rugged paths. The proprietors of the goods, chiefly refidents of Benares, Lucknow, and Furruckabad, had appointed agents to accompany the kafilah, who are not the ultimate venders of the merchandize, but contract to deliver it, and pay the different duties at fome deftined mart. To fhelter the packages from the inclemency of the weather, a fmall complement of tents is provided, as it rarely happens that a kafilah halts at any inhabited place. A plentiful fupply of water, and a plain for the accommodation of the cattle, is all that is fought for. The carriers fay also, that a plain more effectually fecures them against theft.

ON the 23d, proceeded 9 coffes further into the foreft, and halted near a large water courfe. This day an occurrence happened which involved me in a serious difficulty. The intense heat of the weather, and the fatigue of walking over a tract of deep fand, induced me, after paffing it, to indulge in my pipe. During this regale, which I enjoyed under the shade of a tree, the kafilah had gone out of fight. The ground in front being thickly covered with leaves, no appearance of a road was difcernible; and my horfe, when I mounted, was fo much alarmed, that he would not, but with great reluctance, move in any direction. Whether the animal, from any inftinctive power, perceived the embarrassment of our fituation, or that its organs of fmell were fenfible of the effluvia which is emitted from the body of most wild beasts, I will not prefume to determine: though I was induced to afcribe its agitation to the firft caufe, having been once placed in a fimilar

fituation, with the difference, that no animals of prey, or of the large fize, were in the neighbourhood. After traverfing the forest in various directions without perceiving the appearance of tract or habitation, or the veftige of any creature, except great quantities of elephants dung, I, at length, fell into a narrow path, which leading through a long space of woody defart, brought me to a village; whence the people with much kindness conducted me to our halting place.

ON the 24th, at Jumah, a few fcattered houfes-four coffes. This hamlet lies within a mile of the Ganges, which, there, has nearly a fouthern course, and is about two hundred yards broad; with a depth of water from ten to fifteen feet.

About half a mile extending from the

below the place of paffage, is a bed of rocks, eaft fide more than half way across the river, on which the ftream breaks with fome force. The Ganges doth not here, as in your more happy land, roll its tide through a country spread with fertile plains and populous villages, whofe inhabitants live in peace and plenty. Here, a thick gloomy foreft, tenanted only by the beafts of the field, fkirts it on the eaftern fide; and on the other, an uncultivated flat, over-run with low wood.

ON the 25th, croffed the river at the ferry of Nackerghaut, which is about twelve miles above Hurdwar; the kafilah being to remain fome days at Junah, I quitted it, and, accompanied by the Kashmirians, I joined a fmall party of merchants carrying cotton to the town of Nhan. The officer ftationed on the western

fide of the Ganges for the collection of customs, laid me under a contribution of two rupees; alledging, that as I seemed to travel much at my ease, I must be well enabled to pay that fum. It was to little purpose urging that I did not possess any property on which duties could be collected, or the juftice of levying a tax on a traveller. My argument was held wholly inadmiffible, and that of the custom-house officer being fupported by a party of match-lock men, I gave up, with decent refignation, the unequal contest, When the long roll of galling taxes impofed on other nations, esteemed more enlightened and humane than the mountaineers of Siringnaghur, is confidered, we shall probably not judge the measure rigorous, which obliges thofe riding at their ease to contribute to the relief of a state that affords a safeguard to their perfons by its falutary government.

ON the 26th, arrived at the village of Khalfawala - seven coffes. The kafilah halted this day on a pleasant green plain adjoining to the village, and skirted by a wood, through which a transparent fream flowed in many a winding channel. From its alluring appearance, though the weather was cold, I was induced to bathe; and to prevent interruption, I ftrayed into the thickeft part of the wood, which I found abounding in peacocks, and a variety of other birds, one of which refembled the common fowl, but of a smaller fize, and of very active flight.

On the 28th, at Dayrah, the refidence of the deputy of the Siringnaghur rajah. This fmall town, which is populous and

neatly

neatly built, may be called the capital of the lower divifion * of Siringnaghur, which includes a fpace of level country lying between a chain of fcattered hills on the fouth, and the larger range of northern mountains. The Sicques have an unreftrained access into these parts through the fouthern hills, which are broken by small valleys; and, fearing no oppofition from Zabitah Khan, they can at pleasure penetrate into the lower diftricts of Siringnaghur. The chief refides at a town bearing the common name of the territory, which lyes, I am informed, about one hundred miles to the north, and by the east of Lall Dong. The inactivity of the present rajah has enabled the Sicques to exact from this country a regular tribute. Of what fuperior courage and refource was that chief of Siringnaghur, who, in defiance of Aurungzebe, the most powerful prince of his time, protected the son ‡ of Dara, brother of the emperor, and his deadly foe, regardless of every menace. But he fell to the facra fames auri, the most destructive evil, my friend, which Pandora's box let loose upon the fons of man. It hath often armed the fon against the father, hath fown diffention in the marriage bed, and broken the tye of honour, and the bonds of friendship.

To adjust the account of the Siringnaghur customs, the kafiJah halted until the 15th, when we proceeded to Kheynfapoor

It is called the d:one, or low country.

+ Said to be four thousand rupees annually.

See Bernier's account of Sipahi Sheko's retreat into Siringnaghur.

ten

ten coffes. At this place, I faw two Sicque horsemen, who had been fent from their country to receive the Siringnaghur tribute, which is collected from the revenue of certain custom-houses. From the manner in which thefe men were treated, or rather treated themselves, I frequentiy wished for the power of migrating into the body of a Sicque for a few weeks fo well did these cavaliers fare. No fooner had they alighted than beds were provided for their repofe, and their horfes were fupplied with green barley pulled out of the field. The kafilah travellers were contented to lodge on the ground, and expreffed their thanks for permiffion to purchase what they required; fuch is the difference between those who were in, and those who were out of power.

eight coffes.

On the 6th of March croffed the Jumna, and halted on the western banks It flows with a clear ftream to the south-east, and has about the fame breadth with the Ganges.* Fish abound in this part of the Jumna, as I myself saw; but I believe the adjacent inhabitants do not use any means of catching them. No cultivation is feen in the vicinity of the Jumna, though a spacious plain extends on the western fide, and might be watered without much difficulty from the river. The Siringnaghur territory, which here terminates, is bounded on the north and the north-east, by the diftricts of independent Hindoo Rahahs;

It is to be noticed, that I crolled thefe rivers at the feafon of their lowest ebb.