The captain
of the other vessel, however, offered his assistance of his own
accord but his offer was coldly and curtly refused, and it was not
until after several hours of the most strenuous exertion that we
succeeded in getting off the bank into deep water.
In the course of the day, we touched at Rajmahal, {158b} a large
village, which, on account of the thick woods and numerous swamps
and morasses around it, is reckoned a most unhealthy place.
It was here that Gur, one of the largest towns of India, once stood.
It is said to have been twenty square miles in extent, and to have
contained about two millions of inhabitants, and, according to the
latest books of travels, the most splendid and considerable ruins
are still to be seen there. Those of the so-called "Golden Mosque"
are especially remarkable, being very fine and faced with marble;
the gateways are celebrated for their great width of span and the
solidity of their side walls.
As there was, fortunately, a depot for coals here, we were allowed a
few hours to do as we liked. The younger passengers seized the
opportunity to go out shooting, being attracted by the splendid
forests, the finest I had as yet seen in India. It was certainly
reported that they were very much infested with tigers, but this
deterred no one.
I also engaged in the chase - although it was one of a different
description. I penetrated far and wide, through forest and swamp,
in order to discover the ruins. I was successful; but how meagre
and wretched they were! The most important were those of two common
city-gates, built of sandstone and ornamented with a few handsome
sculptures, but without any arches or cupolas. One inconsiderable
temple, with four corner towers, was in several places covered with
very fine cement. Besides these, there were a few other ruins or
single fragments of buildings and pillars scattered around, but all
of them together do not cover a space of two square miles.
On the border of the forest, or some hundred paces farther in, were
situated a number of huts belonging to the natives, approached by
picturesque paths running beneath shady avenues of trees. In
Bealeah, the people were very fanatic, while here the men were very
jealous. At the conclusion of my excursion, one of the gentlemen
passengers had joined me, and we directed our steps towards the
habitations of the natives. As soon as the men saw my companion,
they called out to their wives, and ordered them to take refuge in
the huts.
