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. The other is Rotas, in Bengal, to which are sent those
nobles who are condemned to perpetual imprisonment, and from whence very
few return.
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