A Voyage to East India, Account of voyage · Section 1
SECTION I.
Of the ſeveral Provinces, the chief Cities, the Principal Rivers, the extent of this vaſt Empire in its length and bredth.
THE moſt ſpacious Monarchy under the ſubjection of the Great Mogol divides it ſelf into thirty and ſeven ſeveral and large Provinces, which antiently were particular Kingdomes, whoſe true Names (which we there had out of the Mogol's own Records) with their Principal Cities and Rivers, their Situation and Borders, their Extent in length and bredth, I ſhall firſt ſet down very briefly, beginning at the North-weſt. Yet as I name theſe ſeveral Provinces, I ſhall by the way take notice of ſome particulars in them which are moſt remarkable.
1. Candahore, the chief City ſo called; it lyes from the heart of the Mogol's Territories North-weſt; it confines with the King of Perſia, and was antiently a Province belonging to him.
2. Cabut, the chief City ſo called, the extremeſt part North of this Emperours Dominions; it confineth with …artaria; the River Nilob hath its beginning in it, whoſe Current is Southerly till it diſchargeth it ſelf into Indus.
3. Multan, the chief City ſo called; it lyeth South from Cabut and Candahore, and to the Weſt joyns with Perſia. This Province is fam'd for many excellent Bowes and Arrowes made in it: The Bowes made of Horn; excellently glued and put together; the Arrows of ſmall Canes or Reeds, both of them curiouſly ſet off by rich Paint and Varniſh: They which are made here are more neat and good than in any part of Eaſt-India beſides.
4. Haiacan, the Province of the Baloches, who are a very ſtout and warlike people that dare fight. I inſert this, becauſe there are infinite multitudes of people in the Mogol's Territories who appear as likely as theſe, but ſo lowſpirited (as I ſhall after obſerve) that they dare not ſight. This Province hath no renowned City. The famous River Indus (called by the Inhabitants Skind) borders it on the Eaſt; and Lar, a Province belonging to the King of Perſia, meets it on the Weſt.
5. Buckor, the chief City called Buckor-Succor; that famous River Indus makes its way through it, and gently enricheth it.
6. Tatta, the chief City ſo called; the River Indus makes many Iſlands in it exceeding fruitful and pleaſant, the Main Current whereof meets with the Sea at Sinde, a place very famous for many curious Handicrafts.
7. Soret, the chief City is called Janagar; it is but a little Province yet very rich; it lyes upon Guzarat; it hath the Ocean to the South.
8. Jeſſelmure, the chief City ſo called; it joyneth with Soret; but Buckor and Tatta lye to the Weſt thereof.
9. …ttack, the chief City ſo called; it lyeth on the Eaſt ſide of Indus, which parts it from Hai…can.
10. Peniab, which ſignifieth five Waters, for that it is ſeated amongſt five Rivers, all Tributaries to Indus; which, ſomewhat South of Labore, make but one Current: It is a large Province; and moſt fruitful. Lahore is the chief City thereof, built very large, and abounds both in people and riches, one of the moſt principal Cities for Trade in all India.
11. Chiſhm…ere, the chief City called Siranakar; the River Bhat finds a way through it, though it be very mountainous, and ſo creeps to the Sea.
12. Banchiſh, the chief City is called Biſhur; it lyeth Eaſt, ſomewhat Southerly from Chiſhmeere, from which it is divided by the River Indus.
13. Jangapore, the chief City ſo called; it lyeth upon the River Kaul, one of thoſe five Rivers which water Peniab.
14. Jenba, the chief City ſo called; it lyeth Eaſt of Peniab.
15. Dellee (which ſignifies an Heart, and is ſeated in the heart of the Mogol's Territories) the chief City ſo called; it lyeth between Jenba and Agra; the River Jemni (which runneth through Agra, and after falleth into Ganges) begins in it. This Dellee is both an antient and a great City, the Seat of the Mogol's Anceſtors, where moſt of them lye interred. It was once the City and Seat of King Porus, who was conquered about this place by Alexander the Great, and here he encountring with huge Elephants as well as with a mighty Hoaſt of Men, ſaid, as Curtius reports, Tandem par animo meo inveni periculum, That he had met with dangers to equal his great mind. I was told by …om: Cor…at (who took ſpecial notice of this place) that he being in the City of Dellee, obſerved a very great Pillar of Marble, with a Greek inſcription upon it, which time hath almoſt quite worn out, erected (as he ſuppoſed) there, and then, by Great Alexander, to preſerve the memory of that famous Victory.
16. Bando, the chief City ſo called; it confineth Agra to the Weſt.
17. Malway, a very fruitful Province; Rantipore is its chief City.
18. Chitor, an antient great Kingdome, the chief City ſo called, which ſtandeth upon a mighty high Hill flat on the top, walled about at the leaſt ten Engliſh miles. There appear to this day above an hundred ruin'd Churches, and divers▪ fair Palaces, which are lodged in like manner among their Ruins, beſides many exquiſite Pillars of Carved Stone, and the Ruins likewiſe at the leaſt of an hundred thouſand ſtone houſes, as many Engliſh by their obſervation have gheſſed. There is but one aſcent unto it, cut out of a firm Rock, to which a man muſt paſs through four (ſometimes very magnificent) Gates. Its chief Inhabitants at this day are Ziim and Ohim, Birds and Wild Beaſts; but the ſtately Ruins thereof give a ſhadow of its Beauty while it flouriſhed in its Pride. It was won from Ranas, an antient Indian Prince, who was forc'd to live himſelf ever after in high mountainous places adjoyning to that Province, and his Poſterity to live there ever ſince. Taken from him it was by Achabar Padſha (the Father of that King who lived and reigned when I was in thoſe parts) after a very long ſieg…; which fa…iſhed the beſieged, without which it could never have been gotten. Let me digreſs here a little; and put my Reader in mind of a ſad truth which he muſt needs know already, how that this Hunger is the moſt powerful Commander, the moſt abſolute Conquerour in the World; for though Nature may be content, and in extremi…ies can make ſhift with a little, yet ſomething muſt be had; Bread being the Staff of Life, the Prop, the Pillar which next under the Giver hereof keeps up theſe Houſes of Gla…. Earthly Enemies, be they never ſo many, never ſo mighty, may be long oppoſed, but Famine is irreſiſtible. A man may flee from a Sword, the Arrow of Peſtilence may miſshim; but there is no defence nor reſiſtance againſt Hunger, againſt Thirſt; which ſometimes made the beſieged Bethulians (as their Story relates) to faint and dye in the ſtreets of their City for want of water. The Widdow of Zarepthah was in a very low condition (in a time of a moſt miſerable Famine) when ſhe told the Prophet Elias, that ſhe had left for her ſuſtenance but an handful of Meal in a Barrel, and a little Oyl in a Cruſe, and ſhe was gathering two ſticks to dreſs it for her ſelf and ſon, that they might eat and dye, 1 Kings 17. 12. For when that Proviſion was gone, all was gone: O how great is the extremity of Famine! in which ſome have been threatned to eat their own dung, and to drink their own piſs, 2 Kings 18. 27. In what a ſad caſe were the people in the ſiege of Samaria, when one woman ſaid unto another, Give me thy ſon and we will eat him to day, and we will eat my ſon to morrow? 2 Kings 6. 29. So in the ſiege and ſtreightneſs of Jeruſalem, when the Women did eat the fruit of their own bodies, their Children of a ſpan long, Lam. 2. 20. when by reaſon of Famine the viſages of theſe men were made blacker than coles, and the hands of pitiful women were forc'd, by reaſon of the moſt grievous extremities, by the want of all bodily proviſions, to boyl their own children to be their meat. Lam. 4. 8. It were well if people in the enjoyment of ſpread Tables, and full Cups, would be often thinking of ſuch ſad ſtories, which indeed are much better apprehended by the empty, than by full and pampered bellies: Ingens telum neceſſitas: there is no ſuch ſtrong prevailing weapon as want, as want of food is; the loſs (as it hath been of many other places) ſo of this (ſometimes moſt famous) City: And thus, gained, as it was, by the command of the Conquerour, ſo, now, it is demoliſhed.
19. Guzarat, a very goodly, and large, and an exceeding rich Province; it encloſeth the Bay of Cambaya; its chief City is Amadavaz; beſides, it hath in it Cambaya, Brodera, Baroch and Surat, fair Cities; but the firſt of thoſe I named, more ſpacious, and populous, and rich, than any of the other. It is watered with many goodly Rivers, as that of Cambaya (falſly ſuppoſed to be Indus) with the River Narbodah (paſſing by Baroch, and ſo to the Sea) with the River Taplee, which watereth Surat. The Merchants which are the Natives of this Province trade to the Red Sea, to Achin, and to divers other places.
20. Chandis, the chief City called Brampore, which is very great, and rich, and full of people. Adjoyning to this Province lived a petty Prince, called Partapſha, tributary to the Mogol; and this is the moſt Southernmoſt part of all his Territories.
21. Berar, the chief City is called Shapore, the Southernmoſt part whereof doth likewiſe bound this Empire.
22. Narvar, the chief City is called Gehud; it is watered by a fair River that much enricheth it, and diſchargeth it ſelf into Ganges.
23. Gwaliar, the chief City ſo called, where the Mogol hath a very rich Treaſury of Gold and Silver kept in this City, within an exceeding ſtrong Caſtle, wherein the Kings Priſoners are likewiſe kept. The Caſtle is continually guarded by a very ſtrong Company of Armed Souldiers.
24. Agra, a principal and very rich Province, the chief City ſo called, this great Emperours Metropolis, in North Latitude about twenty eight Degrees and an half. It is very well watered by the River Jemni. This and Lahore are the two principal and choyce Cities of this Empire, betwixt whom is that Long Walk (I made mention of before) of four hundred miles in length, ſhaded by great Trees on both ſides: This is looked upon by Travellers, who have found the comfort of that cool ſhade, as one of the rareſt and moſt beneficial Works in the whole World.
25. Sanbat, the chief City ſo called: the River Jemni parts it from Narvar; and after at the City Hellabaſs fals into that moſt famous River Ganges, which is called by the Inhabitants of Eaſt-India, Ganga.
26. Bakar, the chief City called Bikaneer; it lyeth on the Weſt ſide of the River Ganges.
27. Nagracot, the chief City ſo called▪ in which there is a Chapel moſt richly ſet forth, being ſeeled and paved with Plate of pure Silver, moſt curiouſly imboſſed over head in ſeveral Figures, which they keep exceeding bright by often rubbing and burniſhing it; and all this coſt thoſe poor ſeduced Indians are at, to do honour to an Idol they keep in that Chapel. What charge can Heatheniſh Idolaters be content to bear for their groſs Idolatry! nothing is too rich, too pretious, or too dear for their Idol. And what coſt the Superſtitious Iſraelites were content to bear for their leud devotion, we may further ſee, Exod. 32. 2. they are ready to give their Gold, not out of their Purſes onelyonly, but from their Ears too to further their miſdevotion; moſt willing they were to part with their Jewels to their Molten God. O how do theſe Heathens and theſe Iſraelites condemn thouſands, which call themſelves Chriſtians, who cannot abide to be at any coſt for Religion! That ſervice of God which is moſt cheap and chargeleſs, they like beſt. Thoſe I firſt named were ready to give freely to their falſe Gods, theſe to take all they can from the true God, being very Prodigals for their Luſts, very Niggards for their Souls. The Idol thus kept in that ſo Richly adorned Chapel, they call Matta, and it is continually viſited by thoſe poor blinded Infidels, who, out of the officiouſneſs of their Devotion, cut off ſome part of their Tongues to offer unto it as a Sacrifice; which (they ſay) grow out again as before: but in this I ſhall leave my Reader to a belief as much ſuſpenſive as is my own in this particular. In this Province likewiſe there is another famous Pilgrimage to a place called Jallamakee, where, out of cold Springs that iſſue out from amongſt hard Rocks, are daily to be ſeen continued Eruptions of Fire, before which the Idolatrous People fall down and worſhip. Both theſe places were ſeen, and ſtrictly obſerved by Mr. Coryat.
28. Siba, the chief City is called Hardware, where the famous River Ganges paſſing through or amongſt large Rocks, makes preſently after a pretty full Current: but both this and that other great River Indus have their Riſe and Original out of the Mountain Caucaſus, from whence they both firſt iſſue. That principal Rock, through which this River Ganges there makes a Current, is indeed, or (if not) according to the fancy of the Superſtitious Indians, like a Cowes Head, which of all ſenſible Creatures they love beſt (of which more hereafter) thither they aſſemble themſelvs daily in Troops to waſh their bodies, aſcribing a certain Divinity to Waters, but more eſpecially to the Water in the River Ganges. And thither our famous Coryat went likewiſe to view this place.
29. Kakares, the principal Cities are called Dekal…e and Purhola; it is a large Province, but exceeding mountainous; divided it is from Tartaria by the Mountain Caucaſus; it is the extremeſt part North under the Mogol's ſubjection.
30. Gor, the chief City ſo called; it is full of Mountains; the River Serſily, a tributary unto Ganges, hath its beginning in it.
31. Pitan, the chief City ſo called; the River Canda waters it, and fals into Ganges in the Confines thereof.
32. Kanduana, the chief City is called Karhakatenka; the River Serſily parts it from Pitan: This and Gor are the North-eaſt bounds of this Monarchy.
33. Patna, the chief City ſo called; the River Ganges bounds it on the Weſt. Serſily on the Eaſt; it is a very fertile Province.
34. Jeſuat, the chief City is called Ra…apore; it lyeth Eaſt of Patna.
35. Mevat, the chief City is called Narnol; it is very mountaino…s.
36. Udeſſa, the chief City called Jikanat; it is the moſt remote part Eaſt of this Empire.
37. Bengala, a moſt ſpacious and fruitful Province, but more properly to be called a Kingdome, which hath two very large Provinces within it, Purb and Patan, the one lying on the Eaſt, the other on the Weſt-ſide of the River Ganges: It is limited by the Golph of the ſame name, whereinto the River Ganges (which at laſt comes to be divided into four great Currents) diſchargeth it ſelf, after it hath found a way through the Mogol's Territories more than fifteen hundred miles in length The chief Cities in it are Ragamahat and Dekaka. It hath many Havens and Ports belonging unto it, which are places of very great trade.
Now theſe are the ſeveral Provinces belonging to the Great Mogol, and all of them under his ſubjection, which may be beheld all together at one view in this moſt exact affixed Map, firſt made by theeſpecial obſervation & direction of that moſt able and honourable Gentleman Sir Thomas Row, here contracted into a leſs compaſs; yet large enough to demonſtrate, that this great Empire is bounded on the Eaſt with the Kingdome of Maug; Weſt, with Perſia; and with the Main Ocean Southerly; North with the Mountain Caucaſus and Tartaria, South with Decan and the Gulph of Bengala. Decan, lying in the skirts of Aſia, is divided betwixt three Mahumeran Princes, and ſome other Indian Rhaiaes, which are Princes likewiſe.
The length of theſe Provinces is North-weſt to South-weſt more than two thouſand Engliſh miles; North and South the extent thereof is about fourteen hundred miles; the Southermoſt part lying in twenty, and the Northernmoſt in forty and three degrees of North Latitude.
The breadth of this much enlarged and far extended Empire is North-eaſt to South-weſt about fifteen hundred of the ſame miles.
And here a great errour in Geographers muſt not eſcape my notice, who in their Globes and Maps make Eaſt-India and China near Neighbours, when as many large Countries are interpoſed betwixt them; which great diſtance may appear by the long travel of the Indian Merchants, who are uſually (they going and returning all the way by Land) in their journey, and return, and ſome ſtay there, two full years▪ from Agra to China.
Now to give an exact account of all thoſe forenamed Provinces, were more than I am able to undertake; yet out of that which I have obſerved in ſome of them (by travelling many miles up into that Countrey▪ and then up and down with my Lord Embaſſadour unto many places there in progreſs with that King) I ſhall adventure to gheſs at all, and think for my particular, that the Great Mogol, conſidering his moſt large Territories, his full and great Treaſures, with the many rich Commodities his Provinces afford, is the greateſt and richeſt known King of the Eaſt, if not of the whole World. I ſhall now therefore fall upon particulars to make that my obſervation good: Where