Memoir of the Career of Thomas Edward Rogers [‎10r] (19/118)

Our social circle was narrow indeed but, as at Bushire later when I was
in the Political Service, a few people studied in depth and in relation
to each other may be more interesting than many met superficially. Besides,
unused to and therefore not missing an active social life I found sufficient
satisfaction in my work and in the life of people as seen in the courts. There
was too a welter of new impressions to be absorbed in the teeming city and
scarcely less crowded countryside. My most vivid impression is of the Tangail
subdivision. Each year the rains changed magically a network of dusty dirt
roads into deep canals busy with boats like some rural Venice. I would take a
car along the Tangail road until the dry land ended and then go on by water. By
day the scene was full enough of life and interest. But by night, with a
glimmering oil lamp for boat light, a single oarsman at the stern would gondolier
like work his heavy sweep like a fish's tail to complete the illusion of
leisurely progress along some remote Venetian canal. Far below the water were
the young jute plants, sown before the monsoon broke ; which would grow to a forest
ten feet high and give tempting cover each year for a flourishing crop of murders
and sexual crimes.
What of the charge of racial exclusiveness? I can speak only of the limited
field I knew - not the great city of Calcutta with its large business community
and handful of clubs but mainly official circles in a typical outlying district
headquarters. On this wide subject I must compress my views. Restricted contact
with Indians was in human terms abhorrent and stunted me as an individual, making
me in some ways a less understanding and effective official. But paradoxically
I gained something as individual and official, as did my British colleagues, from
our position on the pedestal of relative isolation as rulers. Essentially the
criticism of Indians was against outside rule whether by us or any other people.
The criticism would not have been less and might have been greater if we had