vellers were going to Jumbo, or Kashmire, as the kafilah would depart on the next day. On enquiring particularly into the state of this intelligence, I learned, that about one hundred mules, laden with raw silk, and cotton cloths, and ordinary callicoes, for the Jumbo † market, had already moved to the skirts of the town. Having been furnished with a letter to a banker at Najeb Ghur, who has the general charge of dispatching kafilahs, I was introduced by him to the merchants, who received me without hesitation. When interrogated on the score of my business, I described myself as a Turk, going to Kashmire to purchase shawls. The Turkish language being in these parts. wholly unknown, and as traders of various nations often carry into Kashmire bills, or specie only, my story obtained a general credit. After a mature consideration of the personal qualities of my servant, which, poor fellow, had been much impaired by time and adverse fortune, they were condemned as altogether unfit for the service that lay before us; and one of the passengers illnaturedly observed, that a man should have all his eyes about him who attempted to penetrate into Kashmire. To fill up this vacancy (for, dreading the difficulties

* Karavan. Kafilah is the term peculiar to India and Persia, A town situate about 200 miles to the S. E. of Kashmire.

of the journey, he himself expressed a reluctance to proceed,) I had the good fortune to obtain a Kashmirian, who was at all points qualified for my purpose. He had travelled through a great part of India and Afghanistan, and I soon discovered, that, together with an infinite resource in every embarrassment, he possessed a fund of curious history, which he did not fail to embellish with a large share of humour and vanity. But I will sum up his eulogy, and at once tell you that he was, take him for all in all, one of the best servants I had ever known; and could I have acquired the art of qualifying a rather too redundant share of acidity and warmth of disposition, he would have proved a treasure to me. Being well versed in all the scheme of an Indian journey, he made the necessary preparations, and took on him every trouble; so I could now freely indulge my pleasures, which centered chiefly in hearing and telling stories, and smoaking my pipe.

ON the 14th, at Ramnaghur-nine cosses. This village is in ruins, but having a large well of water, it is usually made the first northern halting place from Vajzibabad.

ON the 15th, at Lall Dong-eight cosses. The station where Fyze-ullah, as has been noticed, took post after the Rohilla battle.-Lall

Dong is the northern limit of this side of the Vizier's territory, which is separated from Siringnaghur by a rivulet. A detention at this place for the adjustment of some kafilah accounts, gives me an opportunity of drawing a sketch of the surrounding objects, and the economy of a karavan.

THE Country from Najeb Ghur to this frontier is chiefly a waste, over-run with low wood, and is ill supplied with water, there being none in the space from Ramnaghur to the reighbourhood of Lall Dong. The inhabitants say, that in the time of Najeb-ud-Dowlah, the land now overgrown with wood, was a cultivated plain; but such is the precarious state of the native territories of Hindostan, from the inert disposition which, with little deviation, pervades the body of the people, that its welfare must largely depend on the ability and executive talents of one man; and, a succession of able rulers being a rare event in the history of nations, we are not to wonder at the ruinous state into which many of the most valuable provinces of Hindostan have fallen. But on the other hand, the efforts of an active prince, are ever followed by rapid success. Habitations are, at a moderate expence, speedily erected, and the implements of agriculture are of so simple and easy a con

struction, that most husbandmen, with a very small help of an artificer, can make their own. machines.

THE greatest extent of plain, and that was limited, lying on the north side of the rivulet, the kafilah encamped on the Siringnaghur quarter, where we were all seen busily engaged in preparing for the ensuing journey of three days, which lay through a forest. The weather during the day, growing now extremely hot, it was necessary to provide some covering in substitute of a tent. I therefore made a purchase of a large black kummul, or blanket, which being slantingly extended over a slight bamboo frame, composed of a ridge pole upheld by two supporters, and fastened below by small pins, formed a formed a commodious and portable lodging. My baggage, corresponding with the strength of my horse, was composed of a thin mattress, a quilt, a canvass portmanteau, containing a few shifts of linen, which supplied also the place of a pillow, and the aforementioned kummul. These necessaries, with an oil bag carried by the Kashmirian, afforded a sufficient accommodation; nor should any person travelling in my manner, have more equipage.A larger will raise unfavourable conjectures, and subject him to frequent investigation, delay,

and taxes.

*

It

On the 22d, the kafilah moved, and penetrating six cosses, through the mountains, by a north-west course, halted for the benefit of its water, near a small stream. In this day's journey, I had many occasions of seeing that our mules were strong and sure-footed. was wonderful to observe the ease and dexterity with which these animals, heavily laden, clambered up steep and rugged paths. The proprietors of the goods, chiefly residents of Benares, Lucknow, and Furruckabad, had appointed agents to accompany the kafilah, who are not the ultimate venders of the merchandize, but contract to deliver it, and pay the different duties at some destined mart. To shelter the packages from the inclemency of the weather, a small complement of tents is provided, as it rarely happens that a kafilah halts at any inhabited place. A plentiful supply of water, and a plain for the accommodation of the cattle, is all that is sought for. The carriers say also, that a plain more effectually secures them against theft.

On the 23d, proceeded 9 cosses further into the forest, and halted near a large water-course. This day an occurrence happened which involved me in a serious difficulty. The intense

* They are brought into the northern parts of India, from Afghanistan.