The Other Is Rotas, In Bengal, To Which Are Sent Those
Nobles Who Are Condemned To Perpetual Imprisonment, And From Whence Very
Few Return.
On the top of the mountain of Gualior is a considerable
extent of very good ground, with many fair buildings, and three or four
good tanks or reservoirs of water.
Below, on the same side with the
town, there are many houses cut out of the solid rock, serving both as
habitations, and as shops and warehouses; and at the foot of the hill on
the north-west side, is a spacious park inclosed with a stone wall,
within which are several fine gardens and pleasure-houses, and which is
also useful for securing horses in time of war from marauders. This
castle of Gualior was the main frontier of the kingdom of Delhi towards
Mandow, and the ascent from the petah, or town, to the top of the rock,
is near a mile.
Leaving Gualior on the 1st April, 1610, we arrived at Doolpoor on the
2d, being nineteen c. Within two c. before reaching that place, we
passed a fine river, called the Cambue, or Chumbull, as broad as the
Thames, a little short of which we went through a narrow and dangerous
pass between two hills. The castle of Doolpoor is very strong, having
four walls within each other, with steep ascents to each, the outermost
having a deep and broad ditch. This castle is three quarters of a mile
through, and has similar walls and gates to be passed on going out Its
inhabitants are mostly Gentiles. The 3d April we went to Jahjaw, nine
c. and next day other nine c. to Agra. In the afternoon the captain
carried me before the king, where I found Mr Thomas Boys, three French
soldiers, a Dutch engineer, and a Venetian merchant, with his son and
servant, all newly come by land from Christendom.
In May and part of June, the city of Agra was much distressed with
frequent fires by day and night, some part or other of the city being
almost ever burning, by which many thousand houses were consumed, with
great numbers of men, women, children, and cattle, so that we feared the
judgment of Sodom and Gomorrah had gone forth against the place. I was
long and dangerously ill of a fever, and in June the heat was so
excessive that we thought to have been broiled alive. The 28th June
arrived Padre Peneiro, an arch knave, a jesuit I should say, who
brought letters from the Portuguese viceroy with many rich presents,
tending entirely to thwart our affairs. In this time Mucrob Khan[240]
was complained against to the king by our captain, Mr Hawkins, when
Abdal Hassan, the grand vizier, was ordered to see that we had justice:
But birds of a feather flock together, and Mucrob Khan, partly by
misstatements and partly by turning us over to a bankrupt banyan, would
only pay us with 11,000 mamudies instead of 32,501-1/2 which he was due,
and even that was not paid for a long time.
[Footnote 240: Finch uniformly calls this person Mo. Bowcan, but we
have substituted the name previously given him by Hawkins. - E.]
In July news came of the bad fortune of the king's army in the Deccan;
which, when within four days march of Aumednagur, hoping to raise the
siege of that place, was obliged by famine and drought to retreat to
Boorhanpoor, on which the garrison was forced to surrender after
enduring much misery. The royal army in the Deccan consisted of at least
100,000 horse, with an infinite number of elephants and camels; so that,
including servants, people belonging to the baggage, and camp followers
of all kinds, there could not be less than half a million, or 600,000
persons in the field. The water in the country where they were, became
quite insufficient for the consumption of so vast a multitude, with all
their horses, elephants, camels, and draught cattle, insomuch that a
mussock of water was sold in camp for a rupee, and all kinds of
victuals were sold excessively dear. The army of the King of Deccan
spoiled the whole country around, and getting between the Moguls and
their supplies from Guzerat and Boorhanpoor, prevented the arrival of
any provisions at the camp, daily vexing them with perpetual and
successful skirmishes, and by cutting off all foraging parties and
detachments; so that the whole army was in imminent danger, and was only
extricated by a speedy retreat to Boorhanpoor; at their return to which
they did not muster above 30,000 horse, having lost an infinite number
of elephants, camels, and other cattle, that had died for want of forage
and water.
This month also, news came of the sacking of a great city called Putana
in the Purrop,[241] and the surprisal of its castle, where a
considerable treasure belonging to the king was deposited, the citizens
having fled without making any resistance. But the successful insurgent
was almost immediately besieged and taken in the castle by a
neighbouring great omrah; and on the return of the fugitive citizens, he
sent twelve of their chiefs to the king, who caused them to be shaven,
and to be carried on asses through the streets of Agra in the garb of
women, and it is said that next day they were beheaded.
[Footnote 241: This name and province are difficultly ascertainable. The
Purrop has possibly a reference to the kingdom of Porub, the Indian
name of Porus, so celebrated in the invasion of India by Alexander. If
this conjecture be right, the Potana of the text was Pattan or Puttan,
in the north of Guzerat, the ancient Naherwalch. - E.]
Likewise this same month, the king made a great stir about Christianity,
affirming before his nobles that it was the true religion, while that of
Mahomet was all lies and fables. He had ordered all the three sons of
his deceased brother to be instructed by the jesuits, and christian
apparel to be given them, to the great wonderment of the whole city; and
finally these princes were baptized solemnly, being conducted to the
church by all the Christians in the city, to the number of about sixty
horse, Captain Hawkins being at their head, with St George's ensign
carried before him, in honour of England, displaying them in the court
in the presence of the king.
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