The 2d June We Resumed Our
Journey, And Travelled Twelve C. Entering Into The Mountains, Where We
Were Much Distressed For Want Of Fresh Water, What Water We Met With
Being Brackish.
The 3d and 4th we travelled all night, climbing high
mountains, and following water-courses with various turnings and
Windings, insomuch that in travelling twelve coss our direct course did
not exceed six c. The 5th we again followed the bed of a water-course or
river, full of large pebbles, travelling eight c. The 6th we rested. The
7th we went four c. still along the water-course, the 8th eight c. the
9th twelve c. and the 10th three c. when we came to Chatcza, [Chatzan]
a small fort with mud walls, inclosed with a ditch, where the Mogul
keeps a garrison of eighty or 100 horse, to scour the road from thieves,
yet these are as great thieves as any, where they find an opportunity.
The captain of this castle exacted two abacees for each camel in the
caravan, though nothing was legally due, as he and his troops have their
pay from the king. In the whole of our way, from the river Lacca to
Chatzan, we found no sustenance for man or beast, except in some places
a little grass, so that we had to make provision at Lacca, hiring a
bullock to carry barley for our horses. The Agwans or Afgans, as the
people of the mountains are called, came down to us every day at our
resting place, rather to look out what they might steal, than to buy as
they pretended.
[Footnote 151: The great river passed on the 29th must have been the
Sinde, Indus, or Nilab, and from the circumstance of falling in next day
with the Lacca or Lucca, Pettoallee in the text may possibly be what
is named Joghiwallah, on the east side of the Indus, almost opposite
the mouth of the Lacca. - E.]
[Footnote 152: Chatzan, a town or fortress in Sewee, or the country of
the Balloges; to the west of a ridge of rocky mountains, described as
consisting of hard black stone, which skirt the western side of the vale
of the Indus, and on the north join the mountains of Wulli in Candahar.
Chatzan is in lat. 31 deg. 3' N. and long 69 deg. 42' W. from Greenwich - E.]
Having made provision for three days at Chatzan, we went thence on the
12th June, and travelled fourteen c. The 13th ten c. The 14th ten c.
This day the mountaineers brought down to us sheep, goats, meal, butter,
and barley, in abundance, sufficient both for us and our cattle, all of
which they sold at reasonable prices; and from this time forwards, they
did the same every day, sometimes also bringing felts and striped
carpets for sale. The 15th we went six c. the 16th four c. the 17th ten
c. the 18th nine c. the 19th nine c. when we came to a small town of the
Afgans called Duckee, [Dooky], where the Mogul keeps a garrison in a
small square mud fort, the walls of which are of a good height. This
fort is a mile from the town. We stopt here three days, as the caravan
could not agree with the captain of the fort, who demanded a duty on
every camel, and at last an abacee and a half was paid for each camel.
The 23d we went six c. the 24th we passed a place called Secotah, or
the three castles, because of three villages standing near each other on
the side of a hill, forming a triangle. We this day went eight c. The
25th we rested, on account of bad weather. The 26th we went ten c. The
27th fourteen c. This day we passed through the durues or gates of the
mountains, being narrow straits, with very high rocks on both sides,
whence with stones a few men might stop the passage of a multitude, and
where many caravans have been accordingly cut off. We this night, where
we lodged, suffered much insolence from the Afgans; and next day, as we
passed a small village called Coasta, they exacted from us two 1/2
abacees for each camel. The 28th we went five c. the 29th, passing a
village called Abdun, eight c. the 30th six c. The 1st. July in seven
c. we came to a place called Pesinga [Pusheng or Kooshinge], where
there is a small fort like that at Dooky in which is a garrison for
securing the way. At this place the captain exacted half an abacee for
each camel. The 3d we left the caravan and went forwards six c. The 4th
we passed over a mighty mountain, and descended into the plains beyond,
having travelled that day fourteen c. The 5th we went twenty c. and were
much distressed to get grain for our cattle. The 6th, in like distress
both for them and ourselves, we went twelve c. and on the 7th, after
eight c. we got to the city of Candahar.
These mountains of Candahar are inhabited by a fierce people, called
Agwans or Potans, [Afgans or Patans] who are very strong of body,
somewhat fairer than the natives of Hindoostan, and are much addicted to
robbery, insomuch, that they often cut off whole caravans. At present
they have become more civil, partly from fear of the Mogul, and partly
from experiencing the advantages of trade, by selling their grain,
sheep, and goats, of which they have great store, and by purchasing
coarse cotton goods and other necessaries. Still, however, if they find
any one straggling or lagging behind, they are very apt to make them
slaves, selling them into the mountains, and houghing them to prevent
their running away, after which they are set to grind grain in
handmills, or to other servile employments. The chief city, called
likewise Candahar, is very ancient, and was in old times inhabited by
Banians.
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