On the 11th, at Akorah, a fmall town. At the distance of fix miles from the great river, croffed the Attock, so called, in these parts, from its falling in the Indus, in the vicinity of the town of that name; but, in fome of the interior parts of Afghanistan, it is denominated the Kabul river.* The weather had now become extremely hot; and I was often furprized, at my ability to bear, with fcarcely a fhelter, the force of so scorching a fun. I arrived at Akorah about noon; when, immediately entering a spacious cool mofque, I spread my bed, and lay down much at my ease. In the evening, the time of a common prayer, being defired, by one of the Mollahs or Priefts, to prepare myself for the ceremony, I urged in excuse, the debilitated state of my body which prevented the requifite performance of so incumbent a duty; looking at me with contempt, he said, it was the more necessary to pray, that I might obtain better health. At midnight, I perceived a perfon endeavouring to take my turban from the bed-clothes, and being caught by the arm, he told me in a faultering voice, that he was the Mollah of the mosque, and, from his speech, I believe, the man who had reprehended my neglect of prayer. What think you, my friend, of these Mahometans, who, if they wash and pray at the five stated times, abstain from wine and the flesh of hogs, and utter a string of Arabic ejaculations which they do not understand, believe that they have procured the divine licence

Its course lying within fix miles to the south-east of that city.

to

to violate the laws of juftice. This opinion is not formed on the moment, but has arifen from long experience and the intimate intercourse, which my various occupations in India have produced; and is now fo firmly substantiated by undeviating teftimony, that it shapes my general fentiments of the Mahometan character. When they daringly commit these acts on each other, even amidst the rites of their religion, what is to withold their attacks on those of a different faith?

THIS day a body of Afghan cavalry encamped in the environs of Akorah, and overfpread the country like a swarm of locufts, devouring and deftroying wherever they went. It seemed as if the land was invaded, they entered in a violent manner, every village within their scope, and fed themselves and horfes at the expense of the inhabitants. Such expeditions afford these hungry creatures almost the only public means of subsistance for when inactive, they are often reduced to fuch distress, by the blind parfimony of their prince, that their horses, arms, and cloths are fold for a livelihood,

ON the 12th, at the village of Peer Pyah, ten coffes.

;

ON the 13th, at the village of Kalalah, eight coffes, the refidence of Mohubullah's family, where I was treated with much hofpitality. The male inhabitants of this village, are all proprietors of mules, and employed in conveying merchandize, and from the name of their abode, denominated Kalals.

VOL. II.

G

ON

On the 14th, at Pefhour, four coffes, a large, populous and opulent city, governed, with the dependant districts, by an Afghan officer, who remits to the capital a revenue of seven lacks of rupecs. The road from the Indus to Peshour, has nearly a west and by fouth direction; and the country to Akora is fandy and interfperfed with ftones; from thence to Pefhour, are seen maný tracts of cultivation. The city of Pefhour was founded by the great Acbar, who feeing, it is faid, the Afghans averfe from dwelling in towns and the occupations of commerce, encouraged the inhabitants of the Punjab, Mahometans, and Hindoos, to refort to his new settlement, where their defcendants have greatly multi, plied. From its well chofen pofition, which unites, by a commer cial chain, Perfia and Afghanistan with India, Pefhour has become an important mart, and the refidence of wealthy merchants; efpecially of the fhaul dealers, many of whom difliking the dangerous and tedious route of Kashmire, are here enabled to make their purchases at a moderate advance on the first coft. I found a fmall fociety of Jews at Pefhour, living at their ease, and in the enjoyment of an unreferved protection.

THE heat of Pefhour feemed to me more intenfe, than that of any country I have vifited in the upper parts of India. Other places may be warm; hot winds blowing over tracts of fand, may drive us under the fhelter of a wetted fkreen; but at Pefhour, the atmosphere in the fummer folftice, becomes almost inflammable. Yet it must be noticed, it favour of its falubrity, even in this

torrid state, that the people enjoy uncommonly good health, and are little subject to epidemical disorders. The markets are abundantly supplied with provisions of an excellent kind, particularly the mutton, which is the flesh of the large tailed sheep, said to have been first discovered in South America. Though the city is fo much frequented by merchants and travellers, it has no karavanfera; and I thought myself fortunate in procuring admittance into an old mofque, where I continued for many days to dif folve in an unremitting state of perspiration, the mention of which, leads me to an occurrence, that involved me in great perplexity.

Ar Kashmire, a part of my property had been converted into a bill of five hundred rupees, on Kabul, which was lodged in a canvas belt, that ferved me as a girdle; on examining the condition of the bill, at Pefhour, I found the writing fo much obliterated by perspiration, that no one could read, or even conjecture its subject; from beginning to end, it had literally a black appearance. The apprehenfion of the evident difficulties which would attend my want of money, in a country where the most fanguine hope could promife no affiftance, and the neceffity of mixing in focieties, void of every good or rational principle, occafionally operated in depreffing my fpirits. But the defire which had originally impelled the journey, and the zeal which had hitherto maintained its purfuit, at length diffipated these

gloomy impreflions, and in gay colours, defcribed a various fcene of future pleasure.

BEING informed that a kafilah was immediately proceeding to Kabul, I hired a mule, and went to the adjacent village of Tackal, the usual rendezvous of travellers, going to the weftward. On my arrival there, I learned, that the great kafilah ftill continued at Peshour, and that only fome horfemen confiding in their fpeed and arms, had moved early in the morning towards Kabul. A reflection on the predicament in which I then stood, the flow pace of my mule, which had more the appearance of an ass, and the representation of the muleteer, whose fears prompted innumerable falfities, flackened my strong inclination to escape from the heats of Pefhour, and after making a fruitless attempt to overtake the horsemen, I returned to my lodging in the mofque. Sauntering one day in the bazar, the common resort of idle, as well as bufy people, I faw a perfon, with whom I had travelled from Muzzufferabad to Enayet Serau. We agreed, as our road was the fame, to travel together, and in the mean time to share the fame fare. So cordial is the pleafure refulting from fociety, fo naturally do we cling on each other, whether for support or amusement, that I immediately looked on this man as an approved friend, and felt a confidence from the connection, which fet my mind at perfect ease. On enquiry into the finance of my associate, whofe name was Noor Mahomed, I difcovered, that he poffeffed in

cafh,