The Wanderings of a Pilgrim

This account of the Indian travels of Fanny Parks traces the exploits of this unconventional Englishwoman in the early 19th century. She records exploits which include cheetah hunting, elephant fighting and opium eating and describes the varied wildlife, customs and festivals of the country.

---

Fanny Parks was born at Conway, North Wales in 1794. She married Captain Charles Parks, a customs collector, and went to live with him in Allahabad, India in the early decades of the 19th century. She rapidly proved to be an unconventional memsahib who embraced India in a manner that very few of her peers would have even considered. Her personal account of her travels in India includes recorded details of cheetah hunting, elephant fighting and opium eating. She describes the varied wildlife, religions, customs and festivals of the country, noting also the hardships caused by famine, earthquakes and monsoons.