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generally, the feline fpecies, poffefs but a small share of courage, and seldom openly feizes its prey; but, lurking in concealment, attacks by surprise, and if unsuccessful steals away into a hiding place without returning to the onset; and, in contradistinction to the canine fpecies, whofe great ftrength lies in the jaw, the feline ftrike their prey with the fore feet and talons. It is faid that a tyger having once tafted human flesh, becomes fond of it, and gratifies his appetite when it can be done without encountering any confpicuous danger. Yet it would appear, that all animals have a dread of man, which proceeding from the novelty of his appearance, or perhaps fome inftinctive fear of his powers of offence, prompts them, when not furious with hunger, to fhun the conteft. This evening, I was comfortably lodged in the front of a Hindoo retail fhop, where an excellent mess of pease and wheaten cakes was ferved up to us. Pray excufe me for noting. this domestic concern, which is to me of great moment; for by fuch wholesome meals, my ftrength was unimpaired, and my daily progrefs made with vigour. Covered quarters during the night was what we anxiously fought after, but did not Iways obtain. The Hindoos, though hofpitably diípofed to travellers, are averfe to admitting Mahometans, whom they hold unclean, into any part of their houses.

On the 14th, at Lawafah-fix coffes fix coffes; a few fcattered houles. This day's journey confifted in climbing fteep mountains, and though my little horfe was as active as a goat, I was

obliged,

obliged, from the almoft perpendicular height, to walk the greatest part of the way. For the benefit of fuch travellers who may come within your knowledge, and be difpofed to pursue my track, you muft inform them that the fhop-keeper at Lawasah is a great rogue, a noisy wrangler, and mixes a great quantity of barley with his wheat-meal. As he is the only man of his profeffion in the place, there is no remedy for the evil but laying in a stock at Sudowra, where they will find honeft treatment, and lodging to boot. Though it is not very probable that this recommendation will be of material ufe to the honeft man at Sudowra, yet I feel a pleasure in mentioning his goodness to me.

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ON the 15th at Coultie-nine coffes; two or three scattered houses. The Nhan country is bounded here by the small district of Bojepour, which depends on the Bellafpour chief. — On the 16th, halted on the bank of a nulla — feven coffes. Met on the road a Kashmirian family, consisting of a goldsmith, his wife, and fome children, who were travelling to fome town on the borders of Thibet, where they intended to fettle.

On the 17th, at Kunda, a small village-eight coffes, and about five miles to the north-west of Durmpour, the residence of the chief of a small district, generally fubject to the authority of the Bellafpour government. At Durmpour I paid a duty of two rupees for paffing my horse

ON the 13th, at Gowrah-nine coffes. I halted during the heat of the day near a water mill, the firft I had seen in India.

It was conftructed on the principle of the like machine in Europe, but of more simple mechanism and coarfer workmanship. About two o'clock in the morning, I obferved an eclipfe of the moon, the body of which continued partially shaded for near two hours. In the evening, our little party went to a farmer's cottage, where we folicited permiffion to lodge our baggage, and to fleep under one of his sheds. The farmer candidly faid, looking stedfastly in my face, which he seemed not to like, that he was apprehensive that an out-fide lodging would not fatisfy us. It was with much difficulty he would believe that we had fought his house only for shelter, and it was not until the Kashmirian had fhewn him some small wares for fale, that we were fuffered to occupy the front of his house. The districts of Hundah and Gowrah, are denominated the Barrah Tukrah.* being certain portions of territory bequeathed by a chief of Bellafpour to his younger fon, fome fifty years ago. These petty states are ill governed, and it is only among them that the traveller, from the Ganges to Kashmire, incurs the risk of being pillaged.

On the 19th, at the Village of Tayanaghur ten coffes. On the 20th, at Bellafpour- twelve coffes, the refidence of the Ranee or female ruler of the Kalour territory. This town ftands on the fouth-eaft fide of the Setloud or Sutludge, the most easterly of the five rivers, from which the name of Punjah † is given to the tract of

* A term in the Hinduee, fignifying twelve portions,

+ A Perfian word, fignifying five waters.

country

country extending from Sirhend to the Indus. The Setloud, a very rapid ftream, is at this place about one hundred yards broad. Bellafpour is a well built town, and exhibits a regularity not often feen in thefe parts. The ftreets are paved, though rather roughiy; and the houfes, conftructed of ftone and mortar, have a neat appearance. Kalour is bounded to the northward by the Kangrah diftricts; to the caftward by a large tract of country called Buffeer ; to the fouthward by Nhan; and to the weftward by the Punjab; and its revenue is faid to amount to twelve lack of rupees. On my arrival at Bellaspour, I found the Ranee engaged in a war with the chief of Kangrah, on the limits of whofe country her army was then encamped. It may not edify or perhaps entertain you to know the cause of this fell difpute, which however had taken such poffeffion of the minds of the mountaineers, and to them was fo important an event, that they seemed to think the hills and forests of Bellafpour the feat of universal war. The fiege of Troy, and the conflicts on the Scamander, would have appeared as mere fkirmishes to these fylvan heroes; and they probably would have allowed no other degree of comparison, than that women were the cause of them both. But as I myself became involuntarily interested in their story, and having little other matter to communicate, I am induced to intrude a fketch of it on your patience,

To deduce this eventful matter ab ovo, I must call your attention to the Days of Acbar, who is said to have been the first Maho

metan

metan prince who reduced the northern mountains of Hindoftan to the obedience of the empire. Towards the northern limit of Kalour, is a strong hold on an eminence, called the Kote Kangrah, the reduction of which detained Acbar, who commanded the expedition in person, a whole year, according to the tradition of this quarter. To reward one of his officers who had signalized himself in this service, he bestowed on him the captured fort, with a confiderable space of adjacent territory. The defcendants of this chief who are of the Sheah's fect of Mahometans, continued in the poffeffion until the present period, when the Rajah of Kangrah, on fome pretence, laid the districts wafte, and besieged the fort. Unable himself to repel the Enemy, the Mahometan folicited the aid of the Bellafpour Ranee, who with the spirit of a heroine, afforded speedy and vigorous fuccour to her neighbour, whose cause fhe has already revenged by plundering and destroying almost every village of Kangrah; the chief of which now vainly afferts, that the Rance, seeing his country deftitute of defence, feized, under the colour of affifting her ally, the occafion of augmenting her own power.

HALTED on the 21st and 22d, at Bellafpour. These wars did not a little derange our measure of progress, especially as there was attached to the Kangrah army, through which we must neceffarily pass, a body of Sicques, who had impreffed, with a lively terror, even this fequeftered region. The two Kashmirians, now

VOL. I,

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