Chapter 2 Chapter 2 Colonel Moreau

"My dear Moclay," said Engineer Bonkers to me, "you have kept your travels from us! You seem to be still in Paris! What impression does India make of you?" "India! But to be specific, at least see it," I replied. "Well!" continued Mr. Engineer, "you have just crossed the peninsula from Bombay to Calcutta? Unless you have been blind all the way..." "Dear Bonkers, I'm not blind, but on this trip, I really didn't see anything..." "Blind?..." "Yes! The smoke, the steam, the dust, and especially the speed of the traffic blinded me. Since your job is to build railroads, I don't want to speak ill of trains. But in a train compartment, only through the glass of the doors and windows Seeing the cramped space, one moment crosses the viaduct with the hawks or the vultures, and the other moment the company of the voles or the rats in the tunnel, running day and night at an average speed of ten miles per hour, stopping only at the station for a while, while all the The stations are all the same, the only things visible are the city walls or the minaret tops of the mosques, while the noise of the trains, the roar of the sirens, the creak of the railways and the strong vibrations of the brakes. This is travel!"

"Well said!" cried Captain Ord. "Bonkers! What can you say! What do you think, Colonel?" The Colonel turned his head slightly towards Captain Ord who was speaking to him, and said: "I should very much like to know how Bonkers will answer our guest, Mr Mockley." "It doesn't bother me in the slightest, and I admit that Mokley's words are quite reasonable," replied the engineer. Captain Ord then said loudly: "In this case, why do you keep repairing the railway?" "To enable you, Captain, to be able to travel from Calcutta to Bombay in a mere sixty hours in the face of time constraints."

"I'm never in a hurry!" "Well then, Odd, take the main road! On foot!" replied the engineer. "That's exactly what I'm going to do!" "when?" "When my colonel will join me on a wonderful walk across the peninsula, eight or nine hundred miles!" The colonel just smiled, and sank into meditation again.Not even his best friends Engineer Bonkers and Captain Ord can do anything about it. I still have a month to go to India, but since I follow the line of "Peninsular Indians" from Bombay to Calcutta via Allahabad, I don't know anything about the situation in the peninsula.

I intend first to travel all over the country north of the Ganges, visiting the principal cities, visiting monumental buildings, and in short, taking my time to complete the tour. I knew Engineer Bonkers from my time in Paris.We have been very close for several years.I had promised to visit him in Calcutta as soon as he was free when the railways around Sendeppanjab and Delhi, which he was in charge of, were completed.The work had just been completed, and when Bonkers should have had a good few months of rest, I proposed a tour of India.Of course, he has readily complied with my request!We'll just wait for the weather to improve and we'll be leaving in a few weeks.

On my arrival in Calcutta, March, 1867, Bunkers introduced me to an honest friend, Captain Ord; and then to another friend of his, Colonel Moreau, and we Just now I was a guest at his house. The colonel was about forty-seven years of age.His house in the European District is a little remote, so it seems to be isolated from the crowded commercial city outside, like a paradise.In fact, this city is the capital of India.Its European quarter is sometimes called the "City of Palaces". Although the buildings with the reputation of palaces are often just corridors, columns and platforms, and have the style of palaces, it is true that there are countless palaces here.The British blended various architectural styles into the two different worlds of Calcutta.

The colonel's residence was a very simple one-story house, with a brick base and a pyramidal roof, surrounded by a verandah with thin and small columns.Kitchens on both sides and some storage rooms form the left and right wings of the building.The entire residence is placed in a garden surrounded by low walls and surrounded by trees. The colonel's family was very well off.Like all English families on the peninsula, he had many servants.Although his family's movable property, real property, and internal and external affairs are all well-managed, we can still feel that there is a lack of unique taste for women.

As for the management of the servants and the whole family, the Colonel entrusted it all to one of his old comrades-in-arms, the Scottish Sergeant Mark Rale, an officer in the Royal Army.The Colonel had been with him in every campaign on the Indian battlefields, and he was a soldier of integrity and courage. Forty-five-year-old Mark Real was like any country Scotchman, tall, strong and bearded.Although he had retired from the army at the same time as Colonel Moreau, his manner, appearance, and traditional dress indicated that he was still a highland recruit through and through.After the two of them retired in 1860, they did not return to their homeland or the place where their ancestors lived for generations. Instead, they both stayed in Calcutta, India, living a cautious and lonely life.

When Bonkers introduced Colonel Moreau to me, he told me two things: He said: "Don't talk about the Indian riots, especially the people of Nana Saib!" Colonel Edward Morrow was born in an old Scottish family. His ancestors had made brilliant achievements in British history. One of them, Mr. Hector Moreau, once led the Bengal army to suppress a war in 1760. Indian riots.A century later, the riots returned.Colonel Moreau himself had ruthlessly put down riots,--and had no hesitation in putting twenty rebels in the embrasures of the same day--a torture frequently used during the riots of 1857, Its inventor was probably the colonel's grandfather.

Colonel Moreau commanded the Ninety-third Scots Infantry in the Royal Army during the years of the Indian Rebellion.His boss was a hero of the battle, Mr. James Utlong.Mr. Charles Napier once commented on his well-deserved title of "Nemesis of the Indian Army".Accompanied by his superiors, Colonel Moreau moved to Kanpur, participated in the second campaign of Corran Campbell, and then to Lucknow.It was not until Utrang was elected as an Indian parliamentarian that he left the famous soldier. In 1858 Mr. Colonel Edward Morrow was Commander-in-Chief of the Cavalry of the Star of India.He would have been made a baron if his wife had not died in the frantic massacre at Kanpur on June 26, 1857, ordered and witnessed by Nana Saib himself.

Mrs. Moreau,--as the Colonel's friends called her--was the favorite of her husband.She was only twenty-six when she died in that heinous massacre with two hundred other victims.Both Mrs Orr and Miss Jackson miraculously survived the occupation of Lucknow and outlived their husbands and fathers.But Mrs. Moreau died before Colonel Moreau.Her body was in Calcutta mixed with so many victims that it was impossible to find it for Christ's burial. Edward Morrow, who fell into despair, had only one thought at the time, that was to avenge Nana Saib, who had been wanted by the British government.In order to move more freely, he left the army.And Mark Rael has always been faithfully with him.The two worked together, asked around, and searched hard, but they were no luckier than the British and Indian police.Nana is always missing.Three years of hard work had yielded nothing, and the colonel and sergeant put the matter aside for the time being.Moreover, at this time, the news of Nana Saib's death had spread all over India, and such definite news could not be doubted.

Edward Morrow returned to Calcutta and lived in this remote bungalow.Neither books nor newspapers, so as not to recall the bloody years of the riots, and never left his residence, the colonel lived an aimless life.But he has been thinking about his wife, and time seems to have neither erased his memory nor soothed his regret. It should also be stated that the Colonel was never aware of the news of Nana's return in the Bombay area--though it had spread like wildfire within a few days.Thankfully, otherwise he would have gone straight to Bombay. That's all Bonkers told me before I came to this dead house.That's why talking about the Mutiny and its most murderous leader, Nana Saib, should be avoided. There were only two loyal friends who visited the colonel without interruption.They are Engineer Bonkers and Captain Ord. I have already mentioned that the work of the Great Indian Peninsula Railway under the charge of Bonkers has just been completed.He is a forty-five-year-old adult.He was again in charge of the construction of the Madras Railway linking the Arabian Gulf with the Bay of Bengal, but it did not appear that work would begin for another year.So while he was on sabbatical in Calcutta, he was poring over various mechanical engineering schemes, a man of active and fertile minds, always interested in new things.In addition, he gave all his spare time to the colonel with whom he had been friends for twenty years.He spent almost every evening in the corridor of the bungalow with Colonel Edward Morrow and Captain Ord, who had just received ten months' leave. Captain Ord served in the 1st Company of Cavalry in the Royal Army and fought in every battle between 1857 and 1858.At first he fought with Mr. Koran Campbell in Ud and Roylkand, and then with Mr. Ug Oz in Central India—the war ended with the capture of Gwalior. Captain Ord, who is deeply influenced by Indian native culture, has hair and beard between red and blond, and is less than thirty years old. He is an eye-catching member of the Madras Club.Although he was a member of the Royal Army, he was often regarded as a local officer, and he was too Indian.Even if he was born and bred in India, he couldn't be more Indian.This is because in his eyes, India is a land of unspeakable beauty, the only place where human beings can and should live.He always tried his best to satisfy his various hobbies.His temperament is violent, and quarrels and even fights are always incessant.He is an experienced hunter, and isn't this the place where all kinds of brown-haired beasts, wild rare birds that fly in the sky and run around gather?He is a strong-willed mountaineering enthusiast. Isn't there a mountain with the highest peak in the world extending from Tibet?The brave and fearless adventurer dreams of setting foot in those untouched places, and the Himalayan frontier here can make him get his wish?As an avid horse racing enthusiast, in his eyes, the Indian racecourse, which is comparable to the European Grand Prix and the Epson Racecourse, does not make him linger too much?In this regard, Bonkers is completely different from him. As a pure mechanical engineer, Bonkers has no interest in the heroic appearance of fighters on the horse field. One day, when Captain Ord talked to him about horse racing again, Bonkers said that in his opinion horse racing was only really interesting under one condition. Aude immediately asked, "What kind of condition?" "That means the last racer to reach the finish line was killed at the start mark," Bonkers said solemnly. "That's a good idea! . . . " Captain Ord replied simply. Presumably he really wants to put this idea into practice! These were the two frequent guests in Mr. Edward Morrow's seat.The Colonel loved to hear their chatter, and their endless arguments sometimes brought a smile to his lips. The two honest men were bent on persuading the colonel to go out and relax.On several occasions, they suggested going to a sanatorium in northern India for a few months.It was a summer resort for rich Englishmen in India.But the colonel always refused. Bonkers and I also tried to make out the Colonel for a time, to see if he would like to travel with us.Tonight, old problems are on the table again.Captain Ord was bent on trekking to northern India on foot.If Bonkers hated horseback riding and Ord sneered at railroads, the two were always at odds. Probably the common topic is traveling, either by car or sedan chair, as you please and at your own pace—the wide avenues of the Indian peninsula lead in all directions and are well maintained, so this is not difficult. "Don't tell me about your ox-drawn carts and those hump-backed oxen!" exclaimed Bonkers. "Without us, you'd still be using primitive tools five hundred years out of the Europeans!" "Hey! It's no worse than your ottoman!" Captain Ord retorted. "A couple of big white oxen are enough to pull the car very fast, and you can get a new one at the post station every two miles. . . " "But these four-wheeled sailing boats shake harder than those fishing boats in the big waves!" "We don't talk about four-wheelers, Bonkers," continued Ord, "but our two-horse, three-horse, or four-horse carriages are no slower than your funeral wagons! I still prefer Jane A single sedan chair..." "Captain Ord, those six-foot-long and four-foot-wide palanquins of yours are real coffins! The person sitting in them looks like a corpse!" "Perhaps, but sitting in a sedan chair, you won't be jolted around and shaken dizzily, and you can read and write, and you can sleep comfortably without being always thrown into trouble as soon as you arrive at the station." Wake up! With four to six Bengali bearers, the speed can reach 4.5 miles (about 8 kilometers) per hour. And your cold-blooded express cars can't be said to arrive in the blink of an eye..." "Probably the best thing to do is take the whole family with you!" I interjected. "Snail!" Bunks yelled. "My friend," I went on, "a snail that can emerge from its shell and retract at any time is no pity! Traveling at home, a mobile home may be the last advance that man can make in travel!" "Possibly," began Colonel Moreau, "to travel far and wide and feel at home all the time, to take myself and all my memories with me, and to be constantly changing views, points of view, air and climate around me." , and life itself hasn't changed in the slightest...yes...maybe!" "It's no longer necessary to live in those bungalows prepared for passengers!" Captain Ord said with emotion, "It's uncomfortable, and you must have a local official certificate!" "Don't want those nasty hotels anymore, you will be deceived everywhere spiritually and materially!" I said with the same feeling. "That's the cart that buskers use to make a living! But it should be modernized," cried Captain Ord. Bedrooms and drawing-rooms, dining-rooms, smoking-rooms, and above all kitchens with your own cook, Bonkers, that's progress! It's a hundred times better than a railroad! Contradict me, engineer!" "Odd," said Bonkers, "I quite agree with you, if—" "What if?..." the captain shook his head and said. "If in the process of social development, you will not reject the progress of mankind." "Is there anything better?" "Of course. You'll find very comfortable mobile homes in carriages or sleeping cars. Sir, if people have plenty of time, and travel for pleasure rather than work, your idea is very reasonable. I think that on this point agree?" "Yes, all of them!" I replied. Colonel Moreau also bowed his head in acquiescence. "Well, I'll go on," said Bonkers. "The man standing before you is a coachworker and architect who has built your mobile home. It's not only cleverly conce People who pay attention to comfort will have nothing to say when they see it, even if they are harsh. It is not too high, it will not roll over, it is not too wide, and it can run smoothly on any railway; and its reasonable structure makes it very stable along the way .” "Wonderful! How wonderful! I think it must have been made for the hospitality of Colonel Moreau. We're going to travel up north like snails, but in a way that doesn't have to carry a hard shell on the back of the tail." The snails. Everything is ready and nothing has been overlooked... even the cook and the kitchen which the colonel values ​​so much. When the time is up, we will go! Great!... But great friend, who will pull your mobile home Woolen cloth?" "Who? Mules, donkeys, horses and oxen, of course!..." Captain Ord shouted again. "A dozen?" Bonkers asked. "By an elephant! Elephant! Magnificent and majestic! The house on the elephant, tall, running with proud stride, looks like the most splendid carriage in the world!" added Captain Ord. "My captain, this is simply wonderful!" "My engineer, this is the train that Indian nobles ride in the countryside!" "Yes! But..." "But... what? Another but!" cried Captain Ord. “Large one but!” "Ah! These engineers! They can find trouble in anything! . . . " "And do everything possible to solve these troubles." Bonkers replied. "Okay, let's solve it!" "I'm going to fix it, you listen to my thoughts. Dear Moreau, all these livestock wagons that the captain talked about, whether they walk, drag or pull, will have a day when their power runs out. So it will stand still. , playing with one’s temper, especially the need to replenish energy. But it is impossible for anyone to drag a 500-acre pasture, so as long as there is no grass, the livestock pulling the cart will be exhausted and stop, and they will fall to the ground or even starve to death. The mobile home can no longer flow, it can only be as immobile as the bungalow we are staying in at the moment. In this case, the mobile home can only be a steam room.” "On the railroad!" said the captain, shrugging his shoulders. "No, it can run on the road with an improved engine." The engineer replied. "Very well! As long as your house is not on the railway, but can be driven freely, I am satisfied." The captain continued. "But," I interjected, "the mules, donkeys, horses, cows, and elephants eat grass, and so does the machine. Without fuel, it stops halfway." "A steam horse has the strength of three or four ordinary horses, and possibly more. A steam horse neither tires nor gets sick. It can go wherever and whenever it rains or snows. And it never tires. It is not afraid of the attack of the brown beast, nor is it afraid of snake bites, horsefly stings, and other horrible little insects. Disposable. The steam horse was not built for such a use someday, but it is certainly better than any driving animal currently used by man. Fuel or grease, coal or wood, is all it consumes. And friend Ladies, you know that there is no shortage of forests on the Indian peninsula, and all trees are public property!" "Well said!" exclaimed Captain Ord. "Steam horses are wonderful! I seem to have seen the kind of mobile houses that the engineer said. They shuttled through the roads and jungles, and went straight to lions, tigers, and horses." Go to the dens of bears and leopards, and those who hide in the house can return with a full game, enough to make all the South Hodes, Andersons, Girards, Pergusets and Xiashanians envy to death Oh, Bonkers, I've been so verbose, you've made me regret being born fifty years too early!" "Why is that, Captain?" "Because fifty years later, your vision will be realized, and there will be steam cars at that time." "Already have." The engineer replied affirmatively. "It's already there! You made it? . . . " "It's me, to be honest, I'm only worried about one thing, and that's that it's going to be more than you think..." "Let's get on the road now, Bonkers, let's get on the road!" Captain Ord said loudly, standing up suddenly like an electric shock.A look ready to go. The engineer gestured to calm him down, then turned to Edward Morrow and said solemnly: "Edward, if there is a mobile home, and the weather is so pleasant, I say to you: this is your mobile home, wherever you go, your friend Mokley, Captain Ord and I want to accompany you to India. Traveling north, answer me: Bonkers, let's go, let's go, God bless us travelers!" "Well, my friends," Colonel Moreau replied after a moment of thought, "Bonkers, I leave everything to you. That's the promise you want to hear! Put that steam beyond Captain Ord's imagination." Open the house for us, and we will travel all over India!" "It's great! It's great! It's great! Let the brown-haired beasts on the border of Nepal go unlucky!" Captain Ord exclaimed happily. At this time, Mark Real heard the cheers in the house and appeared at the door. "Mark Real, we're going on a trip to North India in a month. Are you going?" Colonel Moreau said to him. "Since you're going, Colonel, of course I'm going!" Sergeant Mark Rael replied.

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