We passed a place which was overgrown, in
broad patches, with misshapen stunted bushes - a rare occurrence in
this part of the country, where wood is scarce. My driver bestowed
upon this tangled brushwood the high-sounding name of jungle. I
should rather have compared them with the dwarfed bushes and shrubs
of Iceland. The country beyond this woody district had a very
remarkable appearance; the ground was in many places torn and
fissured, as if in consequence of an earthquake.
In the caravansary at Baratpoor there were a great number of
natives, soldiers, and particularly some very rough-looking men, of
whom I felt inclined to be afraid: I was no longer in the English
territories, and alone among all these people. However, they
behaved themselves with the greatest civility, and greeted me in the
evening and morning with a right hearty salaam. I think that a
similar set of men in our own country would scarcely have shown me
the same respect.
4th February. On the other side of the town, I saw two fine
monuments before the door, round temples with lofty cupolas, and
carved stone lattice work in the window openings. The fields and
meadows were richly strewed with Indian fig-trees, a thing which I
have scarcely met with anywhere else, except in Syria and Sicily; to
the right of the road was a low rocky peak, whose highest point was
crowned by a fortress. The dwelling-houses of the commanders,
instead of being sheltered by the walls, rose high above them, and
were tastily surrounded by verandahs; on the terrace of the
principal building was a handsome pavilion, supported upon pillars.
The outer walls of the fortress extended down into the valley below.
We had proceeded about fourteen miles, when we came upon some
monuments which had a very unique appearance. On a small spot,
shaded by beautiful trees, was a round wall, formed of a number of
flagstones of seven feet high and four feet wide; in the middle
stood three monuments of a circular form, built of large square
stones. The diameter of their tower part was about twelve feet,
their height about six. They had no entrance.
I also saw a new species of bird today. It was very similar in size
and form to the flamingo, with beautiful pinion feathers; its
plumage was tinged with a rich whitish grey shade, the head was
covered with deep red feathers. We rested this night at the
somewhat large town of Hindon. The only object which attracted my
notice here was a palace with such small windows, that they seemed
more fitted for dolls than for men.
6th February. As I was about to leave the caravansary this morning,
three armed men placed themselves before my waggon, and in spite of
the exclamations of my people, prevented our starting. At last, I
succeeded in understanding that the dispute was about a few pence,
for having kept watch before the door of my sleeping-room during the
night, which my people would not pay. The caravansary did not
appear to the cheprasse very safe, and he had requested a guard in
the evening from the serdar (magistrate). The people might have
slept quite soundly in some corner of the court-yard, and, perhaps,
have dreamt of watching, for although I had looked out several times
during the night, there was not one of them to be seen; however,
what can one expect for a few pence? I satisfied them with a small
present, upon which they made a regular military movement, and
allowed us to proceed.
If I had been inclined to be timid, I must have been in continual
anxiety for several days from the appearance of the natives.
All of them were armed with sabres, bows and arrows, matchlocks,
formidable clubs bound with iron, and even shields of ironplate.
These arms were also carried by the cattle tenders in the fields.
But nothing disturbed my equanimity, although ignorant of the
language, and with only the old cheprasse with me; I always felt as
though my last hours were not yet come. Nevertheless, I was glad
that we had passed by clear daylight the dangerous ravines and deep
gorges through which our road lay for several miles. From these we
entered a large valley, at the entrance of which was an isolated
mountain, surmounted by a fortress; four miles further on, we came
to a small group of trees, in the middle of which was a stone
terrace, five feet in height, upon which was a life-size statue of a
horse carved in stone. By the side of this a well was dug out; a
kind of cistern, built of large blocks of red sandstone, with steps
leading up to the water.
Similar wells and cisterns, some of which are much larger, screened
by beautiful mango and tamarind trees, are frequently met with in
India, especially in districts where, as in the present one, good
springs are scarce. The Hindoos and Mahomedans have the good belief
that by the erection of works for general benefit, they may more
easily attain future happiness. When such water reservoirs and
groups of trees have been founded by Hindoos, several sculptured
figures of their deities, or red painted stones, are commonly found
placed on them. At many of the wells, and cisterns also, a man is
placed, whose business it is to draw water for the weary travellers.
However agreeable the erection of these reservoirs may be in many
respects, there is one circumstance which detracts from their value;
the people always wash and bathe in the same ones from which they
must procure their drinking water. But what objections will not
thirst silence? I filled my jug as well as the others!
7th February. Dungerkamaluma is a small village at the foot of a
low mountain. A short distance from the station lay a true Arabian
sand desert, but which was fortunately not of very great extent.
The sand plains of India are generally capable of being cultivated,
as it is only necessary to dig a few feet deep to reach water, with
which to irrigate the fields.
