Bayan-i waqiʿ 2.1

2.1

At this time, in consequence of the weakness of His Majesty Muhammad Shah, and the want of unanimity among his nobles, the armies of the Mahrattas of the south had spread themselves over Bengal; and Hughli fell into their hands. I had occasion to stop at the city of Firashdanga (Chandernagore), which is inhabited by a tribe of Frenchmen. The city of Calcutta, which is on the other side of the water, and inhabited by a tribe of English who have settled there, is much more extensive and thickly populated than Firashdanga. All the different tribes of Europeans have got different names, such as the Fransis (French), Angrez (English), Walandiz (Hollanders), and Partagis (Portuguese). The delightful gardens which the Europeans make, with a number of trees great and small, all cut with large shears and kept in order, as in their own country, are exceedingly pleasing and refreshing. The reason why they have so many gardens is, that a separate family, or one set of inhabitants, lives in a separate house. There is no difference whatever to be observed in any of their manners and customs; indeed, they all live just as they do in their own country. They have churches, too, where they perform Divine service in congregations, and everything else is managed in a similar way according to custom. Many tradesmen and professors of different arts have come from Europe and taken up their abode here, and get occupation in making things, carrying on their trade as they do in their own land.