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my only affociates, were averfe to any motion until we should be reinforced, After much entreaty they confented to accompany me to the Bellafpour camp, where the probability of meeting passengers going to the northward, they were obliged to confefs, wa greater than in the town. But to a rooted indolence, the common want of enterprize prefides over all the actions of an Indian; and here let me obferve, that our pincipal fuperiority over them, will largely confift in attacking this weak fide. The prompt decifion of our councils, the vigour of action, must in every contest with them command fuccefs. This conftitutional inactivity and languor of the mind, have been farther promoted by the creed of predeftination, and aftrology. A minute attention is fhewn by the natives of India to certain days, hours, and minutes. On the commencement of any fervice, or in the performance of even the ordinary duties of life, their conduct is regulated by the immediate period; and should the calculator discover a reluctancy, or defire of delay in his employer, or apprehend that his own reputation might suffer in the event, he usually lays a bar on the undertaking. Over fuch men what advantage do we not poffefs? Yet in fome of the late military tranfactions of India, we have weakened our claim to those natural and acquired powers, which English foldiers in most of their actions have difplayed in this country. Do not mifconftrue the tendency of this digreffion, and mark me as an abettor of the incurfions and depredations which we are occafionally

ufed

ufed to make on the lands of our neighbours. Our conduct to one * of them has been as unjust as it was unwife, nor do I know whether to attribute the favourable conclufion of the event † to good fortune, or to the folly of our enemies.

On the evening of the 23d, croffed in a ferry-boat, the Setloud, a narrow deep and rapid river, full of windings, and halted at a fmall village opposite to Bellafpour, though the distance from the ferry was nearly two miles from the town. A Tumboo-fhall kafilah had encamped on the north fide of the town on its way to Dehli and Lucknow, with the proprietors of which, or rather their agents, I formed an acquaintance; and through their influence with the collector of the customs I was permitted to pass without obftacle. This affiftance was the more opportune, as the Bellafpour government is deemed jealous and oppreffive. The collector extended his favour even to a length that I had not expected, for he not only expedited my paffage through the Bellafpour districts, but gave me a recommendatory letter to his brother, who was the manager of the Kangrah custom houfe. The people of the Tumboo kafilah were defirous of knowing my ftory, and you alfo, perhaps, would wish to be informed of the present one, certain parts of which, on hearing that the Turkish language was spoken by a perfon of the party, I compiled for the use of the day. God only

*The Mahrattas

+ The convention of Wargaum, which covered us with disgrace.

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knows, my friend, what a varied multiplicity of fictions I have formed in the course of this journey: and I have to fupplicate his pardon for the fabrication, as well as to hope for your acquiefcence in the neceffity. The tenor of my story sets forth, that I was by birth a Turk, and had come when young to India, where I was taken into the house of a person of distinction who had brought me up. That from my long refidence in India I had forgotten my native language, and that my profeffion had been chiefly that of a foldier, which quitting on a disgust, I had. collected my little property and become a travelling merchant. The story, not very complex, poffeffed plaufibility fufficient to procure common belief, and I myself had entered fo warmly into its spirit, that I began to believe it. I must here inform you, that having been seen two or three times writing on the road, I was told by one of the paffengers that it was an European custom, and a very useless one. The remark alarmed me, but I told him without much hesitation, that I had been always accustomed to write my current expences, that at the end of the year I might afcertain the amount, and not exceed my income. My remarks were ufually noted in a rude Perfian character, but whilft I was writing an English letter from this place, a Kashmirian who was fitting near me, and who had formerly ferved on board one of our country fhips, obferved, that I wrote from the left to the right in the European manner: but on being told that the Turks used the fame method, he seemed fatisfied. From an inattention to one of the forms of my new cha

racter,

racter, instead of fitting down, as the Afiatics invariably do in the performance of urinal evacuation, I used occasionally to stand upright; and being feverely reprehended for this uncleanliness, I alledged that the habit was not uncommon amongst soldiers, who from the hurry of fervice, and their diffipated course of life, make many deviations from the rules of decorum. But the want of penetration, or the good humour in which we lived together, has prevented my companions from feeing through my disguise, which I now entertain fanguine hopes of preferving to the end of my journey.

I am, dear Sir,

Your's, &c. &c;

LETTER

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