppose. After breakfast the great man came and chatted a great while with Edward. About 12 his master and retinue came in and sat here until 3 when they retired to a corner of the room while we ate our dinner. Occasionally looking over towards us, laughing and talking. Our dinner was partly composed of various good things sent down on Chintaman Rao’s order to us in the morning. There was a large basket with boiled rice in one corner, vegetables dressed in different ways in little plates of leaves stitched together and put into the baskets, and two saucepans of rice, one tasting very like rice pudding, the other like rice milk. Also guavas, plantains, limes and pomegranates. After dinner we set out to visit all the improvements; first the garden which is certainly superior to anything native of the kind that I have ever seen. I was in the jongon (like a palanquin) with Richard and Edward upon Dandy. The great man was with him and a great number of Brahmins mounted, their horses prancing about, neighing; Sewars too, gaily dressed. Altogether the scene was very animated and very Eastern. There were all the riders first, peons etc running after them. Then came our jongon and bearers running along. Peons with it and a fat Brahmin trying to keep up with us. The light dresses of the natives glaringly white and the caparisoned horses are so different from anything European. The place too and the coconut trees - all planted by the Sahib - and the Brahmin who was with me says that on coconut day he gives a rupee and a coconut to every Brahmin, let him be who may, who asks for it. We first went all about the gardens, saw fine wells and a new tank building. Then we went to the fort to see the pagoda that Chintaman Rao is building. The stone is beautifully cut and polished and, if ever finished as it is contemplated, it will be a very beautiful building. But it is saddening to see so much money thrown away upon such a cause. Sad indeed to see that poor old man, whose talents and energy one cannot but admire and who has shown us kindness and attention, devoting wealth, time and everything he possesses to his idols that can profit him nothing. From this pagoda we went to another where there were chairs set out for us and we received souparree (betel nuts) with necklaces and bracelets of flowers. The place we sat in was nearly round with cages with parrots which kept up an incessant chatter. There were also many peacocks about and a cage of wee red birds. A large Persian cat too in a box. In the upper part of the pagoda there sat a number of fat Brahmins whose business it is to attend upon the idol, wash and dress it I suppose and decorate it with flowers. To reward them for which services they are well fattened and look, poor creatures, so stupid yet self-satisfied. They are probably looked upon as very holy. From this place we went to a sort of workshop where Chintaman Rao encourages talent and promotes industry. He is very superior to most natives of his rank. A few such like him would be of great use in this country and raise the natives, by opening their minds at least, in a temporal point of view; which might be made a first step towards raising them from the fearful state of spiritual ignorance which they are in. Among other things we saw a printing press. They were writing some Hindoo shasters (instruction explaining the Vedas) or holy books. Chintaman Rao saw such a one in Bombay and immediately got one. He has a great deal of energy and a great desire to improve his people. After we had seen this Richard and I went home in the jongon and 2 followed us. They brought an elephant with us and to amuse the children made him kneel down, sit down and hop etc.
October 5th 1835. Sangli, Maharastra. We are to go to the fort. First we went up one flight of steps and sat down on the fine chairs placed there to look about us; then we went up higher and looked about us again and then we went to the top. From thence there is a fine view all around. We could see all Chintaman Rao’s gardens and houses etc. There were places for elephants, stables for horses, I forget how many he has got. Cows upon cows, camels etc etc. There was a large dining house for his Brahmins, another for himself where I suppose his chief people dine with him. When we had seen all this we came down and were asked to a dinner set out for us. There was a table and chairs; upon the table was spread 3 plantain leaves to serve as a plate apiece for us (Richard was with us). There is a plantain leaf with a lump of curds at one corner and a lump of ghee near it and butter, near that a little turned out shape of white rice and a handful of rice, like rice pudding and a small cup of rice milk. Another cup with melted ghee in it, another with some muddy water, a little greasy but all the better in their eyes. Then there was a spoonful of sugar and a spoonful or two of some sort of mashed vegetables and some asafoetida cakes. Edward set to work and mixed up half a dozen things with the rice with his fingers and began to eat. I followed his example not venturing however to try no more than the rice dishes. Richard seemed quite au fait and dipped in his fingers into the rice and set about eating it. When we had got through as much of this sweet food as we could we had a little water poured over our hands. When we were looking from the upper story among other places the women apartments were pointed out and E said that I expected to see the Sahib’s wife. So while we were eating she and her grown-up daughter (his first wife’s) and his little baby and some half a dozen women were brought out. But when I went to the room where they were they ran away like so many frightened sheep into a dark room. I stood at the door and took the baby in my arms and asked if they would not come out. His young wife came then - a very pretty young woman. She did not say a word however and very likely looked on me as a wild beast. I danced the baby at which the others looked very pleased but the little mamma looked something between too modest and too dignified to notice either of me or it. After standing for a few minutes with the child and asking a few questions about it I made my salaams and went off. We then all went to the first siting place where we had the honour of having a drop of sweet scented oil put upon our right hands, a little rosewater sprinkled on our handkerchiefs and some leaves and spices given to us to chew. After which we took our departure.
October 8th 1835. Hingangaon, Maharastra. Around 3 o’clock yesterday we took our departure from Sangli accompanied by Kharkooms (record keepers), Sewars and what not about three miles out of the place. When we had gone about 3 koss or 9 miles we came unexpectedly to a great river (River Agrani). In ordinary times the water is not more than knee deep but in consequence of heavy rain the night before, in the morning there was a great flood and in some parts the water so deep as to be a foot above a man’s head. Here we were obliged just to put our palanquins down with the prospect of staying on the bank of the river all night. We arrived at about ¼ past 5, the water was then beginning to go down but very slowly. After we were there I think an hour, Edward with difficulty got two of the hamauls to go across to see how much water there was. They walked for a little way and were then obliged to swim. We walked about, Richard threw stones into the river and baby looked on both with great glee. At last when it began to get dark I went into my palanquin to give my little lady her supper. We had Edward’s palanquin put alongside mine and Richard got into it. Fortunately we had our ship lamp with us so we lit it and hung it in the front of the jongon where E sat with his book, every now and then getting up to see how much the water was gone down. He sent to Sangli to ask Ch Rao to send an elephant to get us across as there seemed no prospect of our going in any other way. We took some of our cold tea and bread and Richard and I settled down to sleep; baby had been long sleeping. About ½ past 8 I think it was that Edward went out to see what the people on the other side of the river were calling out about discovering that half a mile farther down the river it was shallower than where we were and that with the assistance of some sort of raft we might possibly get over. Off we went therefore to this place; it was with difficulty that we could get our hamauls to do anything. At last however Edward set off in the jongon and, through the mercy of God, got over safely; it was a very anxious time until I heard the shout of arrival on the other side. The small palanquin went next with ayah and Richard; they arrived safely and then baby and I went over. It was with difficulty that Mahomet Ali could stir the hamauls. We were all safely at the other side by ¼ past 9 and off on our journey at ½ past. We had not long passed before the river began to rise again, so we had great cause for thankfulness for all the mercies bestowed on us. We arrived at this place at about 5 in the morning. Baby was very good and slept all the way. After we had left the river, 2 elephants, 3 camels and sundry assistants to get us across the river arrived from Chintaman Rao. This morning he sent off a small tooth comb made by some of his people in imitation of one of Edward’s as a present for me. We have been very late today through the hamauls slowness who gave us no breakfast until 11.
December 16th 1837. Ratnagiri, Maharastra. After a comparatively stationary life here in Bombay for two years during which time our only journeys have been to Poona or the Mahabaleshwar Hills from Bombay and back again we are again on the move. We left Bombay on Wednesday 13th with party enlarged by one little lady since we came to it; all thank God including Edward and myself, Richard Catherine and Harriet in good health. We dined on board the pattimar (a native trading vessel from the Malabar coast) with our kind friend Capt Noakes. We took with us only such clothes and furniture as we should want in the boat or on the road and sent everything else in two smaller pattimars direct to Vengurla. Thursday was calm and we made little way; we anchored at about 6 at Harnai and sent onshore for milk. We had hoped to be there earlier but the wind was too light to let us get on.
December 20th 1837. Goa. We arrived in the harbour last night. Saturday and Sunday we spent at Ratnagiri and walked out in the mornings and evenings. Monday after breakfast we again went on board our pattimar. Capt Candy (I should have mentioned before) met us at Ratnagiri where he had come to visit some Govt schools. We all sailed the same day, he for Rajapur and we for Goa. We did not reach the mouth of this harbour until last night, having stopped at Vengurla to enquire after our luggage boats, so we anchored there as they admit no vessels inside after 4pm. The harbour is a fine open one and runs inland a good way but it is shallow, not admitting large vessels. We saw that in which the new governor arrived from Portugal anchored outside and were told that it was to be brought in after it was completely emptied. Early in the morning a boat came alongside of us and told us that a Belgaum Brahmin had given notice of our coming and this good man (I mean the boatman) came on to offer his boat and his services which were accepted. After a visit from a customs house officer we were allowed to go on board with such things as we wanted; a change of clothes, dressing boxes etc as our pattimar could not come up until the tide turned.
December 21st 1837. Old Goa. We came here this morning. But first I should say our pattimar did not come up yesterday to where we were stopping until ½ past 2. Meantime Edward had sent a letter which he had brought from the Bombay Government to the new Governor, to the Governor’s secretary with a letter to him (the secretary) from himself requesting an interview. An answer was returned proposing 7 o’clock pm, a very convenient hour, especially as his last had remained behind in the pattimar paying his respects. The offices here close at 2 o’clock and our goods did not arrive until 9 so we feared there was no time to get them through the customs. After some delay they were passed. This morning we were not called as early as we intended. We were all dressed and ready to go up the river to Old Goa at 6. It is about 2 koss (about 6 miles) but the tide was against us and we did not reach it till 8. It is a very pretty river, wooded down to the banks. I am not correct calling it a river for here it is an arm of the sea. On the banks is the village of Ribandar where there are some large Portuguese houses. They are roofed like houses of old time in England a number of little roofs, something after that fashion, which gives them a peculiar appearance. They are generally large and clean looking outside. After passing Ribandar we soon began to come in sight of Old Goa. There is something very striking in its appearance. Perhaps I should say in the appearance of its churches for no other building seems to remain. They are large piles of building generally in conspicuous places surrounded by rich jungle where formerly we may suppose there were fine streets of which no vestiges remain but occasional heaps of rubbish. The churches are near each other. One can hardly fancy that there was ever sufficient population to form congregations in these churches. But in Roman Catholic chapels they are satisfied with a small one however great the size of the church. We put up in that of St Cajetan. The church is not as large as others we visited but there are an immense number of cloisters. This church is built on the model of St Peter’s in Rome. There are in this, as well as most of the others, a great number of paintings, the subjects chiefly the martyrdom of RC saints besides various legends, dreams etc. They are generally great daubs, the colours bright but showing little or no idea of perspective. In one church in which they say Francis Xavier is buried there was a very beautiful shrine over his remains. I think this church is called after him; a number of the pictures and statues referred to him. The cathedral is a very beautiful building, high mass was performed while we were in it. It was a melancholy thing to see 8 or 10 priests reciting, bowing and curtseying to each other like puppets in a show and thinking that this was the worship of God - there was no congregation and two dogs were amusing themselves barking in the church. We were most interested by our visit to the church of the Augustines. The priest there, a nice looking, intelligent young man, went about with us and showed us everything. We could not in the other churches find anyone to say a word. Edward and this priest talked in some sort of latin sufficiently good to understand each other as far as it went. Before we left he showed us his rooms - one little sitting and an adjoining sleeping room. His bookcase contains a few books chiefly in Portuguese and one or two in French and Latin. Among his books he showed us ‘Young’s Night Thoughts’ in Portuguese and ‘Harvey’s Meditations’. Edward asked for the bible and he brought it from the inner room. Two large books in Latin and evidently not much used. His church was very beautiful inside but it was going fast to decay. There is no service there now and the bats seem to have taken up their abode in great numbers in it. We visited altogether 5 churches and a convent; the only one remaining of nuns and there is not one of monks or friars. We saw two nuns, both Portuguese but born in their country so we couldn’t have any communication with them. We bought 3 little silk purses from them and some sweetmeat. Of course, there were many churches that we did not visit but we saw the most beautiful or worth seeing among them. Quite enough to give us some idea what the place was like in days gone by. We returned after dinner and arrived at our stopping place in Panaji about ¼ past 6.
January 8th 1838. Goa. Today we purpose leaving this place after dinner. Saturday we walked up a hill in our neighbourhood - so stoney and thorny I should say scrambled rather than walked. We had a pretty view of the village and our pitching place . At night a cheetah visited our encampment and carried off poor little Whisk who was chained to the tent. We were roused by shoutings of the people but did not know what the matter was until the morning. Yesterday we spent a quiet but I hope not unprofitable day; in the evening we walked out. At night we shut our tent doors very carefully for fear that the cheetah should visit us again. However he stayed away. This morning we took a ride in the direction of our evening stage - Chippalkatti. The Kharkooms (record keepers) arrived today so Edward has begun to do a little business. Therm 80 at the highest.
June 12th 1838. Kadepur, Maharashtra. We came here yesterday evening - a 10 mile stage. Upon arriving E discovered rather to our dismay that there was no boat upon the river and that it was very full. He was rather at a loss what to do. He sent off a Sewar to Yadur up the river about 5 koss , or about 15 miles, to ask the good folks there to lend us their boat and also sent down to the river bank which we crossed when coming here before about 5 miles hence to try if anything could be done in the way of a raft to get us across. About 9 o’clock the Yadur Sewar returned saying that the boat was being sent down and would be at the ford place at about 10. That place is 1 mile hence where we crossed before and where the people were sent to make a raft. Upon that we sent off all our goods and recalled the people from Kadepur. It is now ½ past 11 and no news of the boat. We are lodged in a temple of Hanuman (the Monkey God) the same that we were in when passing through before. It is not so cool a place as yesterday’s dharamshala (public rest house). Therm 84.
Wednesday 13th 1838. Terdal, Karnataka.. The boat did not arrive until 2 o’clock. We then sent off our goods and sat down to dinner. At 3 we were down by the river but we did not get over for some time for the wind was strong blowing down the river and we were long getting across. Ed said until all the goods were across we must move a koss or 3 miles to a village called Soragaon. Here we had a very poor stopping place but it signified little as all our goods came here last night and we followed at an early hour this morning. We in the palanquin were out about ½ past 3 and arrived at ¼ after 7, it was about 12 or 14 miles. Here we found many letters, one from G More (?) of 26th March and one from our dear mother of April.
June 14th 1838. Mudhol, Karnataka.. Yesterday about 3 o”clock we left Terdal and came to Belgaum. Here we stopped in a very good dharamshala attached to a mosque outside the town. My dear E was not very well there but, thank God, his ailment was not anything of consequence. We left Belgaum at ½ past 4 and arrived here after 7. It was hardly a 9 mile stage here. We are in the Rajah’s palace and find it cool. It is a damp day with occasional light showers. Therm 82.
December 29th 1838. Bagewadi, Karnataka.. Yesterday we left Belgaum after a stay of nearly 4 months. Our party has been added to since we were last journeying by the arrival first of a little stranger, Master Horace Webb Townsend on the 29th of September and next of our dear mother who arrived in Bombay on the 25th of November and joined us in Belgaum on the 22nd of this month. We left our friends the Campbells at about 4 o’clock and arrived here at 6; the road is very good this year so we came much more quickly than before. We are spending the day here but purpose going on after dinner to Sampagaon where our sleeping tents are already gone.
January 3rd 1839. Parasgad, Karnataka.. Yesterday we left Yakkundi about 4 to come here. We crossed the Malaprabha about half way. The fort is high above the town of Savadatti, however we were able to drive up tolerably near to the gate. We are in the fort, there are three little rooms on the top of the house that serve as bedrooms. The only difficulty is that the windows and doors being very small the children’s bedsteads cannot be brought in, so they are obliged to sleep on the floor; no great hardship however. Mother and Richard are lodged in a little room halfway to the top. Our sitting room is lower down. A small room within and fine open veranda in front, enclosed in by a tent wall from pillar to pillar. There is a chuppee (?) beyond which serves to keep us cool and shaded.
May 31st 1839. Satara, Maharashtra.. My last chapter started en route to Poona but ‘twixt cup and lip is many a slip’ says the proverb and so have we heard say, for instead of going to Poona we are on our way back again. We reached the hills on the 26th of February. Edward went on the Poona and had not remained there much above a month when he was taken ill with fever. This through the Lord’s mercy did not last long but he was left very weak and he was ordered up to the hills. While there, not long before the time of our moving, to our great surprise Edward was ordered to Belgaum. So we had as quickly as we could to write for our goods from Poona and make all necessary arrangements for such a change of plans and here we are now on our way. We left the hills yesterday May 30th, slept at Mehee last night and came on here this morning, we had a good deal of rain before leaving the hills for near a fortnight which frightened the good folk there and sent them scampering down. Here though the weather is cool, cloudy and pleasant. We do not know when we will be able to go on as our goods from Poona have not reached us and we cannot go on without them.
October 24th 1839. Turkewadi, Maharashtra Yesterday October 23rd Wednesday we, Mrs H Townshend commonly called ‘Ma Sahib’, Mr and Mrs EH Townshend, Miss Reid, Mr Tremenhaire, Misses K & H Townshend, Masters R&H Townshend set out from Belgaum for the Khan Ghat and came as far as Shinoli about 8 or 9 miles. Some in palkees, some in carriages and one little gentleman on horseback. This morning we all came on here and arrived about ½ past 6. At about ½ past 7 Mrs Campbell and Miss Jeanie arrived from Belgaum. We are all to remain here today. The next evening we went on to Patne and the following morning to the ghat were we remained more than a fortnight and had numerous visitors. We spent a very pleasant time but I was not very well and therefore lest my descriptions should be headachy and disagreeable I left it to better pens to tell the tale of our enjoyment there. We reached Belgaum on Thursday 14th November.
December 20th 1839. Kolapore, Maharashtra.. This morning we left Nerli at 6 o’clock as the stage was only about 6 miles to Kolapore where we arrived at ¼ past 7. Not long after we left our tents we came up to a large encampment belonging to Himmat Bahadur one of the trusty Sirdars of this place. The good folk were already mounted and ready to move and as soon as we had passed set out after us, two elephants in their train. About 2 miles from this place we were met by a large number of great folk; two in native palkees, the rest riding with elephants and camels as part of their suite. First came the Lady Regent of Kolapore’s Wakeel who is the Master of Ceremonies and told Edward that when we came up with the party the etiquette would be for him to get out of the phaeton and embrace 5 or 6 of the chief Sirdars present. Presently we came up with them all; a very gay assemblage drawn up to receive us. At one side peons and foot soldiers with behind them a large gaily dressed elephant and several men mounted on camels. On the other side Sirdars mounted on finely caparisoned horses, several with bells around their necks, all jumping and prancing and showing off. The Sirdars and other great folk were all also very gaily dressed with handsome red shawls etc. When we came pretty near Edward got out and went to meet the gentlemen he was to embrace. This ceremony consists in taking the person, whoever he may be, by the right hand and bending your head first over his right shoulder and then over his left while he bends his in similar manner over yours. When the embrace was over Edward returned to the phaeton and off we set, the footmen at full speed before us. The horsemen a few before and some with but a great number after us. There were some very handsome horses and what with their gay trappings, the fine showy dresses of the riders and the prancing and cavorting of the well managed steeds it was a sight worth going to see. Just before we reached our tents E got out again to embrace some 6 or 8 other great people and when he came in he held a Durbar for the whole party. Carpets were spread under the trees and chairs settled and after sitting there and talking for a few minutes ‘pan souparee’ (betel nuts)was brought in and presented. After this all the good folks were dismissed. As we did not much like the place our tent was pitched in, close to a large pagoda and enclosed by a wall which shuts out the air, Ed went after breakfast in search of a better place to which we are to move this evening. I forgot to mention the important fact that 16 guns were fired in honour of the arrival of the Political Agent and I think three rockets or some such thing let off.
January 1st 1840. Kolapore, Maharashtra. The Lord has brought us safely to the beginning of another year, how manifold have been his mercies since we entered upon that which is now passed. This evening the two young Rajahs paid us a visit, after going into the large tent they came into mother’s where she and I sat in state to receive them. They are pretty looking intelligent boys, both about 8 years old, the eldest is only 3 weeks older than his brother. The next day we went to see the Regent, she is the widow of the eldest brother of the late Rajah who reigned before his brother; so she is ayah to the present little Rajah. Edward was not allowed into the Lady’s presence. We took our shoes off before we entered the room and were seated on the floor on a carpet opposite the Lady. She did not condescend to speak to us but whispered all she had to say to a man who told it to me and took back my answer. There were several women standing behind and beside her and two or three sitting, widows of the late Rajah but not the mother of the Maharani who would not appear as Ed had not a separate Durbar for her. The place was very warm so we were not sorry to get out after answering a variety of questions about what our bonnets, tails and tippets etc were made of and what they were for.
January 4th 1840. Panhala, Maharashtra. Yesterday evening after dinner we left Kolhapur to come to visit this fort. We came about 8 miles in the phaeton yesterday evening near the foot of the ascent. This morning we came up here, the ascent is very gradual. This is wild country; when we came near the gate we had many steps to ascend. The rocks are very bold on which the fort is built, like pillars crowded together. We are in a small building commanding a very extensive view to the east and north. Edward has a kutcherry (courtroom) in a room over us. The only thing wanting is a little shade for the children’s sleeping tent which will be very hot in the middle of the day. We remained at Panhala until the 22nd and spent a very pleasant and cool time there. On the 13th Edward received a letter from the Government appointing him Collector and Political Agent at Belgaum instead of acting which he has been since our arrival there in June. On the 23rd we came back to Kolapore where we remained until the 29th. On Tuesday we had the honour of dining with the Regent - ie making ourselves sick or making believe to eat. There were about 30 little dishes made of leaves of all sorts of curry upon the table. We also sat on the ground with her for about an hour trying to find something to talk about. They had some grand fireworks however I did not wait to see them but there was one very bright light which we watched in the palace yard. When we went out there was utter darkness and suddenly there was a bright light which showed you hundreds of people on the walls, balconies, terraces etc all round the yard. I stayed 5 or 6 minutes to see this repeat and then went home to mother who was afraid to venture out having been unwell with a cold. Edward had some after business with the Regent and Richard stayed with him so they had the benefit of the fireworks.
May 27th 1840. Satara. Maharashtra. We came on after dinner to Satara. We were brought in safety to Belgaum on the 12th of June and on the 19th master Edward Hume Steele Townshend made his appearance unexpectedly but not the less welcome and a fine healthy little boy.
Thursday. January 14th 1841. Bombay, Maharashtra. On the 6th of this month, having spent 6 happy weeks with our friends in Bombay, we embarked on board the Childe Harold to go to the Cape. We have hitherto had a very favourable voyage and have been all well. We hope to go through the Mozambique Channel and are as yet going rather west than south.
They arrived in Cape Town in May and were joined there on 21 September 1841 by Susan's sisters Henrietta Townsend and Katherine Corker Townsend and brother Richard William Townsend. Henrietta in her Journal was shocked on seeing Susan - "I could not believe it was she – so thin, so pale, so weak, I really think I should not have known her, and what seems more curious to me, her very voice so altered that I never should have recognised it, but the heart, the affectionate heart is the same, or fonder than ever and now that a few hours have passed over since our meeting I see glimpses of her former self".
Edward and Susan, along with some of their children and Henrietta, returned to Bombay on 13th May 1842 following 6 months touring South Africa.
The story continues with Henrietta's Journal; but there is one final entry in Susan's.
December 22nd 1843. Belgaum, Karnataka.. After so long a silence it seems hardly worthwhile again beginning a journal but I will at least mention places. We are now going as the children say to Jummabundy and left Belgaum on Tuesday 19th for that purpose and came about 5 miles to Nootka. There we halted Wednesday and Thursday and I went back to Belgaum to see the Bishop of Madras, who however was not there. This morning we came on here about 5 miles, H and I with Edward in the phaeton, Horace on Tiny, x in the palkee and Chambre with Anna and ayah in the bullock gauree.