The City of Calcutta* in past times was a village in a tāluqah endowed in favour of Kālī, which is the name of an idol which is there. Inasmuch as in the language of Bengal, ‘Karta’ and Kata” means “master” or “lord,” therefore this village was named Kālīkatā, meaning that its owner was Kālī. Gradually, by a process of the modulation of the tongue, the alif and the ea being dropped it was called Kalkata. The following is the account of the foundation of this city and the establishment of the English factory there. In the period of the Niẓamat of Nawāb Jāfar Khān, the factory of the English Company, which existed in the port of Hūghlī, close to Lakhoghat and Mughulpūrah, suddenly after sunset when the English Chiefs were at dinner commenced crumbling down; the English Chiefs harum-scarum ran out, and saved themselves from this whirlpool of destruction. But all their chattels and properties were washed away by the tide. Many cattle and some human beings also perished. Mr. Charnock, the English Chief, purchasing the garden of Benāres, the Company’s Gumāshtā, which was situate in Lakhoghat, adjoining to the town, cut down its trees, and laid the foundation of a factory, and commenced erecting two-storeyed and three-storeyed buildings. When the boundary walls were completed and they were about to roof them with the main beams, the nobility and the gentry of the Sayyid and Mughul tribes, who consisted of rich merchants, represented to Mīr Nāsir, Faujdār of Hūghlī, that when the strangers would get upon the terraces of their high buildings, it would interfere with the sanctity and privacy of their ladies and families. The Faujdār communicated the gist of this state of things to Nawāb Jāfar Khān, and subsequently deputed there all the Mughals and the whole of the nobility and the gentry. These, in the presence of the Nawāb, set forth their grievances. Nawāb Jāfar Khān despatched an order to the Faujdār prohibiting absolutely the English from placing a brick over a brick and from laying a timber over a timber. The Faujdār, directly on the receipt of the order of prohibition, directed that none of the masons and carpenters should do work in connection with the buildings, and in consequence the buildings remained incomplete. Mr. Charnock, getting enraged, prepared to fight. But as he had a small force and except one ship, no other ships were then there, and besides the authority of Nawāb Jāfar Khān was overawing, and the Mughals were numerous, and the powerful Faujdār was on their side, seeing no good in shaking hands and feet, of necessity, he raised the anchor of the ship. And directing from the top of the deck of the ship a lense-burner towards the populous part of the town alongside the bank of the river including Chandanagore, he set it on fire and started. The Faujdār, in order to enquire into this matter, wrote to the officer in charge of the garrison of Makhwa to the effect that the ship should not be allowed to pass on. The above officer placed across the river an iron chain, every link whereof was ten seers in weight, and which had been kept ready alongside the wall of the fort for the purpose of blocking the passage of the boats of the Arracanese and Magh enemies, by being drawn from one bank of the river to the other. The ship on arriving at the chain got blocked, and could not move down further. Mr. Charnock cut up the chain with an English sword and effected his passage through, and sailed down with the ship to the sea, and started for the country of the Dakhin. In that, the Emperor Aurangzeb at that time was in the Dakhin, and the Mahratta free-booters had cut off supplies of food-grains from all sides, a great famine occurred amongst the Imperial troops. The Chief of the (English) factory in the Karnatik supplied the Imperial army with food-stuffs, carrying the same on board the ships, and thus rendered loyal and good service. The Emperor Aurangzeb being pleased with the English, enquired as to what the English Company prayed for. The English Chief petitioned for the grant of a Sanad (Royal patent), permitting the erection of factories in the Imperial dominions, and especially the erection of the Bengal factory. The petition was granted by the Emperor, and an Imperial Farman (patent) was issued, remitting all customs on ships of the English Company, and directing the levy from them of Rs. 3,000, by way of tribute to the Royal Customs-house, and permitting the erection of a factory. Mr. Charnock, with the Imperial Farman and orders, returned from the Dakhin to Bengal, and at a place called Chānak (Barrackpūr) landed. He sent agents with presents, tribute, and gifts, &c., to Nawāb Jāfar Khān, and obtained permission to build a factory at Calcutta, in accordance with the Imperial Sanad, and building a new factory there, devoted himself to the improvement of the town, and opened trading transactions with Bengal. To this day the factory is notable.
Calcutta is a large city on the banks of the river Bhāgīratī. It is a large port, and the commercial emporium of the English Company, and is subject to them. Small ships, called sloops, always every year come to that port from China, England, and other parts, and many remain there. At present, this city is the place of residence of the English Chiefs and officers and employés. The buildings are solidly made of lime and brick. As its soil is damp and salt, from proximity to the sea, the buildings of that city are two-storeyed and three-storeyed. The lower rooms are unfit for dwelling. The buildings are constructed after those of England; they are well-ventilated, commodious, and lofty. The roads of that city are broad and paved with pounded brick. And besides the English Chiefs, the Bengālīs, the Armenians, &c., there are also rich merchants. The water of wells in this city, owing to salt, is unfit for drinking, and if anyone drinks it, he suffers much In summer and rainy seasons, the water of the river also become bitter and salt; but the water of tanks, which are plenty, is drunk. The sea is forty Karoh distant from this place; within every day and night the water of the river has one flow and one ebb. At times of full moon, for three days, the tide comes furiously once in course of a day and night. It shows a wonderful condition and a strange furiousness. It drives across the banks many boats, and wrecks them, but those which are not on the sides of the rivers are left undamaged. Consequently, on that day, at that place boats, both small and large, are left without anchor. This tide in the language of Bengal is called bān, and the tide which occurs daily is called joār. An earthen fort has been erected to the south, outside the city. The English are wonderful in ventors. To relate its praise is difficult; one ought to see it, to appreciate it. Viewed externally from any of the four sides, the quadrangular rampart looks low like the slopes of tanks; but viewed internally, it looks lofty. Inside the fort, there are large and lofty buildings. Wonderful workmanship has been displayed in the construction of the fort; and other curious and rare workmanships are visible in this city. In point of beauty of its edifices and the novelty of its arts, no city is equal to it, barring Dehlī, which is unique. But its drawback is that its air is putrid, its water salt, and its soil so damp that the ground, though protected by roof, and cemented with brick and lime, is damp owing to excessive moisture, and the doors and walls, to the height of two or three cubits, are also wet and damp. For four months of winter, the climate is not very unhealthy, but during eight months of summer and rainy seasons, it is very unhealthy. At the present day, when since a few years the countries of Bengal, Behar, and Orissa have passed into the possession of the Chiefs of the English Company, this city has become the seat of Government of these dominions. The head of these Chiefs, who is styled Governor-General, resides in this city, and his deputies are appointed and sent out to each district, and remit to Calcutta the revenue-collections from each district.* The officers of the Board of Revenue are in Calcutta.
Chandannagor* (Chandarnagar) alias Farāshḍangah, is twelve karoh distant from Calcutta. The factory of the Christian French is situated there. It is a small town on the bank of the river Bhagīratī. There is a French Chief there. He is the administrator of the affairs and mercantile concerns of that town. The English Chiefs have no authority there. Similarly at Chūcharāh (Chīnsūrāh*), the Dutch hold authority.
Chūcharah, or Chinsurāh, which adjoins the port of Hūghlī, is to the south of that port, and is one karoh to the north of Chandarnagor. And similarly Chīrampūr (Sīrampur)* is on the banks of the same river, opposite to Chānak (Barackpur). The factory of the Danes is there, and it is also called Dīnamārnagar. In these places, besides the owners of the factories, no one else has authority.