by M K Gandhi
24 ‘and Co.’ added in the English translation.
25 On 11 January 1897 a delegation of demonstration committee, comprising Arthur Saville (produce merchant), James Fletcher (poultry farmer) and James Scott Wylie (attorney), went aboard the Courland and the Naderi with an offer to indemnify the ships if the passengers were returned to the port of embarkation. The captain of the Courland, Alexander Milne, presented a claim of £10,000 to £7500, while the captain of the Naderi, Francis John Raffin, made a claim of £2500; both were found to be ‘exorbitant’ and rejected by the demonstration committee.
26 ‘and Co.’ added in the English translation.
27 Mansukhlal Hiralal Naazar (1862–1906), first emigrated to England from Bombay and to Durban in 1896, a close associate of MKG, served as one of the secretaries of the Natal Indian Congress during MKG’s visit to India in 1901. First editor of Indian Opinion from June 1903 till his death on 20 January 1906.
28 Frederick Augustus Laughton, the solicitor for Dada Abdullah & Co., formerly a partner of A.W. Baker.
29 ‘unequal’ added in the English translation.
30 ‘Threats were held out to the Agent.’ To add.
31 The captain of the Courland received a letter signed by Harry Sparks: ‘As your passengers are ignorant of the state of feeling, and have come here in ignorance, and we have it from the Attorney-General that if your people are willing to return to India, the Colony will pay the expense. We shall, therefore, be glad to receive an answer from you before the ship comes alongside the wharf, whether the passengers elect to return to India at the Colony’s expense, or endeavour to force landing against thousands of men who are ready and waiting to oppose their landing.’ CWMG, vol. 2, p. 158.
32 ‘I and my family’ in the first edition.
33 In the original, names of the ships are given, i.e., Courland and Naderi.
34 ‘and Co.’ added in the English translation.
35 ‘on board the Courland’ to add.
36 ‘civilization’ added in the English translation.
37 ‘which they tolerated’ to add.
38 ‘gave me a patient hearing, and’ added in the English translation.
39 ‘civilization of the West.’ Added in the English translation.
40 ‘even today’ to add.
41 ‘saying and’ to add.
42 ‘weary way’ in the first edition.
43 MKG has described the events narrated in this chapter in Satyagraha in South Africa as well. See CWMG, vol. 29, pp. 50–56.
44 ‘I and my family’ in the first edition.
45 G.E. Tautam.
46 ‘at my risk’ to add.
47 ‘for your life’ to add.
48 ‘through the main road’ to add.
49 The Governor of Natal in a dispatch to the Secretary of State for the Colonies wrote that MKG had come ashore at an inappropriate moment and that MKG now accepts that the advice was ‘bad’. MKG wrote to the Secretary of State for the Colonies: ‘As I have always considered, and still consider, the advice upon which I acted was excellent.’ CWMG, vol. 2, p. 236.
50 ‘in a carriage’ to add.
51 ‘he hailed’ in the first edition.
52 ‘rickshaw’ in the original, refers to a hand-drawn carriage.
53 According to Burnett Britton, the attack took place on West Street. MKG caught hold of the railing of a house between Ship Hotel and Parker, Wood & Company. Britton, Gandhi Arrives in South Africa, p. 644.
54 ‘to stand there’ to add.
55 Mrs. Jane Alexander; the Police Superintendent was Richard C. Alexander.
56 ‘gratefully’ added in the English translation.
57 The house was on Field Street.
58 ‘the’ added in the 1940 edition.
59 ‘Or for all three reasons?’ To add.
60 This was the uniform of one Richard, the Town Clerks’ Indian messenger. Britton, Gandhi Arrives in South Africa, p. 646.
61 These were Sergeant Ball and Detective Sergeant McBeath.
62 In the four days that MKG spent at the Central Police Station he was accommodated in a spare bedroom of the officer’s quarters. He visited the magistrate at the courthouse, met Harry Escombe at the Minister’s Room at Star Building and visited Kastur, pregnant with their third son at Dada Abdullah’s house.
63 The Indian community expressed their gratitude to the couple by making a gift of a gold watch each, with a suitable inscription, and a chain and locket to Mrs. Alexander for ‘saving the life of one whom we delight to love’. They also sent £10 for distribution among the police force.
In response, Richard Alexander wrote to MKG, ‘I am very sorry indeed that I had not sufficient force at my back, to do that duty without inflicting upon you, and yours, a further degradation, by compelling you to escape the mob, in the disguise of one so very far beneath you, and for having to use so much deceit, to procure your safety, which I trust you and your people, will forgive, and that you like our own Prophet, when placed under a similar trial, will forgive your accusers, for they knew not what they did.’ See SN 1938.
Jane Alexander wrote: ‘My only thought at the time was your safety, and I feel I really ought not to accept anything, as my actions in this matter could in no way atone for the gross injustice done by my countrymen, and I feel that to return your generous gift would be but adding another insult to the many you have had to endure since your return.’ See SN 1939.
64 The original song dates back to the American civil war, where in the refrain is to hang Old Jeff Davis on the sour apple tree. In Gujarati ‘sour apple tree’ is rendered as ‘tamarind tree’.
65 ‘You had better go home now.’ Added in the English translation.
66 ‘if you do not believe me,’ added in the English translation.
67 The representatives were George Spradbrow, Mr. Trimble and Inspector of Nuisance W.C. Daugherty. Britton, Gandhi Arrives in South Africa, p. 648.
68 ‘who was then the Secretary of State for the Colonies,’ added in the English translation.
69 There was apparently no cable but a letter dated 5 February 1897, wherein Chamberlain stated: ‘I trust that proceedings have been taken against the perpetrators of this assault for their breach of peace.’ Britton, Gandhi Arrives in South Africa, Notes, p. xxxvii, note 50.
70 See CWMG, vol. 2, pp. 126–27.
71 ‘After the Storm’ added in the English translation.
72 For the text of the interview, see CWMG, vol. 2, pp. 118–26.
73 ‘Mehta’ added in the English translation.
74 The four bills introduced in March 1897 related to the Quarantine, Trade Licences, Immigration and Uncovenanted Indians Protection bills. For the text of these bills, see CWMG, vol. 2, pp. 272–80.
75 Indians were not specifically mentioned in three of the four measures, only the Uncovenanted Indian Protection Bill referred to Indians by name.
76 Petitions were sent to the Natal Legislative Assembly (CWMG, vol. 2, pp. 231–35), the Natal Colonial Secretary (ibid., pp. 235–36), the Natal Legislative Council (ibid., pp. 236–37), and the Secretary of State for the Colonies (ibid., pp. 260–80). Letters were sent to Dadabhai Naoroji and others (ibid., pp. 284–88).
77 ‘more of’ to add.
78 ‘as a secretary’ to add.
79 ‘with which’ in the first edition.
80 ‘The Congress could then be fearless about its future.’ To add.
81 ‘approval of’ in the first edition.
82 ‘What I mean to say is that’ added in the English translation.
83 ‘the future events’ in the first edition.
84 ‘How was education through Gujarati possible therein?’ To add.
85 ‘For one thing,’ added in the English translation.
86 ‘which too could be arranged not without difficulty’ in the first edition.
87 ‘In the meantime’ added in the English translation.
88 ‘would’ in the first edition.
> 89 Harilal left Johannesburg on 17 May 1911 and joined New English High School in Ahmedabad.
90 Gokuldas passed away in 1908.
91 ‘improvised’ added in the English translation.
92 ‘My inability to give them enough attention’ added in the English translation.
93 ‘to a lesser or greater extent’ to add.
94 ‘labour under’ in the first edition.
95 ‘and the object-lesson in self-reliance they received’ to add.
96 ‘either to their or’ added in the English translation.
97 ‘On the contrary,’ to add.
98 ‘echo rather of’ in the first edition.
99 ‘and I have’ in the first edition.
100 ‘There are a number of young men today whom I know’ in the first edition.
101 ‘And I’ in the first edition.
102 ‘that’ added in the 1940 edition.
103 ‘disciplined’ added in the English translation.
104 ‘blind to’ in the first edition.
105 ‘allowed myself to be’ in the first edition.
106 ‘but that far from satisfied me’ in the first edition.
107 ‘to my fellowmen’ added in the English translation.
108 ‘not got the heart’ in the first edition.
109 ‘and I’ in the first edition.
110 ‘charitable’ added in the English translation.
111 ‘nurse’ English word in the original.
112 ‘a paid or voluntary worker was required for it’ to add.
113 Rahimkhan Karimkhan, only son of Karimkhan, private secretary to the Aga Khan, admitted to Lincoln’s Inn on 21 April 1894, decided to leave the Society, but petitioned again for readmission in October 1897, passed his examination in Easter Term of 1898, called to the Bar on 22 June 1898 (Source: Black Book, vol. 38, hon’ble society of Lincoln’s Inn). Went to South Africa in 1899, introduced Hermann Kallenbach to MKG.
114 Ramdas (1898–1969) and Devadas (1900–57).
115 ‘useful to me’ in the first edition.
116 ‘and remains’ to add.
117 ‘trial to me’ in the first edition.
118 ‘for which we had arranged for a doctor and a nurse,’ to add.
119 Tribhuvandas Motichand Shah, Ma-ne Shilkhaman, probably based on Pye Henry Chavasse’s (1810–1879) Advice to a Mother on the Management of Her Children and on the Treatment on the Moment of Some of Their More Pressing Illnesses and Accidents.
120 ‘younger’ to add.
121 ‘availed of’ in the first edition.
122 ‘I can say this based on my experience.’ To add.
123 ‘diet and’ to add.
124 ‘being helpless’ to add.
125 ‘but will unite only when’ in the first edition.
126 ‘will equip’ in the first edition.
127 ‘born out of the sexual act’ to add.
128 ‘of whom I have already written’ added in the English translation.
129 William Ewart Gladstone (1809–98), British Liberal politician, served as prime minister of Britain on four separate occasions. Mrs. Catherine Gladstone (1812–1900).
130 ‘illustrious’ added in the English translation.
131 ‘and had ministered’ in the first edition.
132 ‘servant’ added in the English translation. ‘instead of a female’ to add.
133 ‘as in Mrs. Gladstone’s case’ added in the English translation.
134 ‘male’ to add.
135 ‘I asked myself’ added in the English translation.
136 ‘worth nothing’ translates the word ‘Prakrut’, the word in this context refers to the low value of the language Prakrut in comparison to Sanskrit.
137 ‘in the matter’ added in the English translation.
138 MKG does not refer to Dr. Thomas Allinson’s propaganda on birth control in the chapter on vegetarianism, but to Dr. Allinson’s writings on ‘health and hygiene’. The book being referred to here is A Book for Married Women, which advocated ‘artificial’ birth control.
139 Arnold F. Hills (1872–1927), wealthy industrialist, chairman of the Thames Iron Works, president of the London Vegetarian Society. The opposition that is referred to here was a public debate between Allinson and Hills on 13 February 1891 on ‘The Meaning of Sexual Morality’, which MKG attended. A week later, Hills moved a proposal before the executive committee of the London Vegetarian Society to have Allinson expelled. MKG, though sympathetic to Hills’ views on sexual morality, wished to uphold the freedom of opinion and had prepared a speech on the subject, which, given his nervousness, was read by someone else. Hills carried the motion.
140 ‘unsuccessful’ added in the English translation.
141 The Zulu Rebellion or the Bambatha Rebellion of mid-1906; the immediate contributing factor was the imposition of ‘poll tax’.
142 The Boer War (11 October 1899–31 May 1902), fought between the Transvaal Republic and Orange Free State on one side and the United Kingdom, assisted by imperial forces, on the other; resulted in the victory of the United Kingdom and annexation of both the republics.
143 ‘as well’ to add.
144 This house was at 11, Albemarle Street.
145 ‘and must live’ in the first edition.
146 The explanatory part, ‘of one retired from household cares’, added in the English translation.
147 ‘and enslaved by all manner of passions’ to add.
148 ‘real’ added in the English translation.
149 ‘how can I bind myself by a vow’ added in the English translation.
150 ‘from taking a vow’ to add.
151 Nishkulanand Swami (1766–1848), an ascetic poet of the Swaminarayan sect. He composed the Bhaktachintamani, his poems have been collected as Nishkulanand Kavya, and he was an accomplished carpenter.
152 ‘natural and’ added in the English translation.
153 On 20 July 1906.
154 ‘I was hard put to it’ in the first edition.
155 On 11 September 1906.
156 ‘while’ in the first edition.
157 ‘wilfully’ to add.
158 ‘as to what’ in the first edition.
159 ‘they complain’ to add.
160 ‘it may be said that’ added in the English translation.
161 ‘as’ in the first edition.
162 ‘drama of’ to add.
163 ‘and’ in the first edition.
164 ‘all’ to add.
165 ‘I see it even today.’ To add.
166 The translation of the Sanskrit verse added in the English translation. Sir Edwin Arnold’s translation of the verse reads:
‘Things that solicit sense
Hold off from the self-governed; nay, it comes,
The appetites of him who lives beyond
Depart—aroused no more.’
Bhagvad Gita, Verse 59, Discourse II.
167 ‘the experiment’ added in the English translation.
168 ‘as also he was by no means’ in the first edition.
169 ‘collars’ in the original.
170 Gopal Krishna Gokhale reached Cape Town on 22 October 1912. MKG gave him a send-off at Zanzibar on 29 November 1912.
171 ‘Gokhale had’ in the original.
172 This banquet, hosted by the British Indian Association at Freemason Hall, was held on 31 October 1912. To add here: ‘It was to be his most important speech in South Africa. He, therefore, wished to wear that scarf.’
173 ‘I had to learn that too.’ Added in the English translation.
174 ‘went to the market and’ to add.
175 ‘What’s wrong with your hair, Gandhi?’ added in the English translation.
176 See CWMG, vol. 29, Satyagraha in South Africa, Chapter IX, pp. 59–68.
177 ‘only’ added in the English translation.
178 ‘and through’ added in the English translation.
179 ‘Letter to Colonial Secretar
y’, 19 October 1899. See CWMG, vol. 3, pp. 134–35.
180 In his reply of 23 October 1899, C. Bird, the principal undersecretary informed MKG: ‘The Government is deeply impressed with the offer of Her Majesty’s loyal Indian subjects in Durban who have offered their services . . . and should the occasion arise, the Government will be glad to avail itself of these services.’ SN: 3303.
181 Arthur Hamilton Baynes (1854–1942), a Church of England priest and Bishop of Natal from 1893 to 1901. For MKG’s letter to Bishop Baynes, see CWMG, vol. 3, pp. 151–52.
182 ‘The Government needed many recruits.’ To add. ‘Recruits’ translates the word rangroot, which is a corruption of the word recruit in many Indian languages.
183 The largest numbers of indentured labourers came from Messrs Marshall Campbell Shire & Co., Reynolds Bros., and Wilson and the Collieries companies.
184 The Battle of Spion Kop was fought on 23–24 January 1900, some thirty-eight miles south-west from Ladysmith.
185 General Sir Redvers Henry Buller (1839–1908).
186 ‘and on one occasion we had to do so’ to add.
187 Major General Sir Edward Robert Prevost Woodgate (1845–1900).
188 The Battle of Vaal Krantz was fought from 5 to 7 February 1900.
189 ‘tommies’ English word in the original.
190 ‘and were thankful to us’ in the first edition.
191 Chieveley.
192 Frederick Hugh Sherston Roberts V.C. (1872–99), mortally wounded on 15 December 1899 at the Battle of Colenso.
193 Frederick Roberts, 1st Earl Roberts (1832–1914), also served as the commander-in-chief of the imperial forces during the Boer War.