A Geographical Description of All the Countries in the Known World, Part 1 · Subpart 63
The Great Mogols Empire described.
The Great Mogols Country is called Indus…an, which for spaciousness, abundance of brave Towns, numberlesse inhabitants, infinit treasure, mines, food, and all sort of Merchandise exceeds all Kings and Potentates in the Mahomitan World. This vast Monarchy extends from East to West two thousand six hundred miles: From North to South one thousand four hundred miles: Its in circuit five thousand. It is bounded with the Bengalan Gulph, and Indian Ocean: On the South with Decan and Mallaber: North and North West with Tartary, and Persia ▪ It contains thirty seven large Provinces: thirty great Cities: three thousand walled Towns: His revenues are very great: He hath in continual pay three hundred thousand Horse, and keeps two thousand Elephants at a vast charge; his Treasurer yearly issuing out above forty millions of Crowns. The names of the Provinces are
1. Candahor, The chief City is of the same name: It lies Northward, and confines upon Persia.
2. Cabul, The chief City is of the same name: It lyes in the North West part, and confines upon Tartary.
3. Multan, The chief City is of the same name: On the West it joyns with Persia.
4. Hajacan, It hath no great City: Its bounded Eastward with the famous River of Indus, and Westward with Persia.
5. Buckor, The chief City is Buckor-succor: Indus runs through it, and much inriches it.
6. Tatta, The chief City is of the same name: The River Indus maketh many fruitful, and pleasant Islands in it: the chief arm of it falls into the Sea at Synde, a place famous for curious handy crafts.
7. Sorat, The chief City is Janagar. Its a little Province but rich, bounded with the Ocean on the South.
8. Jeselmeere, The chief City is of the same name.
9. Attack, The chief City is of the same name: It lyeth on the Eastside of Indus.
10. Peniab, It's seated … five Rivers, which all fall into Indus: Its a great, and very fruitful Province. Lahor is the chief City, afterwards described; which is the chiefest City of Trade in all India.
11. Chishmeere, The chief City is called Siranakar: the River Phat passeth through it that falls into Indus.
12. Bankish, The chief City is called Bishur: Its divided from Chishmeere by the River Indus.
13. Jengapor, The chief City is of the same name: It lies upon the River Kaul.
14. Jenba, The chief City is of the same name: It lies East of Peniab.
15. Delli, The chief City is of the same name; which is a great City, where most of the Great Mogols lye interred.
16. Bando, The chief City is of the same name. It hath Agrae on the West.
17. Malway, A very fruitful Province: The chief City is Rantipore.
18. Chitor, A great Province, where the chief City is of the same name.
19. Guzarat, A goodly Kingdome, and exceeding rich, inclosing the bay of Cambaia: The chief City is Surat, a place of great trading.
20. Chandis, VVhere the chief City is Brampoch, large, and populous, and the South bounds of this Empire.
21. Berar, The chief City is Shapore, the South part of it also bounds this Empire.
22. Narvar, VVhere the chief City is Gehud, watered by a fair River that empties it self into Ganges.
23. Gualiar, The chief City is so called, where the Mogol hath a great Treasure. In this City also is a strong Castle, where hee useth to keep his Prisoners.
24. Agra, Where the chief City is of the same name, and afterwards described.
25. Sanbal, The chief City is of the same name: Its watered by the River Jemini, which falls into Ganges.
26. Bakar, where the chief City is Bikaneer: It lies on the VVest side of the River Ganges.
27. Nagracut, The chief City is of the same name, where is a Chappel richly seeled, and paved with plates of pure gold. The Idol is called Matta, visited by many thousands yearly, which out of devotion cut off a part of their tongues to sacrifice to it.
28. Syba, VVhere the chief City is Hardwair: Here the famous River Ganges springs out of a Rock, whither the superstitious Gentiles go daily in troops to wash their bodies.
29. Kakares, Where the principal Cities are Dankalee, and Purhola: Its very large, and exceeding mountainous, and is parted from Tartarie by the Mountain Caucasus, being the Mogols most Northerly bound.
30. Gor, The chief City is of the same name: The River Persilis begins here, which runs into Ganges.
31. Pitan, the chief City is of the same name: Its watered by the River Kanda, which falls into Ganges.
32. Kandua, Where the chief City … Karhakatenka: the River Sersili parts it from Pitan, and lies Northward.
33. Patna, The chief City is of the same name: A fertile Province, bounded by Ganges on the West.
34. Jesual, Where the chief City is Raiapore: It lies East of Patna.
35. Mevat, Where the chief City is Narnol: Its a very mountainous Country.
36. Udessa, Where the chief City is Jokanat. Its the Eastermost part of this vast Empire.
37. Bengala, Its a very spacious and fruitful Kingdome, bounded by the Gulph of Bengala, into which the River Ganges emptieth it self at four mouthes.
This Empire hath plenty of excellent Wheat, Rie, and Barley, whereof they make pure white bread. As also of Kine, Sheep, and Goats, with whose Milk they make much Butter, and Cheese▪ they have store of Bufelo's that give good milk: Its a very large Beast, having a smooth thick skin without hair. They have store of red Deer, fallow Deer, Elks, and Antilops, which are good Venison; and every mans Game, not being enclosed in Parks. They have Geese, Ducks, Pigeons, Partridges, Quails, Peacocks, and many other singular good fowl: a sheep is usually sold for twelve pence, four couple of Hens for twelve pence: A Hare for a penny, three Partridges for a penny, &c. They have store of Salt and Sugar. They have abundance of Musk-melons, Water-melons, Pomegranats, Pomecitrons, Lemmons, Orenges, Dates, Figs, Plantans, Mangoes, in shape like our Apricocks, but more luscious: Ananas, a delicate fruit: store of Potatoes, Carrats, and other good roots: as also Pears, and Apples in the Northerly parts: many good Garden Herbs, and Ginger: also Taddy, an excellent Drink that issues out of a Tree. For three months they have abundance of rain, with much thunder, and lightening: the other nine months so clear, that a cloud is scarce to bee seen.
The Country is beautified with many woods, and great variety of fair goodly trees, some having leaves as big as bucklers, others parted small as Fern, as the Tamarine trees that bear a sower fruit; somewhat like our Beans, very good to cool, and cleanse the blood: all their trees are green all the year about. There are rare flowers of admirable colours, but few of them sweet, save their Roses, and two or three more sorts.
The Country is watered with many goodly Rivers, especially Indus, and Ganges; besides which, they have store of springs, upon many of which they bestow great cost of stonework, making Tanks, or Ponds, some of them a mile in compasse, others more, surrounded with stone walls, and within them fair stone steps round about. Some of them are filled with rain water. They have a strong drink called Rack, distilled from Sugar, and the spicie rind of a tree called Jagra: they have also Cohha made with a black seed boiled in water, that helps digestion, quickens the spirits, cleanses the blood, and provokes lust. Many of their houses are flat on the top, on which in the cool seasons of the day, they take the cool air: they have no chimnies, using no fire, but only to dresse their meat. The upper rooms have many lights to let in air, but they use no glasse: Amongst their houses are many fair trees, which are a great defence against the Sun. Most of their houses in the Cities are of Brick, or stone, well squared. Their staple commodities are Indico, and Cotton-wool, of which they make diverse sorts of cloth, some finer, and purer than our best Lawns: some of it they staine in variety of curious figures. They have also store of Silk, which they weave curiously, sometimes with gold, and silver, whereof they make Velvets. Sattens, and Taffaties, but not so good as in Italie. They have store of Drugs, and Gums, especially Gum-Lac, of which wee make hard wax. The Earth hath store of minerals of Lead, Iron, Brasse, Copper, and Silver, which yet they need not open, having so much brought out of all other Countries. They have curious Gardens, planted with fruitfull trees, and dainty flowers, which never fade: in which they have fountains to Bathe in, and other water works for delight. There are Lyons, Tygers, Wolves, Jackals: Over grown Snakes, and in their Rivers Crocodiles. There are many Scorpions, and Flies that are very troublesome, and Muskitees.
The Wind, called the Monson blows six months Southerly, and six months Northerly, seldome varying: April, May, and the beginning of June, till the Rains fall, are exceeding hot: Thus hath the wise disposer of all things tempered bitter things with sweet, to teach us that there is no true, and perfect content in any Kingdome, but that of heaven.
They have store of good Horses, and Camels, Dromedaries, Mules; Asses, Rhynocerots; which are as long as the fairest Oxe in England, their skines lye plaited in wrinkles on their backs. They have many Elephants, their King having usually fourteen thousand, and many of the Nobles a hunded a peece: There are some of them fifteen foot high, all of them black, their skin thick, and smooth, without hair: they take much delight in the water, and will swim excellent well, they are exceeding docible, so that they will do almost any thing the keeper bids them: If he would have them affright a man; he will make towards him as if hee would tread him in peeces, and yet when hee comes to him, not touch him. If hee bid him abuse a man, hee will take dirt, or kennel water in his trunk, and dash it in his face; &c. They are most sure of foot, never stumbling: they are governed with a hook of steel, with which their keeper sitting on their Necks, pull them back, or prick them forward at their pleasure. Every Male hath allowed to him four females.