He Even Held Out During The Whole Reign Of Akbar, Keeping Upon The
Mountains.
Beyond the walls, the suburbs formerly extended four coss to
the north, but are now all in ruins, except a few tombs, mosques, and
goodly serais, in which no persons now dwell.
[Footnote 238: The original says N.E. and S.W. but in our best and
latest map of Hindoostan, the direction is nearly E. and W. or perhaps
E. by N. and W. by S. - E.]
The 9th we went four coss by a very bad stony road to Luneheira.
Between this and the ruins, at three c. from Mandow, is a fine tank
inclosed with stone, having a banqueting-house in the middle, and a fair
house on the south side, now in ruins, from which to the
banqueting-house is an arched bridge. The 10th to Dupalpore, fourteen
c. a small town and the road good. The 11th twelve long cosses to
Ouglue, or Oojain, a fair city, in the country called Malwah, a
fertile soil abounding with opium. In this country the coss is two
English miles. We halted the 12th. The 13th to Conoscia eleven c.
14th, eight c. to Sunenarra, or Sannarea, by a bad stony way, among a
thievish people, called graciae, inhabiting the Hills on our left
hand, who often plunder the caffilas, or caravans, and a hundred of
them had done so now to a caravan, if we had not prevented them by our
arrival. This is a small town, short of which we passed a great tank
full of wild fowl. The 15th ten c. to Pimelegom, a shabby aldea. At
the end of the fourth coss we passed Sarampore, or Sarangpoor, a great
town with a castle on its south side, and a handsome town-house. Here
are manufactured much good cotton cloth and handsome turbans. Short of
this town we met Khan Jehan, a great favourite of the king, with 10,000
horse, many elephants, and a number of boats, going to join the army at
Boorhanpoor. On the way also we met many of Rajah Mansing's Rajapoots,
he having in all about 20,000, so that it was thought the army would
amount to 100,000 horse when all assembled.
From the 16th to the 26th of March, we travelled 74 coss to Qualeres,
or Colarass, a small pretty town, encompassed with tamarind and mango
trees.[239] The 27th to Cipry, or Shepoory, seven Surat cosses of a
mile and a half each, by a desert road. Two nights before, some sixty or
seventy thieves assailed in the dark a party of 150 Patan soldiers,
mistaking them for a caffila that had just gone before, by whom ten of
them were slain and as many taken, the rest escaping in the dark. The
28th to Narwar twelve c. through a rascally desert full of thieves. In
the woods we saw many chuckees, stationed there to prevent robbery;
but they alledge that the fox is oft times set to herd the geese. This
town stands at the foot of a steep stony mountain, and on the top is a
castle having a steep ascent rather more than a mile, which is
intersected by three strong gates. The fourth gate is at the top of the
ascent, where no one is allowed to enter without an order from the king.
Within, the town is large and handsome, being situated in a curious
valley on the top of the mountain. This fortified summit is said to be
five or six coss in circuit, walled all round, and having towers and
flankers every here and there, so that it is impregnable unless by
treachery. This was formerly the gate or barrier of the kingdom of
Mandow, and has been very beautiful, and secured by means of strong
works with abundance of cannon, but is now much gone to ruin.
[Footnote 239: It has been thought better to omit the minute enumeration
of stages in the sequel, where no other information occurs; more
especially as their names can seldom be referred to those in modern maps
of India. - E.]
The 29th we went seven c. to Palacha, or Pelaiche; 80th, twelve c. to
Antro, or Anter; 31st, six c. to Gualior, a pleasant city with
castle; and on the top of a pyramidal hill, is a ruined building in
which several great men have been interred. The castle of Gualior is on
the west side of the town, on a steep craggy cliff, six coss in circuit,
or, as some say, eleven, which is all enclosed with a strong wall. On
going up to the castle from the city, the entry is by a strong gate into
a handsome court enclosed with strong walls, where a numerous guard is
always kept, no person being allowed to enter without a public order.
From thence a narrow stone causeway leads to the top, with walls on both
sides, having three gates at intervals on the ascent, all strongly
fortified, with courts of guard at each. At the top of all is another
strong gate, at which is a curious colossal figure of an elephant in
stone. This gate is highly ornamented, and has a stately house
adjoining, the walls of which are curiously adorned with green and blue
stones, and the roof with sundry gilded turrets. This is the house of
the governor, in which is a place for the confinement of nobles who have
fallen under the displeasure of the King of the Moguls. He is said to
have two other castles devoted as prisons for the nobles. Rantipore,
or Rantampoor, is one of these, forty c to the W. to which are sent such
nobles as are intended to be put to death, which is generally done two
months after their arrival; when the governor brings them to the top of
the wall, and giving them a bowl of milk, causes them to be thrown over
the rocks.
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