The 6th, In Like Distress
Both For Them And Ourselves, We Went Twelve C. And On The 7th, After
Eight C. We Got To The City Of Candahar.
These mountains of Candahar are inhabited by a fierce people, called
Agwans or Potans, [Afgans or Patans] who are very strong of body,
somewhat fairer than the natives of Hindoostan, and are much addicted to
robbery, insomuch, that they often cut off whole caravans.
At present
they have become more civil, partly from fear of the Mogul, and partly
from experiencing the advantages of trade, by selling their grain,
sheep, and goats, of which they have great store, and by purchasing
coarse cotton goods and other necessaries. Still, however, if they find
any one straggling or lagging behind, they are very apt to make them
slaves, selling them into the mountains, and houghing them to prevent
their running away, after which they are set to grind grain in
handmills, or to other servile employments. The chief city, called
likewise Candahar, is very ancient, and was in old times inhabited by
Banians. At this place the governor of the whole country resides, who
has a garrison of twelve or fifteen thousand horse, maintained there by
the Great Mogul, in regard of the neighbourhood of the Persians towards
the north. To the west, the city is environed by steep and craggy rocks,
and to the south and east by a strong wall. In consequence of the
frequent passage of caravans, it has been considerably increased of
late, so that the suburbs are larger than the city. Within the last two
years, in consequence of the Persian trade by way of Ormus being
stopped, through war with the Portuguese, all the caravans between
Persia and India must necessarily pass through this place; and here they
hire camels to go into India, and at their return for Persia have to do
the same. They cannot return without leave of the governor, who causes
them to stop a month here, or at the least fifteen or twenty days; owing
to which, it is inhabited by many lewd people, as all such places of
resort commonly are.
Victuals for man and beast are to be had in great abundance at Candahar,
yet are very dear owing to the great concourse of trade, occasioned by
the meeting at this place of many merchants of India, Persia, and
Turkey, who often conclude their exchanges of commodities here. At this
place the caravans going for India usually unite together, for greater
strength and security in passing through the mountains of Candahar; and
those that come here from India generally break into smaller companies,
because in many parts of the route through Persia, a greater number
would not find provisions, as all Persia, from hence to Ispahan, is
extremely barren, so that sometimes not a green thing is to be seen in
two or three days travel; and even water is scarce, and that which is to
be got is often brackish, or stinking and abominable.
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