Narrative of a JOURNEY to SIRINAGUR. By Captain THOMAS HARDWICKE. Having juft received from Calcutta a Copy of the Sixth Volume of the Refearches of the Afistic Society, we have the fatisfaction of prefenting to our Readers fomne interefting Extracts from it.] HAVING fome time ago vifited the mountainous country of Sirinagur, I hope a fuccinct detail of fome of the moft remarkable circumftances which occurred in that journey will not be unacceptable to the Afiatic Society. : On the ad of March 1796 I commenced the journey from Futtyghur, in company with Mr. Hunter; and we arrived on the 19th of the fame month at Anoop. fheher our route was circuitous, for the purpofe of vifiting the feveral indigo plantations eftablished by European gentlemen in this part of Dooab. Here were confpicuoufly difplayed the effects of skill, of induitry, and of a fpirit of commercial enterprize in beautifying and enriching a country, which, in other parts exhibiting only wafte and foreft, fupplies indeed matter to gratify the curiofity of a naturalift, but fuggefts to the philanthropic mind the moft gloomy reflections. for At Anooptheher I recruited the neceflary fupplies for the profecu. tion of my journey, and on the 23d continued my march alone; my fellow traveller was under the neceflity of returning from this place, to attend the Refidency with Dowlut Row Scindiah, on a vifit to the Mahratta camp. On the 30th of March I arrived at Nejcebabad: the town is about fix furlongs in length, with fome regular ftreets, broad, and enclosed by barriers at different diftances, forming distinct bazars. In the neighbourhood are the remains of many confiderable buildings. Near the fouth-west end of the rown is a large garden, called Sul taun Baugh; containing in the centre a fpacious fquare building, erected by one of the fons of Nejeebud-Dowlah. On the north-eaft fide of this garden, and at the diftance of 800 yards, is another, in which lies buried Nejeeb-ud-Dowlah: his grave is without ornament, raised on a terrace a few feet from the ground, in an area of about 80 yards, furrounded by a square building, formed into apartments and offices, for the accommodation of the fervants appointed to perform the ufual ceremonies for the benefit of departed fouls. A confiderable traffic is carried on here in wood, bamboos, iron, copper, and tincal, brought from the hills. It is alfo the centre of an extenfive trade from Lahore, Cabul, and Cashmir, to the caft and fouth-east part of Hindustân. At the diftance of ten miles and fix and a half furlongs from Nejeebabad, on the road to Hurdwar, is Subbul-gurh, a very extentive line of fortification enclofing the town, both of which exhibit little more than naked walls falling to decay. Much of the ground within the fort is in cultivation. In the foutheaft curtain, or face of the fort, is a lofty brick-built gateway. The high road leads clofe paft the northcaft baftion, and continues along the north face the whole length, within 30 or 40 yards of the ditch. On the 1st of April I arrived at Unjennee Ghaut, about three miles below Hardwar, or the caften file of the river. The town of Hurdwar occupies a very fmall pot, con fifting of a few buildings of brick, the property of eminent Goofaigns. It is fituated on the point of land at the bafe of the hills on the western fide of the river. The ftream here divides itself in to three channels, the principal of which is on the eastern fide, and, running along a pleasant bank called Chandnee Gaut, meets the bafe of the hill, which gives this name to the gaut below. The deepeft chan. nel at prefent is in fome places about 15 feet, a depth not long continued; and near the termination of each reach of the river, the ftream breaks with rapidity over beds of large loofe ftones, fometimes with no more water than fufficient to give paffage to large unloaded boats. The points of the islands, feveral of which are formed in the bed of the river, are principally of loofe pebbles and fand; but the reft of the land between the different channels is covered with the Mimofa Catecbu. The afcent of the hill called Chandnee, cominences at a little distance from Unjennee, from which to the top of the hill I confider about two miles and a quarter. Some part of this diftance, how. ever, is a long and elevated level bank. The afcent to the high part of the hill is very fteep, the path narrow, and requiring much attention and exertion to prevent accidents in ftepping, from the loofenefs of the ftones and earth. Near the bafe of the shaft, are the figures of Kaal-ka Dévi and Hanuman, the former on the east, the latter, weft. The space on the fum. mit of this hill is not twice larger than the fquare of the pedestal of the trident: from this a narrow ridge leads to another hill, fomething higher; and in this manner the hills here are mostly connected, the highest being generally of a conical form. They are very thinly clad with vegetable productions; the trees are few and finall, and the grafs, at this feafon of the year, parched up. In fome parts of the hills, however, where the afpect is more northerly, the grafs is more abundant, finer, and feemingly much liked by the cattle. On the top of this hill is a terfool, or trident, about 14 feet high, of stone, fupported by a fmall fquare bafe of mafon work: the bafe of the forks is ornamented on the eaft fide with figures of the fun and moon, between which, upon the fhaft, is the figure of Ganéfa. On the top of Chandnee a Brahman is ftationed to receive contri. butions from vifitors during the continuance of the Mela: the produce, he fays, upon an average, is, for that time, about ten rupees per day. This Mela, or fair, is an annual affemblage of Hindus, to bathe, for a certain number of days, in the waters of the Ganges, at this con. fecrated fpot. The period of ablution is that of the Sun's entering Aries; which, according to the Hindu computation, being reckoned from a fixed point, now happens about 20 days later than the vernal equinox. It accordingly fell on the evening of the 8th of April. But every twelfth year, when Jupiter is in Aquarius, at the time of the Sun's entering Aries, the concourfe of people is greatly augmented. The prefent is one of thofe periods, and the multitude collected here on this occafion may, I think, with moderation, be computed at two million of fouls. Although the perform*R 3 ance This cftimate may appear enormous; and it therefore becomes neceffary to give some account of the grounds on which it was formed. Small fums are paid by At our tents, parties fucceeded parties throughout the day, where they would take their ftand for hours together, filently furveying every thing they faw. ance of a religious duty is their pri- rally retired with a falaam, and p mary object, yet many avail them-parently much fatisfied. felves of the occafion to tranfact bufinefs, and carry on an extenfive annual commerce. In this concourfe of nations, it is a matter of no fmall amusement to a curious obferver, to trace the drefs, features, manners, &c. which characterize the people of the different countries of Cabul, Cafhmir, Lahore, Boutan, Sirinagur, Cummow, and the plains of Hinduftâr. From fome of thefe very diftant countries, whole families, men, women, and children, undertake the journey, fome travelling on foot, fome on horfeback, and many, particularly women and children, in long heavy carts, railed, and covered with floping matted roofs to defend them against the fun and wet weather; and during the continuance of the fair, thefe ferve alfo as habitations. Among the natives of countries fo diftant from all intercourfe with people of our colour, it is natural to fuppofe that the faces, drefs, and equipage of the gentlemen who were then at Hurdwar, were looked up on by many as objects of great curiofity; indeed it exceeded all my ideas before on the fubject, and as often as we paffed through the crowd in our palankeens, we were followed by numbers of both women and men, eager to keep pace, and admiring, with evident afto. nishment, every thing which met their eyes. Elderly women in particular, falaamed with the greateft reverence; many fhewed an eagernefs to touch fome part of our drefs, which being permitted, they gene Sometimes more inquifitive vifitors approached even to the doors of the tent, and finding they were not repelled, though venturing within, they generally retired with additional gratification; and fre quently returned, as introductors to new vifitors, whofe expectations they had raifed by the relation of what themfelves had seen. The most troublesome guests were the Goofaigns, who being the firft here in point of numbers and power, thought it warrantable to take more freedoms than others did; and it was no eafy matter to be at any time free from their company: was, however, politically prudent to tolerate them; for, by being al. lowed to take poffeffion of every fpot round the tents, even within the ropes, they might be confidered as a kind of fafeguard againft vifitors of worfe defcriptions; in fact, they made a fhew of being our protectors, In the early part of the fair, this fect of fakeers erected the standard of fuperiority, and proclaimed them. felves regulators of the police. Apprehending oppofition in af. fuming this authority, they publish ed an edict, prohibiting all other tribes from entering the place with their fwords, or arms of any other defcription. This was ill received at firft, and for fome days it was expected all, at the different watering places; and the collectors at each of thefe, in rendering their accounts to the Mehunts, who regulate the police, are obliged to form as exacta regifter as a place of fo much buftle will admit of. From the principal of thefe offices the number of the multitude is found out, probably within a few thousands. The Goofaign, on whofe information the calculation was formed, had accefs to thefe records; and the refult, as delivered above, was thought more likely to be under than over the truth. pected force must have decided the matter; however the Byraagees, who were the next powerful fect, gave up the point, and the next followed their example. Thus the Goofaigns paraded with their fwords and fhields, while every other tribe carried only bamboos through the fair. The ruling power was confequently held by the priests of the Goofaigns, diftinguished by the appellation of Mehunts, and during the continuance of the fair, the police was under their authority, and all duties levied and collected by them. For Hurdwar, though immediately connected with the Mah. ratta government, and at all other feafons under the rule and control of that ftate, is, on thefe occafions, ufurped by that party of the fakeers who prove themselves moft powerful; and though the collections made upon pilgrims, cattle, and all fpecies of merchandize, amount to a very confiderable fum, yet no part is remitted to the treafury of the Mahratta ftate. Thefe Mehunts meet in council daily; hear and decide upon all complaints brought before them, either against individuals, or of a nature tending to difturb public tranquillity, and the well management of this immenfe multitude. As one of thefe affemblies was on the high road near our tents, we had frequent opportunities of noticing their meetings; and one of our fe poys having occafion to appear be. fore it in a caufe of fome confe. quence, it gave us an opportunity of learning fome thing of the nature of their proceeding. The fepoy, it feems, on leaving the ftation where his battalion was doing duty, was entrusted by one of the native officers with fifty rupees, and a commiffion to purchase a camel. With the intention of exe cuting this truft, he mixed with a crowd where fome camels were expofed for fale; and while endea vouring to cheapen one to the limits of his purfe, fhewing the money, and tempting the camel-merchant to accept for his beaft the fifty rupees, he drew the attention of a party of Marwar men, who foon meditated a plan to get it from him. Five or fix of thofe men, feparating from the crow, got round him, faid, they (or one of them) had loft his money, to the amount of fifty rupees; that he, the fepoy, was the perfon who had it; and, with much clamour and force, they got the money from him. Fortunately the fepoy's comrades were near; he ran towards them, and communicated the alarm, and got affiftance before the fellows had time to make off or fecrete the money; they, however, affumed a great deal of effrontery, and demanded that the matter fhould be fubmitted to the decifion of the Mehunts: before this tribu nal the cafe was confequently brought, and an accufation laid against the fepoy by thefe men of Marwar. The money was pro duced and lodged in court, and the caufe on both fides heard with deliberation. Unluckily for the Marwarees, they had neither opportu nity to examine or change the money, and knew not what fpecies of coin made up this fum; which circumftance led to their conviction, for, being enjoined by the Mehunts to defcribe the money they had loft, they named coin very different from what the purfe contained; but when the fepoy was called upon to answer the fame queftion, he fpecified the money exactly. The judges im. mediately gave a decifion in favour of the fepoy, and restored him his money the Marwars were fined each in the fum of five rupees, and fentenced to receive each fifty * R 4 ftripes ftripes upon their bare backs with The Goofaigns maintained an fidérable amount. The old prieft, Oodaffee, on his return to the Seik camp, complain. ed to Rajah Saheb Sing, their chief, in the name of the body collective, of the infult and violence they had met with from the Goofaigns. A confultation was immediately held by the three chiefs of the Seik forces, viz. Rajah Saheb Sing of Puttealah, and Roy Sing and Shere Sing of Booreah, who filenced the complainants by promif. ing to demand redrefs and reftitution for what they had been plun dered of. A vakeel was immediately difpatched with a reprefentation from the Seiks to the Mehunts, pointing at the right they conceived they poffeffed, in common with all other nations, to have accefs to the river; and complaining of the wanton in.. fults they had met with from their tribes, when in the peaceable execution of their duty: however, as they had no remedy, to make amends. for fome part of the ill-treatment they met with, they demanded an immediate retribution of all they had been plundered of, and free accefs to the river or place of bath. ing. The Mehunts heard their com plaints, expreffed concern at what had happened, and promifed their aftance in obtaining the redres fought for; and the matter for the prefent refted here; the Goofaigns giving back to the Seiks all the plunder they had taken, and admit. ting of their free ingrefs and egrefs to the river. All was pretty quiet during the few remaining days of bathing; but on the morning of the 10th of April, (which day concluded the Mela, or fair,) a scene of much confufion and bloodshed enfued. About eight o'clock on that morning, the Seiks, (having previoully depofed their women, children, and property, in a village at fore diftance from Hurwar,) affembled in force, and proceeded to the different wa tering places, where they attacked with fwords, fpears, and fire-arms, every tribe of fakeers that came in their way. These people made fome refiftance, but being all on foot, and few if any having firearms, the conteft was unequal; and the Seiks, who were all mounted, drove the Sannyeffees, Byraagees, Goofaigns, Naagees, &c. before them with irrefiitable fury. Hav. few paces, they rufhed upon thofe ing difcharged their pieces within a unfortunate pilgrims with their fwords, and having flaughtered a great number, purfued the remain. der, |