It Had Been The Residence Of A Rajput Rajah,
Before The Conquests Of Akbar Shah, And Stood At The Foot
Of a great and
strong rock, about which were many excellent works of hewn stone, well
cut, with many tanks,
Arched over with well-turned vaults, and large and
deep descents to them. Near it was a beautiful grove, two miles long and
a quarter of a mile broad, all planted with mangoes, tamarinds, and
other fruit-trees, divided by shady walks, and interspersed with little
temples, and idol altars, with many fountains, wells, and summer-houses
of carved stone curiously arched, so that I must confess a poor banished
Englishman might have been content to dwell here. But this observation
may serve universally for the whole of this country, that ruin and
devastation operates every where; for, since the property of all has
become vested in the king, no person takes care of any thing, so that in
every place the spoil and devastations of war appear, and no where is
any thing repaired.
On the 7th the king only removed from one side of Todah to the other.
The 8th I was at the guzalcan, but found the king so nearly drunk, that
he became entirely so in half an hour, so that I could not have any
business with him. The 9th I took a view of the royal leskar, or camp,
which is one of the greatest wonders I had ever seen, and chiefly as I
saw it finished and set up in less than four hours, all except the tents
of some of the great men, who have double suits. It could not well be
less in circuit than twenty English miles, the extent in some directions
being three cosses, including the out-skirts. In the middle, where the
streets are orderly and the tents joined, there are all sorts of shops,
so regularly disposed, that all persons know where to go for any thing
they want. Every man of quality, and every trade, is regularly appointed
how far they are to be from the king's tents, in what direction, and
what ground they shall occupy, which continues ever the same without
alteration. All this may equal almost any town in Europe for size. But
no person must approach on any side within a musket shot of the
atoskanha, or royal quarter, which is so strictly observed that no one
is ever admitted but by name. The evening durbar is omitted, the time
being spent by the king in hunting or hawking rather, on tanks, by means
of boats, in which he takes great delight, his barges being moved along
with the leskar on carts. On these occasions he sits by the sides of the
tanks, to view the sport, these tanks being often a mile or two over.
The king is seen every morning at the Jaruco, formerly mentioned; but
business or speaking to him at this time is prohibited; all business
being conducted at night in the guzalcan, and there the opportunity is
often missed, his majesty being so frequently overcome by drowsiness,
proceeding from drunkenness.
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