The River Sersili Of This
District Is Evidently The Persilis Mentioned In Gor, And May Refer To
The Sursutty.
- E.
33. Patna, the chief city of which has the same name. The river
Ganges bounds this province on the west, and the Sersilis on the east.
It is a very fertile province. - In the former edition of this list by
Purchas, this province is said to be watered by four rivers, the Ganges,
Jumna, Sersili, and Kanda, all of which rivers here unite. Patna is
seated on the south side of the Ganges, which is joined a little way
higher up by the Jumna. Opposite to Patna the Gunduck falls into the
Ganges, probably the Kanda of Purchas, of which the Sursutty, formerly
supposed to be the same with the Sersili, or Persilis, is one of the
feeders. Patna is well known as a principal city of Bahar. - E.
34. Jesual, the chief city of which is called Rajapore, lies east of
Patna. - This may possibly refer to the district and city of Hajipoor in
Bahar, to the N.E. of Patna. - E.
35. Mevat, the chief city of which province is Narnol, is a very
mountainous country. - In the map of the Pilgrims, Mevat and Narnol are
placed to the east of Jesual, but the geography of this part of
Hindoostan in that map is utterly unintelligible, and no conjecture can
be hazarded respecting either Mevat or Narnol. - E.
36. Udessa, the chief city of which is called Jokanat, is the most
easterly territory in the kingdom of the Mogul. - In the other edition of
this list given by Purchas, Udessa, or Udeza, is said to border on the
kingdom of Maug, a savage people dwelling between this province and the
kingdom of Pegu. Its eastern situation would lead to the province of
Chittagong or Islambabad. The Maugs, or Mugs, are probably the barbarous
mountaineers of Meckley to the north of Aracan; but no names in modern
maps have any reference to Udessa, Udeza, or Jokanat, unless Jokanat be
some strange corruption of Chittagong. - E.
37. Bengal, a mighty and fertile kingdom, bounded by the gulf or bay
of the same name, into which the river Ganges discharges itself by four
great branches, into which it divides. - In the other edition of this
list, by Purchas, so often referred to, Ragamahall and Dakaka, or
Rajemal and Dacca, are mentioned as the chief cities of Bengal. It would
require far too long a commentary, to explain some farther ignorant
indications of the havens and provinces of Bengal, contained in that
former list, and in the map of the Pilgrims; both being so faulty in
positions, and so corrupted in the names, as to be useless and
unintelligible. By the labours of Rennel, as since extended and improved
by Arrowsmith, the geography of Bengal is now as completely elucidated
as that of Britain. - E.
Here I must take notice of a material error in our geographers, who, in
their globes and maps, make Hindoostan and China neighbours, though many
large countries are interposed between them. Their great distance may
appear, from the long travels of the Indian merchants, who are usually
more than two years in their journey and return, between Agra and the
wall of China. The length of these before-named provinces, from N.W. to
S.E. is at least 1000 cosses, every Indian coss being two English miles.
From N. to S. the extent is about 1400 miles. The greatest breadth, from
N.E. to S.W. is about 1500 miles. The northernmost part is in 43 deg. of
north latitude.[230]
[Footnote 230: The northern mountains of Cashmere, are only in lat. 35 deg.
30' N. so that the 43 deg. of the text is probably a mistake for 34 deg.. - E.]
To give an exact account of all these provinces, were more than I am
able to undertake; yet, from what I have observed of a few, I may
venture to conjecture concerning the rest, and I am convinced that the
Great Mogul, considering the extent of his territories, his wealth, and
the rich commodities of his dominions, is the greatest known monarch of
the east, if not in the whole world. This widely extended sovereignty is
so rich and fertile, and so abounding in all things for the use of man,
that it is able to subsist and flourish of itself, without the help of
any neighbour. To speak first of food, which nature requires most. This
land abounds in singularly good wheat, rice, barley, and various other
grains, from which to make bread, the staff of life. Their wheat grows
like ours, but the grain is somewhat larger and whiter, of which the
inhabitants make most pure and well-relished bread. The common people
make their bread in cakes, which they bake or fire on portable iron
hearths or plates, which they carry with them on their journeys, using
them in their tents. This seems to be an ancient custom, as appears from
the instance of Sarah in our bible, when she entertained the angels.
To their bread, they have great abundance of other excellent provisions,
as butter and cheese in great plenty, made from the milk of their
numerous cows, sheep, and goats. They have likewise a large animal,
called a buffalo, having a thick smooth skin without hair, the females
of which give excellent milk. Their flesh resembles beef, but is not so
sweet or wholesome. They have plenty of venison of several kinds, as red
and fallow deer, elks, and antelopes. These are not any where kept in
parks, the whole empire being as it were a forest, so that they are seen
every where in travelling through the country; and they are free game
for all men, except within a certain distance of where the king happens
to reside. They have also plenty of hares, with a variety of land and
water fowl, and abundance of fish, which it were too tedious to
enumerate.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 168 of 243
Words from 170587 to 171591
of 247546
