able advantage. The fort itfelf, from its great fecurity, is made ufe of by Scindiah as the place of confinement for his, ftate prifoners, and the grand repofitory of his artillery, ammunition, and military stores. From Gualior, the ftraight road to Oujein paffes by Nirwir and Seronge. But as the Rajah who then poffeffed Nirwir was a man of a treacherous character, stained with barbarous maffacres, and maintained a troop of banditti to plunder every traveller that came within their power, it was recommended to us to go by the route of Jhanfi. The progrefs of the Mahrattas in Hindustan being marked, like that of a peftilential blaft, with deftruction; an object of no pleafing contemplation yet it may not be ungrateful to the benevolent reader to hear, that the cruel Rajah of Nirwir, expelled from his fort, and reduced to depend, for a fcanty pittance, on the bounty of the invaders, has no longer the power of doing mischief. On the 6th of March we proceed. ed to Antery S. 16, E. 129 miles. The road lies between ranges of hills. It is fufficiently wide, but in many parts fo encumbered with large round ftones, as to be with difficulty paffable by wheel carriages. The firft hills towards Gualior are of the fame texture with those which environ the front; but thofe towards Antery are of a quart. zofe ftone. Antery is a pretty large walled town, with a fort adjoining; fituated at the foot of the hills on the banks of the final river Dealoo. March 7.-Marched to Dibborah, S. 28, E. 15 miles. The road is good, over a champaign country, pretty well cultivated. The crop of barley at this time was ripe. Dibborah is a fmall village belonging to Rajah Pirtiput of Pa chour. That is a fort fituated on an oblong hill, which, as well as two other forts belonging to the fame Rajah, was in fight on this day's march. The Rajah is, by extraction, a Jaut. He is faid to have made an obftinate resistance against the Mahrattas on their entrance into this country; but he has been compelled to pay them a tribute. March 8.-Marched S. 20, E. 13,8 miles, to a spot about three miles to the north weft of Ditteah. The tents had been fent on to be pitched beyond the town. But the Rajah, who is tributary to the Mahrattas, having fallen greatly in arrears, the approach of our people raifed an apprehenfion that a de. tachment of troops was coming from Gualior to exact payment by force.. Under this mifconception, the Rajah refufed to permit our tents to approach nearer the town. But, no fooner were they better inform. ed, than the uncle of the Rajah came with a numerous retinue to pay his refpects to the Refident, and with great eagerness of hofpitality invited us to pitch the next day on a fpot clofe to the palace. Clofe to the encampment of this day, is a pretty high and rugged hill of quartz, fome pieces of which are beautifully cryftallized. On its fide grows the Trophis afpera of Kanig, called Saboora. On this poor rocky foil it is low and bufhy; but in the plains it is a tree of confiderable magnitude. From an idea of its aftringent or antifeptic vir tue, the natives ufe little pieces of the wood, fplit at one end into a kind of brush for cleaning their teeth; the ufe of thefe they recomend as a prefervative against tooth-ach, or a remedy for that difcafe. On the fame rocky hill grows a beautiful fpecics of Evolvulus, of a blue a blue colour, called by the natives Sehera. It is the E. alfinoides of Linnæus. It was alfo found in plenty on the argillaceous hills of Dholpoor and Gualior. Within the fort at the latter place, it abounded so much that in many fpots a carpet of the fineft azure feemed to be spread on the ground. March 9.--Marched through the town of Ditteah, which is in length about a mile and a half, and nearly as much in breadth; populous and well built; the houfes being of ftone, and covered with tiles. It is furrounded by a ftone wall, and furnifhed with gates. At the northweft extremity is a large building, with one large and fix fmaller cupolas, which was the ancient habitation of the Rajahs, and is now inhabited by fome relations of the family; but the prefent Rajah has built a palace for himself, without the town, on the north-eaft fide. It stands on an eminence, and commands a view of the country as far as Pachour on one fide, Nirwir on another, and Jhanfi on a third. Close to this hill is a pretty extenfive lake, on the bank of which we encamped. Bearing, and diftance from the laft encampment, S. 431, E. five miles two furlongs. and content. This town is in the province of Bundlecund: the inhabitants are a robuft and handsome race of men, and wear the appearance of opulence Like the other Bundélahs, they have the reputation of a warlike people; and about two years after our vifit, they gave a fignal proof how well they merit. that character. Gopal Row Bhow, Scindiah's commander in chief in Hindustân, having marched with all his army against Ditteah, to compel payment of the tribute, and exact a fine, was oppofed by the Rajah's forces. An engagement enfued, in which the troops of Ditteah charged, fword in hand, the weteran battalions of De Boigne, which were commanded by Major Frimont, an officer of ability and experience. The Bundélahs showed no fear of the mufket and bayonet, and there were feveral inftances of grenadiers being cut down, while their bayonets were buried in the breaft of the affailant's horfe. The brigade loft 300 men in this attack, and Major Frimont himself affured me, that nothing but a continual difcharge of grape-fhot from the guns preferved it from utter destruction. The district yields a revenue of nine or ten lacks of rupees annually, fubject to the payment of a tribute to the Mahrattas; the amount of which varies with their power to exact it. This evening the Refident received a vifit from the Rajah, whose name is Sutterjeet, a man about forty, years of age, about fix feet high, of an athletic form, and graceful deportment; with a countenance not unpleafing, except that the exceffive ufe of opium has given him an air of ftupidity. Notwithstanding his habits of intoxication and an inordinate indulgence in fenfual pleafures, he is fond of athletic amufements, particularly the chafe. His activity and courage in the attack of the boar, the neel-gaw (antelope piata of Pallas, or whitefooted antelope of Pennant,) here called roz, and of the tiger, with all of which the neighbouring forefts abound, are greatly extolled. The following day we halted to return the Rajah's vifit, and on the 11th March marched to Jhanfi, and encamped to the S. W. of the fort. Courfe S. 36, E. diftance fifteen and a half miles. This is a confiderable town, though smaller than Ditteah. It is commanded by a stone fort on a high hill; to the fouth eaft caft of which, at the diftance of five or fix hundred yards, is another hil! nearly on a level with the fort. The diftrict dependent on this town, which yields about four lacks of rupees per annum, belongs to the Pelhwa; and having been for fifty years uninterruptedly in his poffef. fion, it is quieter and better culti vated than moft of the neighbour ing territories, which have under gone frequent changes. On this account it is frequented by the cara vans from the Deccan, which go to Furruckabad and the other cities of the Duab. Hence an afflux of wealth, which is augmented by a confiderable trade in the cloths of Chanderi, and by the manufactures of carpets, and of bows, arrows, and fpears, the principal weapons of the Bundélah tribes. The Subahdar of Jhanfi, Rogonath Harry, commonly refided at Burwa-Sagur, and left the care of Jhanfi to his younger brother Sheuram Bhow. This gentleman paid the Refident a vifit on the evening of his arrival. He is a tall, handfone man, and of genteel demeanour. At his request we halted next day, and returned his vifit in the evening. He received us at his houfe in town, where we faw his brother, Litchmun Row, elder than Sheuram Bhow, but younger than the Subahdar. He was merely in a private capacity. Formerly he was in Scindiah's fervice, and about two years before this period was fent into Bund'ecund with a confiderable force and twenty-two guns. But he was defeated by Nocni Erjun Sing, a Bundélah chief, with the lofs of all his guns and baggage. March 13.-Marched S. 364 E. twelve miles five furlongs, to Burwa. Sagur, fo called from a rivu. let named the Burwa, which runs paft it, and, by embankment, is made to form a very large pond (in Hinduce Sagur) at the back of the fort or caftle. The village is fmall, but contains feveral good houfes, and the fields about it are very well cultivated. The caftle in which the Subahdar refided, refembles an old gothic building. It was built by an ancient Rajah of Ouncha, and is faid to be one of fifty-two forts, for the building of which he gave order in one day. This an cient city of Ouncha lay on our right on this day's march; it is fi. tuated on the banks of the Betwa, about nine miles S. E. by S. from Jhanfi. The Rajah of Ouncha was formerly the head of the Burdélah tribes, from whom the other Rajahs received the teeka, or token of invef. titure. But his revenue has, by va rious defalcations, been reduced to one lack of rupees, and his confe quence has proportionably declin. ed. The name of the prefent Ra jah is Bickermajeet. On this day's march we paffed the Betwa for the first time. This river, from its fource fouth of Bopal, to its confluence with the Jumma below Calpee, defcribes a courfe of $40 miles in a north easterly direc tion. Its bed where we crossed was three furlongs in breadth; fandy, and full of round ftones. The wa ter at this feafon is only knee-deep; but in the rains it fwells to fuch a height as to be impaffable. Two miles from Burwa Sagur we paffed the Bhood nullah, on a bridge of eight arches, built by the prefent Subahdar. On our arrival we were agreeably furprifed to receive from the Subahdar, a prefent of cabbages, lettuce, celery, and other productions of an European garden. In the even ing the Subahdar paid us a vifit: he appeared to be about fixty years sof age, rather below the middle ftature; his countenance befpoke intelligence, and his manners were pleaf ing. ing. Having had occafion, on account of fome bodily infirmity, to repair to the English ftation of Khanpoor for medical affiftance, he had contracted a relish for European manners and customs. He had dif. cernment enough to perceive our fuperiority in arts and fciences over his countrymen; and poffeffing a fpirit of liberal inquiry, and an exemption from national prejudices, which is very uncommon among the natives of Hinduftân, he was very defirous of gaining a knowledge of our improvements. Next morning when we returned his vifit, he received us in an upper room of the caftle, which, instead of Hinduftany muflum, was furnished with chairs and tables in the European manner. He showed us feveral English books, among which was the fecond edition of the Encyclopedia Britannica. Of this he had got all the plates neatly copied by artifts of his own. To get at the ftores of fcience which thefe volumes contain, he had, even at that advanced period of life, formed the project of ftudying the English language. He expreffed great anxiety to procure a teacher, or any book that could facilitate his purfuit; and was highly gratified by Lieut. M'Pherson's prefenting him with a copy of Gilchrift's Dictionary. He entertained us with feveral tunes on a hand organ which he had got at Khanpoor; and exhibited an elec. trical machine, conftructed by a man in his own fervice. The cy linder was a common table fhade; with this he charged a viol, and gave pretty fmart fhocks, to the no fmall aftonishment of those who were the fubjects of his experiments, and of the fpectators. As the weather was very dry, the operation fucceeded remarkably well. He even propofed fenfible queries on the na. ture of the electric fluid, and the parts of the phial on which the accumulation took place; as, whe. ther in the glafs, or the coating? &c. which fhewed that he did not look on the experiments with an eye of mere childish curiofity, which is amufed with novelty, but had a defire to investigate the caufe of the phenomena. I am forry to add, that this man being, about two years ago, feized with fome complaint which he confidered as incur able, repaired to Benares, and there drowned himself in the Ganges. March 15.-Marched S. 9 E. 113 miles to Pertipoor, a fmall vil. lage belonging to the Rajah of Ouncha. The road is ftony, and much covered with thorns. March 16.-Marched S. 17 E. 13 miles to Bumource. The road more open, especially towards the end. We encamped on a plain very prettily fhaded with clumps of trees. The viliage ftands upon a rifing ground; the houfes are of stone, covered with tiles; the streets wide and clean. March 17.-Marched S. 25 E. 11,3 miles to Belgaung. The road lies through a wood, in the beginning much encumbered, afterwards more open. In the woods we met with the Bombax Gefipium of Linnæus, a beautiful tree of middling fize, which grows ftraight, and has but few branches all at the top. It bears large yellow flowers in cluf. ters at the end of the branches. At the time I faw it, it had no leaves. March 18.-Marched S. 2 W. 10,05 miles to Tearee. The road in the beginning encumbered with brushwood, but afterwards clear and the country cultivated. The crop of wheat and barley was nearly ripe. This is a large village, with a fort on an adjoining height. It is in the diftrict of the Ouncha Ra jah. jah. Chanderi is reckoned fixteen cofs from hence, and Chatterpoor twenty-five. March 19.-Marched S. 23 W. 11,97 miles to Marounce, a pretty large village, with a fort, belonging to Ram Chund, the Rajah of Chanderi, which is diftant fourteen cofs towards the N. W. The Rajah lives in a kind of religious retirement at Oude, and has left the adminiftration in the hands of his fon, who pays a tribute to the Mahrattas. The road was good except at paffing the fmall river Junnar, the banks of which are fteep, and its bed full of large round ftones. Alfo, towards the end of the march, the ground is broken into holes. The country open and pretty well cultivated. March 20.-Marched S. 56 W. 8,07 miles to Sindwaha, through a country the most completely cul. tivated that I have ever beheld in Hinduftân. The plain, as far as the eye could reach, was covered with a luxuriant crop of wheat and barley. It is in the district of Chanderi, but belongs to a Rajepoot chief, who is in fome measure independent of the Rajah, only paying chout to the Mahrattas. Near the village is a pretty large tank, banked in with ftone. To-day we croffed the small river Jamny, and a nullah. On the banks of this nullah I found the D'harry (Afi. Ref. vol. iv. p. 42) which I learn from Dr. ROXBURGH is the Lythrum fruticofum of LINNAUS*. March 21.-Marched S. 21 W. 9,32 miles to Narat. Road interfected with several nullahs and broken ground: the country cultivated, but not fo well as yesterday. This village is fituated at the foot of the hills which feparate Bundlecund from Malava. It belongs to the Bundélah Rajah of Gurcootah, but pays one fourth of the revenue to the Mahrattas, who have a Pundit here on the part of the Subahdar of Great Sagur, for the collection of it. March 21.-Marched S. 231, W. 8,35 miles to Maltown. The road lies through a pafs in the hills, the first part narrow, fteep, much encumbered with ftones and thick jungle. Above the gaut there is a good road, with a gentle declivity all the way to Maltown, and a mile beyond it, where we encamped. This is a large village, with a ftone fort. It belongs to the fame Rajah as Narat, and pays chout in a fimilar manner. March 23.-Marched S. 64 W. 11,92 miles to Khemlafa, a large walled town, and adjoining to it a fort built on a hill. It belongs to the district of Sagur, which is dif tant about 17 cofs to the fouth. eastward. The Subahdar of Sagur is fon to Balajee of Calpee. The districts under Balajee, his brother, Gungadher, and his fon, yield a revenue of about thirty lacks of ru pees, of which nine are remitted to Poonah. March 24.-Marched N. 85 W. 10,62 miles to Koorwey and Borafo, two towns almost united on the banks of the Betwa. They are of confiderable fize, and at the former is a large ftone fort. They are inhabited by Patans, who fettled here about 100 years ago, in the time of Aurengzebe. Their chief, and the head of the prefent Bopal family, were brothers, and obtained their refpective eftablishments at the fame time. The prefent Nabob is Hoormut Khan. His revenue is faid The editors of Dr. ROXBURGH's work refer it to the genus Griflea, with the trivial name of tomentofa, which feems to have been applied from fome misconcep tion, as the leaves, though whitish beneath, are smooth. |