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try.-A fort also appears on the fide of a diftant hill, which is only brought into the evening prospect.

THE village of Mow, fituate at the bottom of the defcent, which before the capture of Bidgi-ghur was well peopled, and poffeffed a confiderable commerce, is now deferted and in ruins. This village, whose loss is severely felt in many parts of the country, afforded the only mart on that quarter for fupplying the wants of the bordering mountaineers, who reforted thither, and bartered their wares for the produce of the low lands. Since the depopulation of Mow this commercial communication has ceased, and the Benares traders maintain little connection with the inhabitants of the hills, who are a hardy active race of men, and were they encouraged like thofe of Bauglepore to enter into our fervice, an useful body of foldiers might be acquired. They are not, it is faid, fubject to that fpecies of fever incident to a hilly country, which has operated fo fatally on the health of our troops; nor do they entertain those prejudices in their mode of living which affect the higher ranks of the Hindoos, and which have been found to embarrass military operations. An introduction also of a foreign class of men into the army, might be conducive by its counterpoife, to the ensuring the fidelity of the whole body of native troops.

BULWANT Sing, through a channel of intrigue and direct dishonesty, qualities he notoriously poffeffed, seized on Bidgi-ghur, which he strengthened and made the principal repository of his VOL. I wealth ;

I

wealth; and Cheyt Sing,* who augmented the works and increased the treasures, conftructed a strong bridge of ftone over a small river that fkirts the bottom of the hill.

I am, Dear Sir,

Yours, &c. &c.

* The Son of Bulwant Sing, and now a fugitive in the Camp of Scindia.

LET

LETTER IV.

To T. D. F.

MY DEAR SIR,

THE

Allahabad, 17th Dec. 1782.

HE want of a fubject to inform or amuse you, was the only caufe of my not fooner acknowledging your long and very kind letter. You may with confidence believe, that a forgetfulness of the many offices of friendship which I have experienced at your hands, will never be claffed in the roll of my offences, which, God knows, already is too long a one! and trust me when I fay, that I hold the connection which has fo long fubfifted between us, as the chiefest honor and credit of my life.

I AM now to inform you, that having refolved on proceeding to Europe by a northern tract, I affumed the name of a Georgian, for the fake of travelling with more fafety, and left Benares on the 12th of this month, mounted upon a small horse. After a journey of four days, or forty coffes, in which no particular occurrence fell out, I arrived at Allahabad. About mid-way commences the territory of Oude, which is immediately distinguished from that of Benares by its barren and defolate afpect. The fortrefs of Allaha

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bad, founded by Acbar,* ftands on the point of land which forms the confluence of the Ganges and Jumma ;-a fituation beautiful as it is commodious; and in the feafon of the year when the flow of water is fpacious and rapid, exhibits a scene of uncommon grandeur. On one fide, the Ganges is feen rolling down a strong and yellow tide, and on the other, the Jumma glides with a clearer ftream close to the walls of the fort. To this favorite and facred spot a large affembly of Hindoos resort at an annual period, to wash away their fins, and obtain permission to begin a new score. These pilgrims, who are laid under contributions for participating this indulgence, furnish the yearly fum of about 50,000 rupees to the Vizier's treasury. The fort of Allahabad, which is built of ftone, occupies a large space of ground, and has been amply fupplied with fuperb and useful buildings, whether for promoting the pleasures or conveniences of life. The place entitled the Ghah Padfhil is one of the best Mahometan manfions I have hitherto feen; but the want of fuitable tenants has occafioned great diforders in it. The infide of its upper room is constructed of marble of variegated colours, and neatly adjusted. From this apartment, the lord of the world, as he is entitled by his fubjects, hath a diftinct view of twelve different fuits of female apartments; in the front of which, when the monarch iffues the mandate, his beau

*This Emperor commenced his reign in A. D. 1556, and died in 1605.
The Imperial Apartment,

teous

felect the

teous handmaids are arranged in his fight that he may favorite of the day. The imperial choice, or rather edict, (to what humiliations do the laws of Mahomet fubject ye my fair friends!) is conveyed to the fortunate damfel, and full joyously doth her heart beat, who on the day of review attracts the fancy of her lord;-for the paffion of vanity is faid oftentimes to fupply in a female breast the place of love. I should not dislike, my friend, to be a Padshah myself, were it not that many of them have had their throats cut by their friends, and been compelled to drink very bitter potions; fince liable to fuch treatment, much good may their fine ladies and other fine things do them!

In the palace yard ftands a round pillar of about forty feet high, consisting of an entire stone, which coarsely resembles the porphyry, and feems covered with an infcription, in the ancient Hindoo character; but the letters are fo much effaced and impaired by the ravages of time, which, my friend, fpares not even marble, that they are become illegible. The erection of this monument is attributed to Beemfhyne, whom your Bramin will tell you, was in his day a powerful chief, and one of the principal warriors in the Mhah Bhaut.* But as a devout believer, you must not repose too much faith on the Bramin's account of the era in which this Beemshyne is said to have flourished; for he will tell you that our great progenitor was not even heard of in thofe days. The

The great war which was carried on by the Paunch-paun-Deve, or the compact of the five Brothers, against Dur-jodin, See Wilkin's Ghecta.

Maho

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