Chinese Palanquin bearers, India, 19th Century
Illustration from an Illustrated history of India published by Cassell, Petter & Galpin circa 1876. Info from wiki: In the early 19th century, the most prevalent mode of long distance transport for the affluent was by palanquin.[9][10] The post office could arrange, with a few days notice, relays of bearers to convey a traveller's palanquin between stages or stations.[4][10] The distance between these in the government's dak (Hindi: "mail")[11] system averaged about 10 miles (16 km), and could be covered in three hours. A relay's usual complement consisted of two torch-bearers, two luggage-porters, and eight palanquin-bearers who worked in gangs of four, although all eight might pitch in at steep sections. A passenger could travel straight through or break their journey at dak bungalows located at certain stations.[10] Until the mid-19th century, "most people in Calcutta kept a plankin and a set of bearers",[9] but they fell out of favor for long journeys as steamers, railways, and roads suitable for wheeled transport were developed.[4] By the beginning of the 20th century they were nearly "obsolete among the better class of Europeans.
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Photo credit: © Historical Images Archive / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: 19th, bearers, british, carrying, century, china, chinese, colonial, covered, empire, engraving, era, history, human-powered, illustration, image, imperial, india, litter, palanquin, picture, poles, porters, transport, vehicles, victorian, wheel
