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2 his former relations and friends are treated as strangers ; he
3 never returns to the dwelling in which he had formerly re-
4 sided, but wanders down the Ganges, until he arrives at Santipore,
5 near Calcutta, where he settles himself; and it is a curious
6 fact, that nearly the whole population of Santipore is composed
7 of such persons. These people never again hold any communi-
8 cation with those who had been nearest and dearest to them ;
9 and they contract marriages amongst themselves only. This
10 town or colony, the only one, perhaps, of its kind in the world,
11 may be called the Colony of Convalescents. The Ganges teems
12 with crocodiles, and wild geese are found in great abundance.
13 When I arrived at Calcutta, I found that one of the finest
14 merchant vessels, called the “Prince of Wales,” belonging to
15 Messieurs Green and Compy. was about to sail for England.
16 I made arrangements for my passage homeward, and after a
17 week’s stay only in Calcutta, went on board. This short stay
18 at the capital of Bengal, prevented my observing any of the
19 operations of the celebrated Dr. James Esdaile (now in Scot-
20 land) whose cases of amputation, &c. performed without pain,
21 and without the use of chloroform, &c. while the patient was
22 under mesmeric influence, were then attracting considerable
23 attention. The Delhi Gazette of India observed — “Though Dr.
24 Esdaile’s performances are not yet countenanced by the facultv,
25 let us hope that he possesses moral courage sufficient to prosecute
26 his measures.”
27 W e enjoyed the most delightful weather during the voyage ;
28 the only annoyance being the frequent calms, which caused
29 us to be two months in reaching the Cape of Good Hope. In
30 the beginning of April we reached Cape Town, the aspect
31 of which, at the foot of the Table Mountain, is exceedingly
32 picturesque. The town is constructed with much regularity,
33 and the houses are very comfortable dwellings, principally
34 of one flat only. Almost every European comfort is to be
35 found there ; they have good hotels, elegant shops, handsome
36 public buildings, an exchange, a theatre, and several others,
37 and the town is well lighted with gas ; I was surprised at not