Eastern Hindostan.

Eastern Hindostan. An updated version published as The View of Hindoostan: Vol. II. Eastern Hindoostan (London, 1798).

Beginning in 'Tanjore' [i.e. Thanjavur], the itinerary roughly follows the eastern coast of India up to the Bengal Delta, before following the 'Ganges' [Ganga] and 'Burrampooter' [Brahmaputra] 'from their sources to their discharge in the Bay of Bengal—the latter including a brief section in Tibet—and finally ending at 'Chittigong' [Chattogram] in modern Bangladesh.

Letters from Pennant to Richard Bull indicate initial composition of this volume in summer/winter 1791: see Curious Travellers Editions [https://editions.curioustravellers.ac.uk/], item ID 1138 & 1142

Alongside the various inserted prints, several illustrations were apparently gathered by and copied for Pennant via Britons recently in India. Those thanked for access to their collections with respect to the natural history of Bengal include 'Sir Elijah Impey and his lady [Mary]', 'Mrs Edward Wheeler', and '[Nathaniel] Middleton esqr'. Material from the Impey collection was copied 'by my paintress Miss [Sarah?] Stone' (see p. 75). These illustrations might include some of the birds depicted from pp. 74–81, and other natural history illustrations throughout the volume.

A view seemingly depicting the 'Pagoda of Jagernaut [i.e. the Jagannath Temple, Puri]', source/artist uncertain, pp. 54–5.

Between pp. 104–105 are three portraits of Indian origin. Two, in oval cartouches on a pale green background, are in a style that flourished at Golconda/Hyderabad in the Deccan from c.1680 onwards, and might be 18th century. Persian inscriptions indicate that the subjects are 'Mulla Abd'ul Mali' and 'Fateh Jang Khan'. The other portrait (labelled 'Patna drawing') is of a nimbate ruler, probably of the later eighteenth century, and possibly depicting a Mughal Emperor or a Nawab. The drawings might have reached Pennant via Richard Bull around May 1792: see Curious Travellers Editions [https://editions.curioustravellers.ac.uk/], item ID 1153 & 1154.

Full itinerary, general index, and indexes of 'Plants', 'Quadrupeds', and 'Birds' in rear of volume.

Object Details

ID: P/16/15
Collection: Charts and maps
Type: Manuscript
Display location: Not on display
Creator: Thomas Pennant
Date made: 1773; 1773-1792 1787-01-01 - 1792-12-31 1787-1792 1790 1791 1792
Credit: National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London
Measurements: 1 volume
Parts: 'Outlines of the Globe' or 'Imaginary World Tour' and related items - manuscript tours, natural history, and illustrations authored and compiled by Thomas Pennant (1726–1798), naturalist, traveller, and writer (Manuscript)