This I Mention With Emulation And Sorrow;
Wishing, As We Have The True Vine, That We Should Not Produce Bastard
Grapes, Or That This Zeal In An Unbeliever Were Guided By The True Light
Of The Gospel.
The 23d, being about three cosses short of a city called Rantepoor,
[Rantampoor,] where it was supposed the king would rest, and consult
what way to take in his farther progress, he suddenly turned off towards
Mundu, but without declaring his purpose.
I am of opinion, he took
this way for fear of the plague at Agra, rather than from any purpose of
being near the army; for we only marched every other day no more than
four cosses, and with such a train of baggage as was almost impossible
to be kept in any degree of order.
The 26th we passed through woods and over mountains, torn with bushes
and tired by the incommodiousness of an almost impassable way, in which
many camels perished, and many persons, wearied of these difficulties,
went away to Agra, and all complained. In this laborious day's march, I
lost my tents and carts, but by midnight I again fell in with them. The
king now rested two days, as the leskar could not again recover its
order in less time; many of the king's women, and thousands of camels,
carts, and coaches, being left in the woody mountains, where they could
neither procure food nor water. The king himself got through upon a
small elephant, which beast can climb up rocks, and get through such
difficult passes, that no horse or other animal I have seen can follow.
The 29th we encamped beside the river Chambet, [Chumbull.]
The first of January, 1617, I complained to Asaph Khan of the injuries
offered to the English at Surat, though I was at the same time much
perplexed by various relations, giving me a bad account of the
disorderly and outrageous behaviour of my countrymen. Asaph Khan advised
me not to carry my complaint to the king, which would incense the
prince; but desired me to ask leave of his majesty to go to visit Sultan
Churrum, with a letter from him recommending the dispatch of my
business, and good usage to our nation; so that, carrying a present to
the prince, I should please both, and succeed in my business. This was
the same plan I had already formed, and therefore pleased me the better;
more especially as the king now certainly designed to go forwards to
Mundu, which is only eight days journey from Burhanpoor, where the
prince was; and I thought I might as well ride over to him, as remain
idle in the fields. At noon this day I visited the Persian ambassador,
being the first time we had leisure for this ceremony, and was received
by him with much respectful civility. After compliments on both sides
were over, I proposed to him the settlement of trade in his master's
dominions, which he engaged to promote as much as lay in his power.
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