Chapter 14: The Western Ghats

A day after leaving Palakkad Fort we arrived in Palakkad. I made myself known to the chowkidar at the entrance to the governor’s mansion. Mimi, N’reeta and I were then admitted into the extensive grounds of the large three-story building that was the administrative centre for the area, and the Governor’s official residence. We were allocated a suite of rooms in the building, a bedroom and a small withdrawing room for Mimi and I, and a bedroom for N’reeta. Meals were served in the large dining room used by the governor and his staff and any visitors.

After a swift wash and change of clothing, I introduced myself to Brigadier Drew Braygon. He was a thickset man of near fifty years of age with the build of a prize-fighter, and a nose practically squashed flat on his face. He noted where my gaze was fixed and gave a laugh that was more like a growl

“Received it during a Wall Game at Eton, when Graham Burd stamped on my head. I got my own back during the game the following year and kicked him in his goolies. Burd has sung alto ever since!” Braygon saw the name meant nothing to me and explained. “Graham Burd is now Lord Tongwynlais, and a director of the Honourable East India Company.

Brigadier Drew Braygon was not only the Governor of Palakkad but also the Commander of the Palakkad Military District, which includes the Palakkad Gap, the major route through the Western Ghats mountain range between Palakkad and Coimbatore and of strategic importance. Hence, the large military garrisons at either end of the Gap at Palakkad and Coimbatore.

He tapped the letter notifying him of the death of Sir Gregory Masters. “I cannot say I liked the fellow, but I did respect him as a first-rate administrator, and he will be sorely missed in the Calcutta Presidency. And you say that his son is facing a court-martial for dereliction of duty and conspiring with His Majesty’s enemies? If he’s found guilty that would merit a death sentence. Of course, if his Pa was alive the whole affair would have been swept under the carpet and Masters posted away, probably to the Andaman Islands or Aden, or some equally out of the way hellhole. Sir Gregory’s wife died giving birth to young Masters, and he blames himself for her death. That is why he turned a blind eye to his son’s many faults – at least that is how I see his behaviour. I suppose I will be the President of the Court, as I am the most senior officer between here and Madras.” He gave me a sharp look. “I know I should not be asking you this, but is there any doubt that the reason Masters withdrew his men was to allow the Thugs to go about their murderous business unhampered, or could he have misinterpreted his orders?”

“Colonel Sett issued no order for Masters to concentrate his company at Alathur, and the young African girl with me and my wife was the inducement to allow the Thugs free rein – she was in his bed when I arrived at his HQ.”

“Well, she looked to be a pretty little thing, but not worth losing one’s life, or even career, over.”

“The poor girl was a slave, and the woman behind the Thuggee attack has another five like her, who will be used for similar purposes – bribing officials and officers of John Company to neglect their duties to her advantage.”

“And you say that the woman...” he glanced down at the paper before him on the desk, “Baroness de Ath, is somewhere in the Western Ghats in an abandoned temple?”

Yes, General. The African girl, N’reeta, has given some clues as to where this temple might be situated but I am hoping you, or someone in Palakkad, will be able to pinpoint the actual location.”

“There are a score of temples in the immediate area, Sir Elijah. Some are fully functioning with priests and worshippers, some are abandoned and are now derelict, and some abandoned but used from time to time by worshippers of the particular deity the temple represents. Where on earth do we start to look?”

“From what N’reeta says the temple has been re-occupied by the Baroness and her retinue. The Baroness was hailed as a reincarnation of Kali in Cochin, so I assume the temple she has appropriated was built to worship that particular goddess.”

“That narrows the field somewhat, and latterly there has been an upsurge in Kali related activities, outside of the Thuggee attacks. This could indicate the locals truly believe the Baroness is a reincarnation of the goddess. Hindus are often unsettled and agitated by fakirs – who are a mixture of wandering holy men and vagabonds—saying one of the many gods of the Hindu religion has been reincarnated.”

“Is there anyone among your staff who could mark on a map where the temples dedicated to Kali are situated? Especially those which have been abandoned but may now be reoccupied?”

Braygon shook his head. “Not to my knowledge. Even the High Priests of those temples in the Palakkad area dedicated to Kali would find it difficult to put a location on temples other than their own. Every temple, of whatever deity represented, is independent. There are no parishes or dioceses served by a particular temple. Worshippers come from far and wide to celebrate the festival day of a deity, and is the reason why so many travellers on the roads of India are pilgrims.”

I was hoping someone in Palakkad would be able to point me to the Kali temple occupied by Eloise de La Zouche/Baroness de Ath, but it seemed I was out of luck. My dejected face stirred Braygon into action.

“There is one person who might be able to help.” He rang the handbell on his desk and moments later a turbaned servant appeared. Braygon jabbered some tongue to him and the fellow spun on his heel and left at a run. “I have sent for my...” he paused. “Well, he is the son of my brother-in-law’s son, so that makes him my great nephew or something. He is always ferreting about in the Western Ghats looking for plants and such like, and knows the place like the back of his hand. He is a botanist, and from what I gather a damn good one.”

A short time later a young man – no, it was a boy no more than sixteen years of age – entered the room. Braygon made the introductions.

“Sir Elijah, meet my great-nephew, Nathan Waygoss. Nathan, this is Colonel Sir Elijah Greenaway.”

I took the young fellow’s hand and gave it a shake. His grip was surprisingly firm and his hand calloused and as horny hard as a farm labourer’s.

“A pleasure to make your acquaintance, Sir Elijah,” he said.

“Likewise, Mister Waygoss,” I replied.

I admit the lad impressed me, although I was surprised to see he was of mixed race. Nathan Waygoss was lightly tanned, with a thin face and a lean, tallish, build. He carried himself with grace, elegance, and pride.

“We are looking for a temple dedicated to Kali in the Western Ghats, recently re-occupied, Nathan,” Braygon said, and then turned to me. “Is there anything else you can add, Sir Elijah?”

“The temple sits on the edge of a ravine. The girl who was held prisoner there...”

“Would that be the young East African girl I saw arrive with you and your wife, Sir Elijah?” Nathan asked.

“Yes, N’reeta. How do you know she is East African?”

“I noticed the shape of her head, her swan-like neck, how she walked, and her skin colour. I saw many East African sailors when I lived in Cochin. They also had narrow triangular-shaped head, and moved in the same graceful way as she did when she walked from the carriage to the entrance of the Governor’s residence.”

“You have remarkably keen eyesight, Mister Waygoss, and must have made a close and especial examination of the girl.” He blushed, and I smiled inwardly. It would seem N’reeta has an admirer.

“There are many ravines in the Western Ghats, Sir Elijah. The whole mountain range is crisscrossed by streams, which over time have carved out deep valleys. Did Miss N’reeta give any other indications of where this temple could be?”

“She said they walked in a generally westerly direction when she left the temple. She could not be precise on how many days – three or four – it took to reach a village on the lowlands, but she did notice a field of maize growing...”

“Maize! Was she certain it was maize?”

“I assume she knows the crop when she sees it. I believe it is grown in East Africa.”

“Yes it is, but the crop is only cultivated in certain areas of Kerala. Maize was introduced to Africa by the Portuguese from their colony in South America and then subsequently introduced to India...” Nathan paused. “There are many eminent botanists at Kew who maintain the cereal was introduced into India by the Chinese, via Admiral Zheng He, which would completely shatter the theory that...” He saw the look of exasperation on my face. “Forgive me, Sir Elijah. I sometimes go off on a tangent. The village where the maize was seen growing is probably Sreekrishnapuram. It is the only settlement in the area with the right soil for the cultivation of the cereal, and also situated well above the flood plain of the River Kunthipuzha.”

“How far from Palakkad is Shreeramparnam ... err ... Seekrishapoonam – the village?” I asked him.

“About three days march to the North West. We could hire horses and make it in one day, but any further exploration of the Western Ghats would need to be on foot. Does Miss N’reeta ride?”

I would think it most unlikely that N’reeta had ever seen a horse much less have ridden one, but the sooner we started retracing her route from the village the sooner we would discover Eloise de La Zouche.

“We will hire horses. N’reeta can share your saddle, Mister Waygoss. I am sure she will hold on tight to you and not fall off!”

A flash of pure delight skittered across his features.

“I will see to it immediately, Sir Elijah,” he said, and he left the room in an instant.

It occurred to me that the village, whose name I could not pronounce, might be occupied by dacoits and Thugs, as Kannadi had been. I made Braygon aware of my suspicions.

“I will send a troop or two of the Fifth Madras Native Cavalry with you, or better still follow a few hours behind you and surround the village during the night. After your party has obtained supplies and bearers and left the village the sowars will carry out a sweep...”

“Sowars?”

“The term for a native cavalryman, as sepoy is the term for a native infantryman, Sir Elijah, and I regret using a term unfamiliar to you.”

I waved away his apology. “How am I to learn if you do not use the local terminology, and please excuse my interruption.”

He gave a slight smile and continued. “The sowars will carry out a sweep and determine if Thugs and dacoits are present and will take them prisoner if they are. When you locate the temple send word to me, making sure the Kali reincarnation woman is the baroness you seek and not some poor demented, deluded soul. I will then dispatch a company of Madras Fusiliers to seize the place. Sepoys are extremely religious, and will not enter a temple complex carrying weapons of any sort, whether the temple is in use or abandoned. Madras Fusiliers would storm the gates of heaven or hell with equal enthusiasm and ferocity!”

After a substantial breakfast, we, that is I, Mimi, N’reeta, and Nathan, left the Governor’s residence. The three hired horses were small but hardy, and Mimi and I rode one each while N’reeta and Nathan shared. As we rode along the track I learned more things about Master Nathan Waygoss. The most surprising was that he was able to converse with N’reeta. When she realised she had to ride a horse I could see she was terrified. Nathan, speaking a language I had no notion of, soothed her, and with the help of a mounting block, she got on the horse behind Nathan and held on to him with the grip of a Westmoreland wrestler.

“What did you say to N’reeta that calmed her fears?” I asked him, “and in what language?”

“I told Miss N’reeta that the horse was as docile as a lamb and would not hurt her, and I spoke in Swahili, a language understood by many East African tribes. I learned a fair amount of the language from the Somali sailors who came ashore in Cochin.”

“Your uncle, grand-uncle, told me you are a botanist. Are you hunting for any particular specimen when exploring the Western Ghats?”

“I am in contact with the Royal Horticultural Society in London. They have asked me to send details of any members of the Orchidaceae species – orchids – that I discover. They are particularly interested in Vanilla planifolia.“