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you, that to-day I loft my road; instead of fimply going to Manickpour, my place of deftination, I went to Kurrah Manickpour, where I paffed a very unpleasant night. The air was intensely cold, and my fervants who purfued the right road, carried with them my baggage and my purfe. The good woman at the serauce, 1 old, though very active, kindly provided a fupper at the risk of not› being paid, for I had advised her of the miscarriage; but she could procure no fuccedaneum for a quilt, fo that I was kept shiveringly awake the whole night.

ADJOINING to the village of Kurrah Manickpour, on a hill, are the remains of a confiderable fort. Amongst the ruins I obferved some mutilated fragments of Hindoo sculpture, of the same style as that seen on a curious monument of ancient date in the neighbourhood of Benares. Festoons of flowers are sculptured on this monument, which for the fimple elegancy of the design and taste," as well as the exact nicety of the execution, may, in my opinion, vie with the works of European masters. The Hindoos of this day have a slender knowledge of the rules of proportion, and none of perspective. They are just imitators, and correct workmen ; but they poffefs merely the glimmerings of genius.*

On the 23d, crossed the Ganges at Gootree, two miles below

*This obfervation is verified at a village oppofite the city of Benares, at the gardens of Ramnagur, where Cheyt Sing has erected a large range of coftly buildings, in fome of which stone figures are placed, of very aukward dimenfions and dull expreffion.

Kurrah

Kurrah Manickpour, and arrived at Mustaphabad, a stage of nine coffes. Almas Ali Khan is the manager or renter of a large tract of country lying on the fouth of the Ganges, which appears in a less desolate state than any other part of the Vizier's dominions which I have fcen. From the ruins of Kurrah fort, the Ganges is feen winding beautifully round the bottom of the hill, and on the northern shore, immediately oppofite, ftands the village of Manickpour. I found my fervants at Mustaphabad, to whom I referred the hospitable hoftefs, who had been obliged to accompany me fo far, for payment of the last night's fcore.

ON the 24th, at Bareily, a fortified town, 12 coffes. The country from the last station is much covered with jungle,* and where the profpect opened, but little cultivation appeared, except in the districts of Almas, which are but comparatively well conditioned. I have seen only a land of defolation, exhibiting the fcattered veftiges of former profperity.

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On the 25th, at Doolindy, 8 coffes. The principal town of a district, rented by one of the Viziers favorite Hindoos, who has laid out a large garden at this place, in which are two neat fummer houses.

On the 26,-at Safeindy, 10 coffes. There is little else to note than the wild appearance of a barren country; the reverse of what I expected to see in the vicinity of a capital city.

*All forest wood in India, is termed jungle.

VOL. I.

L

ON

ON the 27th, at Lucknow, 8 coffes. I took a lodging in the Affroff ferauce; and to prevent as much as poffible the risk of discovery, I discharged all my fervants, except one, on whom I could place a reasonable confidence.

LUCKNOW is a large and populous city, but wholly inelegant and irregular. The streets are narrow, uneven, and almost choaked up with every fpecies of filth. The Goomty, running on the north fide of the town, is navigable for boats of a common size at all seasons of the year, and falls into the Ganges between Benares and Ghazepour. A line of boats, extended across the river, forms a convenient communication with a large fuburb. Shujah-ulDowlah made Fyzeabad, or. Oude, the capital of his dominion but his fon, fetting afide that, with many other of his father's arrangements, has fixed his refidence at Lucknow.

PERCEIVING that fome of my neighbours began to make inquifitive remarks, I went across the water, and procured a retired and commodious apartment in the Huffen Gunge ferauce. Having fome business to tranfact at Lucknow, previously to my journey to Europe, I left my fervants at the ferauce, on pretence of visiting the English camp, the general rendezvous of idle ftrangers, and went to the city. Being defirous of seeing a gentleman, who I understood was ftationed there, I approached the door of an officer's quarter, and defired the fervants to acquaint their mafter, that a Moghul merchant, of whom there are many at Lucknow, requested permission to see him. Though the entreaty was

urged

urged in the foftest and most pursuasive tone within the compass of my speech, they flatly and roughly rejected it, saying that their master was eating his breakfast. Anxious to obtain the wanted information, I tried another door which feemed lefs closely guarded, but there also my prayer was prefered in vain; and having nothing in my pocket to ftrengthen the argument, I was obliged to retire; though the day was extremely hot, and the distance to my lodging was at least four miles. This occurence, however productive of temporary inconvenience, gave me a fatisfactory proof of the efficacy of my difguife, and the fluency of my Mahometan language. Many, I dare fay, are the unfortunate plaintiffs in our Indian world, who unable to purchase a paffage through the gates of the great, are thrust away by their rude and rapacious domestics. — In returning, I saw another European house, into which, by a fortunate change in the mode of application, I procured admittance for on informing the door-keeper that my attendance had been required, I was immediately conducted to his master, who received me in the kindeft manner, and on many future occafions shewed me marks of his friendship.-During my stay at Lucknow I lodged at the ferauce, and though I remained there twenty days, in which time I made many vifits to the English gentlemen, no one seemed to regard me with fufpicion. My landlady at first expreffed a strong defire of knowing the cause of my frequent excurfions; but not receiving a fatisfactory account, fhe concluded that I had formed fome female intimacy. As this con

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jecture was favourable to my plan, I encouraged it in the mind

of the good woman, who gave herself infinite credit for the dif

covery.

I am, Dear Sir,

Your's, &c. &c.

LET

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