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LETTER VIII.

MY DEAR SIR,

Rampore, February 5th, 1783.

THE defire on every occafion of testifing

the sense I entertain of your friendship, prompts me to give you the relation of my route from Furruckabad to Rampore.

THE progress of the first day, the 29th January, 1783, which was a long one, not less than eighteen coffes,-brought me and my horfe, both greatly jaded, to Kytterah; a large village on the weft fide of the Ganges.

THE next day at Allahapour,-nine coffes.-This place not being a common stage, nor containing a ferauce, my accommodations were flender, and those extorted by the force of bold language, and a few extra pence. At Allahapour there is only one house of entertainment, and that for the article of eating only; you may fleep where you can. After fupper, I pro

--

pofed to the landlady with every token

of decorum, that we roof. The dame mif

should lodge that night under the fame conftruing the purpose of my request, and fired with indigna

tion at the idea of its indecency, poured on me a torrent of reproach. In the exercife of the tongue a female of Hindostan hath few equals; and if she hath ever followed a camp, I would pronounce her invincible on any ground in Europe. An English woman, educated at our most noted feminaries, and skilled in all the various compass of debate, will, perhaps, on fome interesting occafion, maintain the contest for an hour, which then terminates in blows and victory. But an Indian dame, improved by a few campaigns, has been known to wage a colloquial war, without introducing one manual effort, for the space of three fucceffive days; sleeping and eating at reasonable intervals.* There is a fertility of imagination, a power of expreffion, inherent in the mind, and vocal ability, of an Afiatic, particularly a female one, which cannot be engendered in the cold head of an European and there is an extent of language alfo peculiar to the Eaft, which the limits of Western speech do not contain.-Let me not forget the story of my landlady, whose words, fhrill and piercing, yet seem to vibrate in my ear. With every symptom of a virulent female pride, and the semblance of outrageous virtue, fhe declared that I should not fleep under her roof, I might, if I liked, place my bed on the out-fide of the door.-Finding the night growing cold, and not being impreffed with fentiments of respect for mine hostess, whofe

:

* Such prolonged engagements are distinguished by the particular term of "baussy Lerhay," or the ftale war.

perfon

she

perfon had nothing lovely in it, I planted my bed somewhat rudely in the midst of her apartment, telling her, fhe might difpofe of herself as the deemed most fitting, but that my deportment would be chafte, and confiftent with the rules of honor, though appearances might be unfavourable. The good woman perceiving my inattention to her clamorous representation, was glad to compound the matter, and take a small pecuniary compensation, for the injury her character might suffer.

: On the next day I went to Badam, a slation of eight coffes.Badam is faid to have been founded four hundred years ago, by one of the Seljukian kings; and from a magnificent extensive city, is now sunk into a small mouldering town. The ruins of the fort ftill ferve to exhibit a mortifying picture of former grandeur; but fuch is the reverfe of its condition, that the howling wolf, and the screeching owl, now become its only tenants, have fupplanted the gay damfel, and the care foothing minstrel. Then, my friend, 'ere thy youthful blood ceases to run lightly through its now elaf. tic channels,-ere thy mind refuses longer to receive the glowing tints of fancy's pencil, feize the fair pleasures of the hour, and following the precepts of our Hafez, leave the reft to fate! -I paffed this evening in the company of the fair, (though the epithet may not literally apply to our Indian ladies), who, for a moderate offering, fung, laughed, and danced around me until mid-night.

On the ift of February, after a tedious journey of fourteen VOL. I.

N

coffes,

coffes, leading through a lonely unhofpitable country, I arrived at Owlah.—Of the few fellow-travellers pursuing the the same track, two wolves, a fox, and two hares, compofed the greater number. The fhrubs and high grafs had fo concealed the path, that I was completely bewildered, and had loft my way, when a small village on an eminence attracted my notice, and held out the profpect of relief: but fuch is the inftability of fublunary pleasure, that this promifing mark proved a falfe beacon. The hamlet was unroofed, and its inhabitants had fought a more friendly land. Then, in the bitterness of my heart, I gave up Shujah-ud-Dowlah to as many devils as chose to take him, and was about configning the English to the fame crew, for having expelled from a country which they had made populous and opulent, the extenfive tribe of Rohillas. How infatiable, cruel, and how deftructive, even of its own purpofes, appears ambition, when placed in this light. It prompted a prince, already poffeffed of an ample fair territory, to feize, with barely the colour of pretence, the domain of his neighbours, who by a falutary system of government, had enriched their country, and had made their names refpected. The conqueror, by the fortune of war, fubjects into a province this flourishing territory, which is foon converted into defolate plains, and deferted villages. This is not, I trust, the language of exaggeration, or the colouring of fancy. It is a fimple, grievous truth, forcing itself on the notice of the most curfory obferver.-The town of Owiah, once crowded with inhabitants, and adorned with mosques and fpacious

buildings,

buildings, is now verging to ruin, and many of its streets are choaked up with fallen habitations.

On the 2d of February, at Shahabad,-fourteen coffes,-a large village in the districts of Fyze-ullah-Khan. The whole of this chief's country evinces the beneficial effects arifing from the encouragement of husbandry, and the aid of an active government. Populous villages, skirted by extenfive fields of corn, are seen on all fides ; and the haughty independent spirit which invariably pervades every class of the people, mark their abhorrence of defpotifm. Many of the Rohillas, who had been driven from the country after the death of Hafiz Rhamut, have fettled in this quarter.

On the 3d, at Rampour,-fourteen coffes. Fyze-ullah-Khan, refides in this town, which the general refort of his civil and military officers, has now made populous, and wealthy.

I am, Dear Sir,

Your's, &c. &c.

[The following history of the Rohillas, and Shujah-ud-Dowlah, compiled fince the date of the letters, is founded on fundry original documents, and various local information, obtained during my refidence in the northern parts of India, and has been introduced in this place, though interrupting the series of the letters, to bring into one view, a body of relative facts.]

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