Empires of the Plain: Henry Rawlinson and the Lost Languages of Babylon

(#litres_trial_promo) At the age of seventeen he found himself in an exotic world where he wielded power even as the lowest-ranking officer and, compared to the indigenous population, immense riches – for an immature young man it was intoxicating.

Military activities for Rawlinson in India were not onerous, though he studied with a native language teacher (a munshi). The day after his excursion he declared himself ‘too lazy to do much with my moonshee’.

(#litres_trial_promo) Instead, he went pigeon shooting with his friends Hogg and Philipps: ‘I backed every shot of mine against theirs at a rupee a shot and after about two hours shooting I came off a winner of fifteen rupees … I rode my horse in the evening being the first time for this last week as he has been in physick – saw a good many cronies on the Esplanade and dealt out a little nonsense to my friend Mrs Hull, by far the prettiest lady there.’

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Next occurred an event that threatened his future in the army: ‘Met Brown who asked me to dine with him at seven which I accordingly did, found a party of 8 jolly fellows assembled at dinner and spent the pleasantest evening I ever did since I have been here – lots of Claret, Beer, Punch – and sallying out for a lark at about 10 oclock, commenced levelling all the tents in the vicinity – it was glorious fun, but I am afraid we shall get into a terrible row about it. I am always exceedingly sorry after such parties that I have made myself such a fool, yet I have not sufficient resolution to resist the temptation of attending them.’

(#litres_trial_promo) The following day an official complaint was made of their behaviour, and Rawlinson was dismayed at the possible outcome: ‘there seems every probability of our being brought to a Court Martial and dismissed the service. I am really quite disgusted with the world now – if I am now really cashiered for such a trifling offence, I shall immediately tell the fellows who prosecute that they are no gentlemen and if they shoot me they may – if I survive I shall enter into the King of Persia’s services and try if I cannot make some figure in the world there. India is too narrow a field for my ambition – everything here goes by interest and it is impossible to get into notice unless patronized by some of the Grandees. I cannot bear the idea of creeping unknown through the world.’

(#litres_trial_promo) To his relief, no more was heard of the court martial and he vowed never to get drunk again.

By now Rawlinson was hoping to receive letters from home, but was bitterly disappointed when the Upton Castle came in. ‘Out of sight, out of mind,’ he complained, ‘I suppose I am now entirely forgotten by all my friends in England … I have [made] minute enquiries and find that there is no letter, packet or parcel of any description, come out for me by the Upton Castle, which has not only surprised but greatly annoyed me as I did not expect to be forgotten quite so soon as it appears I am.’

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The following Sunday he marched to church with the regiment, but was not impressed with the service: ‘Carr the clergyman gave us a terrible long sermon about Serjeant Tedman who has lately “gone out”. The deaths here are really quite awful.’

(#litres_trial_promo) Among Europeans in India the death rate was especially high, from causes such as malaria, cholera, dysentery, smallpox, dog bites, snakes and scorpions. Because of these threats, Rawlinson considered a new career in England: ‘I am frequently resolved to adopt an entirely new course of life, to give up all the future prospect of glory and delight, which I have so often and so fondly pictured to my ardent mind, and turn religious. I used at one time certainly to be really pious and in a fit state to be called into the presence of my maker, but I was then a child, I was then a stranger to the temptations of the world and had then never experienced what I am afraid I shall never have sufficient strength and resolution to withstand.’

(#litres_trial_promo) He had little regard for Carr, adding: ‘I am not as yet sufficiently under the influence of the Spirit of God to relish three hours prosing controversy on disputed texts … I hope and trust I may in time acquire the power of abstracting my mind in prayer which for any length of time, I find at present particularly difficult.’

(#litres_trial_promo) The subject of religion was a recurring topic in Rawlinson’s early journals, and it obviously bothered him that, as a Christian, his beliefs were not as strong as he wished.

He was now hard at work studying Hindustani and in mid-December wrote: ‘I was obliged to go to Fort George to meet my new Moonshee at 10 oclock. I like him much better than the last; tho’ he is a little high and connected, he is certainly very clever and I stand a much greater chance of improving under his tuition.’

(#litres_trial_promo) Three days later he was less happy, writing that he ‘waited for my moonshee till 10 oclock – blew him up sky high for not coming earlier – he tells me I shall not pass unless I fagg very hard – now as it is impossible to fagg even tolerably hard in this climate, I shall give up all ideas of passing this examination and not try until the next.’

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A mood of depression set in, fuelled by unhappiness at receiving no word from England on the arrival of two more ships, especially as all the other officers received letters, ‘which makes my disappointment more cutting’.

(#litres_trial_promo) On Sunday 16 December, Rawlinson marched to church early in the morning with his regiment, but was suffering from a bad cold and sore throat, so did not go out again afterwards: ‘I have been very low all day. I neither like the climate, country, inhabitants or profession and shall be most heartily glad to get back to England again. If an officer has neither a regimental, nor general staff appointment his life here must be the idlest, and least profitable, occupation in the World – far from being able to lay by money, his pay will be inadequate to his expenses, especially if at a dear station like Bombay – my mind is I think extremely fickle. I am sometimes elated with ideas of wealth, glory and happiness, and again if anything should happen to depress my spirits (such as those bitter disappointments in not hearing from England) I can see nothing before me but want, penury and distress. Oh money, money, how vain and yet how indispensable thou art in a great measure to human happiness.’

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To add to his mood, on Monday he received ‘another blowing up … for not attending parade at gunfire, for which however I had never received any orders … I am in future to attend all parades’.

(#litres_trial_promo) He had, though, decided to take his Hindustani examination in the new year after all, even though it was difficult to work: ‘Fag a little now and then with my moonshee; I am fully aware of the necessity of the most assiduous study, if I hope to be ready for the next examination, yet such is the relaxing nature of the climate, that it is with the utmost difficulty I can bring myself to get even a page of the Bagh & Buhar [a story written to teach students Hindustani] ready for my moonshee – there is consequently very little if any chance of my passing in January … I really must fagg … these lazy habits will not do. I must study 4 hours a day at least … I have not been out to a party this age – it is really very stupid here and if I can but pass next month, get posted to a regiment and start off up the country, why I may perhaps be a little more comfortable.’

(#litres_trial_promo) He had now been in Bombay just fifty-two days.

Rawlinson still indulged in shooting, going to dinner, drinking tea, writing poetry and a play, and singing at parties, even though he claimed not to have attended any party recently. On 22 December his first poem was published in the Bombay Courier. Eleven verses long and entitled On the first sight of land, the poem appeared ‘with a most insulting Editor’s note’.

(#litres_trial_promo) Wisely, Rawlinson used a pseudonym, because reaction was not favourable: ‘With respect to the poetry in the Courier, there are various opinions concerning it, and as it is considered by the majority to be trash, I have not ventured to avow the authorship except to a few of my particular cronies.’

(#litres_trial_promo) Further disappointment occurred when another ship came in with no mail, but Rawlinson was now somewhat happier. On 24 December he noted: ‘The parade bugle sounded at gunfire and we marched out to a grand Brigade parade – there were four regiments consisting altogether of about 3000 men … I know enough of the drill now to manoeuvre with any company and got through the parade without a single blunder.’

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On Christmas Day, he admitted: ‘I begin to like my situation a great deal better than I have done as I am getting better acquainted with my fellow officers. I used to fancy that they treated me particularly coldly, which I supposed had arisen from the row I had got into about the tents … I have in fact hardly any doubt that this was the case. I am fully resolved now never to indulge in future at any of the mess parties so as to get in the least inebriated. I do it chiefly out of my love of fun and jollity and certainly not out of any fondness for liquor, as with the exception of a few wines I absolutely hate.’

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In late January 1828 he was working hard for his examination, as he explained to Maria in his journal: ‘I … really do begin to have some hopes of success in the examination which takes place on Feb

15. The Regiment is to start for Deesa on the 5th of February (your birthday). I have not made up my mind as yet to what course I shall adopt with respect to stopping in Bombay after the Corps is gone, but rather think I shall apply for leave to pitch my tent on the Esplanade and do nothing until the Examinations … My Monshees encourage me and tell me that there is a very good chance of my passing, but I am by no means confident of any knowledge as I find myself woefully deficient in the Colloquial examination which we have to undergo.’

(#litres_trial_promo) Due to a scarcity of officers, Rawlinson’s application to remain in Bombay and work for his examination in two weeks’ time was refused, but when he found himself called as a witness in a court case at Bombay, he transferred to the 7th Native Infantry Regiment: ‘I am at present living in a tent in the seventh lines, that is with the officers of the Seventh Reg., with which corps I am now doing duty. My old Corps the Europeans left Bombay for Deesa about a week ago and I got myself removed from them to the seventh in order to wait for the examination.’

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On Saturday 16 February, the examination over, Rawlinson wrote: ‘I was called up the very first which is a great disadvantage, and my examination did not last more than half an hour during which time however they kept me pretty well close at it – Courts Martial to be translated, General Orders to be read off in Hindoostanee, Bagh & Buhar, Idiomatical Questions and Conversations by a Moonshee (who by the bye happened rather fortunately to be my own private Moonshee) formed the Ordeal – and as I got through them all pretty tolerably, if I have not passed I am close upon it.’

(#litres_trial_promo) Should he fail, Rawlinson was determined not to give up: ‘I shall go up again in May when I think I shall be pretty sure of passing – if they give me an affirmative I shall immediately begin to study Persian in readiness for the Russian Invasion.’

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‘My old Moonshee has just entered with the news – I have not passed,’ continued Rawlinson’s journal, ‘I was within an inch of passing and in fact ought to have passed. There are five members, two of whom voted for me and 3 against – my translations both from Hindostanee into English and from English into Hindoostanee were actually the best of the whole lot.’

(#litres_trial_promo) One reason for failure was not being sufficiently acquainted with idiomatic expressions, or ‘the manners of the natives’,

(#litres_trial_promo) but the examiners also thought Rawlinson too young and immature. Had he been in India two or three months longer, they would have passed him, even without doing as well. Sensitive to failure, Rawlinson wrote that ‘they mentioned all this in the report which was sent to the Commander in Chief, but he did not think fit to publish it in General Orders, as recommended by the Committee, which I consider a great shame. There were only 4 passed out of 10. I consider myself perfectly sure of it next May – and as I am subpoened to Hockin’s trial at the end of April, it will be no inconvenience to me stopping here.’

(#litres_trial_promo) He was heartened by the support of the governor Sir John Malcolm: ‘I went out to breakfast with him and he talked to me a good deal about it, advising to fag hard to be ready for the next time.’

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Rawlinson also continued his Classical studies, as he reminisced years later: ‘I kept up my Latin and Greek and translated Greek Chorusses for the Bombay Gazette … I was a fair classic in those days – and when an Inscription was wanted I remember being asked to write it for the Municipality of Bombay.’

(#litres_trial_promo) Indulging as well his love of writing, he was thrilled to be published again, as he noted in mid-March: ‘I have again appeared in print – my muse this time has taken a classical flight and I have translated a Chorus from Aeschylus. I had the satisfaction to hear one day at dinner a Captain of the 7

– who is considered a clever man, say in reading it – “This is very very good only a little too long to be read”. This is the delight of anonymous publication – that single sentence of accidental praise was worth to me a month of labour.’

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He was less happy with news about Maria that he heard when dining with an officer newly arrived from Bristol: ‘he is a relation of the Brook Smiths and knows Abram a little, he said he had heard young Brooks was to be married and was very anxious to know who the lady was to be’.

(#litres_trial_promo) Rawlinson knew it was Maria: ‘I wish I could hear something from you – it really does seem very odd to be hearing news of my own family from strangers. He and young Brown are the only people whom I have heard speak of young Brooke and they both call him a most insufferable dandy. I myself really think that you are a great deal too good for him.’

(#litres_trial_promo)He continued bitterly: ‘I have now given up all hopes of hearing from you at all, I have been waiting nearly 5 months now in expectation of a letter. I had fondly hoped I had friends in England to whom I was so dear as they are and ever will be to me – what can be the reason for your not writing yourself? I cannot understand it at all – it is now nearly 9 months since I left England and I have not heard a syllable from any of you – what changes and revolutions may have happened since that time! I rather expect you and Georgiana are both married. I feel a presentiment that you will be sooner or later Mrs B Smith.’

(#litres_trial_promo) His presentiment was right, although Maria did not marry Brooke Smith for another four years.

At the beginning of May, Rawlinson sat the Hindustani examination again and wrote excitedly in his journal: ‘I have just passed an Examination in Hindoostanee and am reported qualified to act as Interpreter in that language.’

(#litres_trial_promo) In Bombay he had also developed a particular passion for reading about history and was buying increasing numbers of books. ‘I seldom went to bed,’ he commented, ‘without being conscious that I had gained some information in the course of the day of which I had been ignorant when I arose – there is something extremely gratifying in being conscious of continual progression in knowledge.’