Letters written in a Mahratta Camp during the year 1809, descriptive of the character, manners, domestic habits, and religious ceremonies, of the Mahrattas. With ten coloured engravings, from drawings by a native artist

Front matter

•aw* 1 C u _. 'h/Y ///• /// - '//■//////////./ (y//////. .Published .-?/ti/ .•-.■■■-.■ hv J Murray.. M~l">. i/irU Street. Iira\ii\ __■ EtthrA ri-pnt tht Original bv J _______ _A-t-U-"t . LETTERS WRITTEN IN A MAHRATTA CAMP DURING THE YEAR 1809, DESCRIPTIVE OF THE CHARACTER, MANNERS, DOMESTIC HABITS, AND RELIGIOUS CEREMONIES, OF THE MAHRATTAS. WITH TEN COLOURED ENGRAVINGS, FROM DRAWINGS BY A NATIVE ARTIST. BY THOMAS DUER BROUGHTON, ESQ. LATE COMMANDER OP THE RESIDENT'S ESCORT AT THE COURT OF SCINDIA. LONDON PRINTED FOR JOHN MURRAY, 50, ALBEMARLE-STREET. 1813. TO THE MOST NOBLE THE MARQUES WELLESLEY, K.G. Sfc. 8cc. Sfc. THE ACUTE DETECTOR OF MAHRATTA WILES, THE FIRM REPELLER OF THEIR INSOLENT PRETENSIONS. AND THE FORMIDABLE BARRIER TO THEIR AMBITIOUS PROJECTS; THEIR VIGOROUS OPPONENT IN TIME OF WAR, AND THEIR GENEROUS PACIFICATOR IN THE HOUR OF VICTORY: THESE LETTERS, DESCRIPTIVE OF THE DOMESTIC HABITS AND PECULIAR CUSTOMS OF THAT PEOPLE, A RE OFFERED, AS A TRIBUTE OF GRATITUDE, ADMIRATION AND ESTEEM, BY HIS LORDSHIP'S OBLIGED, FAITHFUL, AND DEVOTED HUMBLE SERVANT, THE AUTHOR. Page 1 1 1 2.5 CONTENTS.

Letter I

Introduction — March from Agra — Ruins of Kumal Khan's palace — Kagarol — Sepou — Baree — Moohumedan tombs — Marauding chiefs — Hunting seat of Shah Jihan — Siree-Muttra — Dreary country — Visit of the Raja — Dholpoor — Wukeel — March — Kiruolee — Bad weather —Halt. ........

Letter II

Account of Kiruolee — Interview with the Daroghu — March to Haruotee — The Bunas — Diffi culties respecting remainder of the route — Hirkarus — March down the Bunas — Goojurs — Arrival at Kund.har — Difficulties of encamping — Kund,har — Qiludars — Runtambor — Nuya Shuhur — Buniyas — March to Palee — Crossing the Chumbul — Arrival in camp. .......

Letter III

Description of a Mahratta camp — The Bazars — Tents — Mode of life- Liquors — Huts — The Jinsee and brigades — Want of cleanliness- The Baruh B,haees and Pindaras — The Shohdahs — Baboo Khan- Misery ofthe poor people — Children sold — Khuburdars — Soopoor The Raja a Sukee Buo — Cold weather. CONTENTS.

Letter IV

March to Kutolee— Raja of Kota— Zalim Sing.h— Visit the Durbar— Seendhiya — The Surdars — G >pal Rao Buo— The Mamma— Familiar appellatives of Maiiratta chiefs — Seendhiya's encampment — His pecuniary difficulties — Sitting D.hurna — Quarterly payments — Elephant fights — Duk,hunee horses — The Bukree Eed — Moohumedan feasts for the dead — The Sunkrat — Feeding Brahmuns — The Busunt, or spring — Mode of grinding corn — A Busunt song — Foragers. 36

Letter V

March to the Chumbul — Ford of the Parbuttee — Destruction of the young corn — Bunjaras — March to Babue — Confusion in the ravines — Cross the Arrabaree hills — Elephants forcing a passage through the woods — Moisture of the soil — Goojurs — Grupchat — Surjee Rao — The Muha Raj in d,hurna — Holkar's villages — The Hohlee and Moohurrum — B,hanmittees — Fruit merchant. 52

Letter VI

March to Choroo and Puchala — Ooniara and Rampoora — Circuitous route — Great inconvenience from heat — March to the Bunas — Rej oin the army — Bad encampment — Commencement of the Moohurrum. 6 1

Letter VII

Change of ground — Insolence of the infantry Sipahees — Aleegols — Change of Ministry — Surjee Rao — Raja Ambajee — The Resident visits the new Minister — The Moohurrum — Alarm among the mer- . chants — The country laid waste. Ga

Letter VIII

March to Issurdu— Jamdars — March to Kakorh — Scarcity of water — CONTENTS. March towards Tod.ha— Face of the country — Cavalry moving in advance — Mahrattas destroying the crops — Remonstrance of the Takoor of Issurdu — Detachment sent to Kurera and Doonee — Ana Siknuvees dismissed from camp — His nephew poisoned — Quicksands of the Bunas — Villages laid waste — The Rangras retaliate — The Muha Raj plays the Hohlee — A sally from Doonee. . , .

Letter IX

Orders for a march — Uncertainty respecting it — March towards Doonee — Wandering Gosaeens — Visit to the Muha Raj — Playing the Hohlee — Arrangements for the purpose — Extraordinary scene — Account of the Hohlee — Sports and songs of the season — Concluding ceremony — Dancing boys — Bengal Sipahees — Surjee Rao returns the Resident's visit — Khiluts — Trait of Ambajee's character — Destruction of the corn fiel ds — Attack upon the garrison of Doonee — Positions taken up for the siege — Butkees — Management of them.

Letter X

Siege of Doonee continued — Two classes of Mahrattas — Brahmuns — Inferior classes — Their want of public attachments — Personal peculiarities — Moral qualities — Progress ofthe siege — Fanatic Fuqeer — Guns taken from the battery — Reinforcement to Doonee — The Muha Raj displeased with his Ministers — Surjee Rao's drunkenness and debaucheries — His passion for Juwahir — Distress from want of water and forage — Thieves — Distress of the country — Requisitions on the merchants — Mankurrees — Meenas of Jypoor — Of Kota and Boondee — Ladkunnees — The small-pox appears in camp — The Muha Raj applies for vaccine matter — Raja Ambajee dying — Doonee, Tod,ha, and Malpoora — Raja of Boondee's present — Charge and use of Grup- * licit , •• >■*• _ f b US 132 143 CONTENTS.

LETTER XL

Siege of Doonee continued — Surdars sent to meet the Jypoor Ambassador — Mahratta claims upon the Rajpoot states — Character of the Rajpoots — Battle of Jypoor — Koosallee Ram — Presents brought for the Muha Raj — Seendhiya's employments and companions — His wives — Old Mogulanee attendant of the Baee — Divisions among the Ministers — Distress throughout the camp — Baboo Khan — Detachments in the Jypoor country — Gosaeens — Change of officers — Remarkably dry weather. ......

Letter XII

Arrival of the Jypoor Ambassador — Extravagant demands of the Durbar — Demands of Jypoor — Strength of the Jypoor country — Disaffection ofthe Rajpoot Generals — Differences respecting Doonee — Visit to the Durbar — Surjee Rao's cruelties — His influence over the Muha Raj lessened — Revolution in Holkar's camp — Mutiny in Appa Kandra's camp — Corps of Meenas — Account of them — Increasing distress of the camp — Surdars quit it — Others sit D,hurna — Raja Bawanee Purshad — Seendhiya's privy purse — Flying kites — Eclipse of the moon. .......

Letter XIII

Return of the messenger from Jypoor — Differences regarding Doonee adjusted — The treaty with Jypoor announced — Number of guns in camp — Establishment of the Jinsee — Part of the army marches- Clamours for pay — Balajee Juswunt confined — Curious message from Surjee Rao — Ambajee's death — His great wealth — Visit of condolence to Bala Rao — Miserable state of the cattle — Buniyas — Management of the Bazars — Imposts and taxes — Four girls exposed for sale by the Meenas. . . CONTENTS.

Letter XIV

March to the Bunas — Mahratta women — Marwaree Buniyas — Must elephants — Slaughter of the Golundaz — March to Rioota Ghat — Plunder of the village — Adroitness of the Meenas — Body of a Surdar burned — March towards Sawur — Sagacity of elephants attached to the guns. ........

Letter XV

March towards Jajgurh — Grove of date trees — Heera Sing,h joins the army — Bawanee Purshad — The Gosaeens — Projected march to Ajmeer — Remon strance of the Buhora — Attacks of the Meenas — Consternation in camp — Melon Gardens — Tent of Kus — Seendhiya's extraordinary conduct at the Durbar — Filth of the camp — Disputes with Surjee Rao — Shuhamut Khan, and his wife — Seendhiya sits D,hurna — Ambajee's family arrives in camp — Ravages continued in Jypoor — Jypoorian faith — Discontent of the Buhora — Manners of the Rajpoots — Dokul Sing.h's Wukeels — Surjee Rao performs his ablutions ; and feeds Brahmuns — Fuqeers — Hindoo songs.

Letter XVI

March towards Shahpoora — Dokul Sing,h — Jypoor treaty still unexecuted — Alarming discontents in camp — The Khans sit D.hurna — Are driven from camp — Disturbances in the battalions — Mahratta chiefs offended — Balajee Juswunt tortured — Method of raising supplies — The Khasgee — Seendhiya intimates his intention to befriend Dokul Sing,h — Wukeels from Krishngurh — Physicians of Ajmeer — Number of snakes and scorpions — Deoba Kalia's wedding — Marriage ceremonies among the Mahrattas — Marriage of Madoojee Seendhiya — Dancing girls. . . . 21S 223 CONTENTS.

Letter XVII

Surjee Rao goes to Shahpoora — March to Irwur— Province of Ajm eer — Protection afforded to the villages — -The perambulator — Loan with GokulParuk — Universal distress in camp — Contributions not realised in the neighbourhood — Visit to the Durb ar — System of espionage.

Letter XVIII

March to Roopahelee — Body of a murdered girl — Surjee Rao's influence declining — Fresh quarrels with the Muha Raj — The Minister remains behind — He prepares to quit camp — Detachment formed for Malwa — Violent dispute with the Mamma — Part of the Jypoor contribution paid — The Rana of Oodipoor — Disturbances in his country — Villagers of Boorkera — Temple of Nathdooara — Boldness of the thieves — Huts erecting in camp — Influence of his companions over the mind of the Muha Raj — The Bala Baee.

Letter XIX

March to Nimara — Increased disputes between Seendhiya and Surjee Rao — Intrigues respecting Gwaliur — The Buhora urgent to quit camp — Plans proposed for Mewar — The Ukhara — Gymnastics — Puhlwans. .....:..

Letter XX

Death of Surjee Rao — His character — Distress of the Baee — Friends of the late Minister confined — Juwahir and Khueratun — Seendhiya and Deoba Kalia make Kurum-Durum — Begars.

Letter XXI

The mourning of the Baee — Punishment of the Juwahir — Khueratun — 255 CONTENTS. Disposal of Surjee Rao's property — Treatment of Bala Rao — In trigues for office — Bapoo Seendhiya — Justice of the Durbar — Re monstrances with the Juodpoor Wukeels — Distresses of the army — Soobudarees — Bawanee Purshad — Kulamuts — Restoration of the old officers of government. .

Letter XXII

Seendhiya's designs upon the Wukeels of Dokul Sing,h — The Takoor of Kuliawas — The Muha Raj discontented with his new advisers — Superstition of the Mahrattas — Siege of Soopoor — Kafilus to Ajmeer and Pokur. . . . ...

Letter XXIII

March from Kuliawas — Naked Fuqeer — Battle of the Bunjaras — The Juree Putkee — Bapoo Seendhiya — Disputes with the Buhora — Alliance between Jypoor and Juodpoor — Discontents among the troops — Tent erected for the Junum-ushtoomee — The Rakia — Preparations for the Baee's confinement — Succession to the Raj — The Takoor of Roopahelee — Seendhiya transacts public business — Buffalo fights.

Letter XXIV

The Junum-ushtoomee — Conduct adopted towards Bala Rao — Coolness between the favourites — Baptiste's battalions join the army without orders — Jooruor Sing.h — Seendhiya proposes to take a muster — Proceedings at Soopoor — Fresh preparations for the Baee's confinement.

Letter XXV

Increasing perplexities of the Muha Raj — Kundoojee — Violent conduct of the Sipahees of the regular battalions — First instalment of the Jypoor contribution paid — The young Pretender Man Sing,h — Usurped power in different states of Hindoostan — Raja of Jypoor — 306 CONTENTS. Pindara delegates— Attempts upon Holkar and his family — Bawanee. Purshud demanded by the Nuwab — The Shub-i-burat — The Puttur Chuot,h — The Pitr-puch. ,

Letter XXVI

Confinement of the Baee — Doubts respecting the sex of the child — Influence of evil eyes — Women pour out water at the Deooree — Great disturbance among the troops — Capitulation of Soopoor — The Mamma's allowance — Bawanee Purshad's flight from camp — Anecdote of Raja Takoor Purshad — The Dusera — Husbandry of the Oodipoor provinces. . ... . .

Letter XXVII

Violent disturbances in the battalions — European officers turned out of camp — Character ofthe Sipahees — Difference ofthe two brigades — Seendhiya visits Nimalkur — Naming of the Muha Raj's child — Ceremonies upon the occasion — The Buhora moves out of camp — Muster of the cavalry taken — Offers of aid to the Muha Raj — Shikarees — Productions of Mewar — The Ramzan — Eras observed by the Mahrattas — Khueratun. .....

Letter XXVIII

The Muha Raj's Birth-day — The Buhora marches from camp — The Teeka — The Baee completes her purification — Anajee writes to Seendhiya — Disturbances near Oojyn — Troops go over to Holkar — Defeat of the expedition against Rutlam — Baptiste's intrigues at the Durbar — Grand D.hurna — Mode of torturing among the Mahrattas — The Mamma's dislress — Ajmeer given to Bapoo Seendhiya's brother — The Diwallee. . ■ . 31* 323 332 -CONTENTS.

Letter XXIX

Anajee's agent arrives in camp — The affair of the Teeka settled — Visit of condolence to Bala Baee — Character of the Mewar peasantry — Seendhiya's distress for money — Intrigues with Bala Rao — Jugoo Bapoo quits camp — Takoor of Juodpoor — Marriage of Narain and Toolsee. .......

Letter XXX

March from Roopahelee — Opposition by the troops — Bala Qadir — Moohumedan Fuqeers — Designs upon the Raja of Shahpoora — Flocks of wild-fowl — Bapoo Seendhiya's domestic afflictions — Ceremonies of the Kiria Kurum — The Muha Raj's attentions to Anajee — Bala Chobdar — Battle between Meer Khan and the B,honslah — Pleasant weather. .......

Letter XXXI

Negotiations with the Shahpoora Wukeels not concluded — Bala Rao escapes from camp — The Mamma's vexation, and message to Seendhiya — Disturbances in the first brigade — The Nuwab Moorteza Khan — Daring attack upon Puriag Das — Wretched state of the peasants — Their imprecations on the Mahrattas — Mr. M 's arrival in camp — Ceremonies of conducting him into camp — Visit to the Durbar — Discussions respecting Khiluts — Seendhiya returns the Resident's visit — Superb barouche presented to him — His suspicions on the subject — The Ziyafut — Conclusion. ....

Letter XXXII

March to Ajmeer — Description of the fort and city — Tomb of Moouen- CONTENTS. oo-deen Chishtee — Ceremonies observed at the tomb — Visit to Po kur — Description of the different temples — The town, and manners of its inhabitants — Alarm of the Muha Raj ; and preparations for quitting Ajmeer. ....... LETTERS fRoivr A MAHRATTA CAMP. Introduction — March from Agra — Ruins of Kumal Khan's palace — Kagarol — Sepou — Baree — Moohumedan tombs — Marauding chiefs — Hunting seat of Shah Jihan — Siree- Muttra — Dreary country — Visit of the Raja — Dholpoor Wukeel — March — Kiruolee — Bad weather — Halt.

Letter I

Kiruolee, Dec. 26th, 1808. MY DEAR BROTHER, You have often urged me to give you some account of the people among whom I have been living for the last three years; and, when I have objected the dulness and uninteresting nature of the subject, you have replied, that those incidents, manners, and customs, which may, from habit, have lost all interest for myself, will at least possess B the charm of novelty for you : especially as, since the late war in India, the Mahratta name has become more com monly known in England, and, consequently, all which relates to it an object of more general inquiry and attention. I have now resolved to gratify your curiosity; and have only to express a hope, that you will not find my former objections too well founded. Of the origin and early history of the Mahrattas* so many accounts have been published, that it would be superfluous for me to dwell upon those points : and as a history of their * empire is now, I understand, about to proceed from hands every way better qualified than mine to elucidate the subject, I shall confine myself to a simple narration of their manners and customs, such as they appear to me.

The end of my journey to the Company's provinces hav ing been attained, I am now on my way back to resume my situation in the camp of Seend,hiya; and as I carry with me a numerous train of servants, and a large quantity of supplies for the use of the Residency, I shall consequently travel sufficiently at my leisure to detail all the incidents of the march. After my arrival in camp, I propose to note * A " History of the Mahrattas," since published by Mr. Scott Waring. down events as they arise, together with such observations as may occur to me, for your amusement. I must however premise two things : first, that you expect no political secrets; not merely because I have little opportunity of procuring authentic information on such topics, but because, if I had, you would derive no pleasure from reading a dry narrative of measures, the offspring of systematic meanness, bad faith and constitutional cunning.

As the intrigues and common politics of a Mahratta Durbar are, however, always matters of public notoriety and discussion, I shall be able to lay before you enough of each to convey a tolerably correct idea of that policy and faith, which have become as proverbial in modern India, as those of Carthage were among the an cient Romans. Secondly, I must beg you always to bear in mind, that when an English gentleman undertakes to give an account of Indian manners and habits of private life, he labours under many disadvantages. The obstacles which prevent our ever viewing the natives of India in their domestic circles are great and insuperable; such as the restrictions of cast on their side, rank and situation on ours, &c. We do not intermarry with them, as the Portuguese did; nor do we ever mix with them, in the common duties of social life, on terms of equality.

What knowledge we have acquired of their domestic arrangements has been gained chiefly by inquiry; and hence we are often led to describe customs and institutions unfavourably, because our [Kagarol 4 own prejudices render us incompetent to feel their pro priety, or correctly to judge of their effects. These ob servations apply more particularly to the Mahrattas, with whom neither we ourselves, nor our Indian fellow subjects, have little else than merely a political intercourse. As it is probable, therefore, that I may often view things in an imperfect light, or perhaps with a prejudiced eye, I shall confine myself as much as possible to plain matters of fact, and leave you to draw your own conclusions. These two provisos being made, I now proceed to my narrative. On the 20th inst. I marched from Agra to a small village named Kagarol, a distance of about fourteen miles; the country flat and open, and pretty well cultivated; but with very few trees, except in the vicinity of three or four large villages which lay on either side of the road.

I saw no tanks, nor any nalas or rivulets, which had water in them at this season ; but several wells, from which alone the country seemed to be watered. About two miles from the cantonments at Agra are the ruins of a palace built by Kumal Khan, a nobleman of the Emperor Acbar's court. The buildings are all of a fine red stone ; and some of them are still very perfect ; especially a spacious boulee, or well, surrounded by a handsome circular building, consisting of two tiers of arches, in each of which a pair of bullocks used to be employed to draw the water. Sepou.] 5 On the 21st I marched about fifteen miles to Sepou, a village belonging to the Rana of Dholpoor, situated on the bank of the river Parbuttee. The villagers pointed out to me the remains of a mud fort called Roshungurh, which, they said, was once a place of considerable strength.

They were civil and attentive, and willingly supplied me with wood, straw, and such other necessaries as I required for the use of my little camp. On this day's march I passed the boundary which separates the territories of the Company from those of the Rana of Dholpoor. On the 22d I reached Baree, fourteen miles from Sepou, the second town, in point of consequence, in the Rana's dominions. The streets are narrow; but many of the houses, which are built of the red stone found in the neighbourhood, are two stories high, and have a greater appear ance of comfort than is usual in Indian habitations. The town is surrounded by gardens, and groves of mango and tamarind trees. The Rana sometimes resides here ; and has a good house within an enclosure, dignified with the appellation of the Fort, but which is nothing more than an open square space surrounded by a wall of red stone, and having round towers at each angle and centre.

Baree has for many years been chiefly inhabited by Pithans ; and some handsome Moohumedan tombs are still to be seen in the environs. The country on this side of Sepou is not so well LETTERS FROiM A MAHRATTA CAMP. [Baree. cultivated as on the other; neither did I observe so many or so large villages. Provisions, however, are cheap for this part of the country; wheat flour selling at eighteen seers, and gram, a grain with which we feed our cattle, at twentyfour seers for the rupee : a seer is very nearly two pounds. An officer of the Rana's, who was himself at Dholpoor, waited upon me by desire of his master, and took care that I was plentifully supplied with every thing which I stood in need of. He informed me that an attack had been made upon the town a short time before by a party of plunderers in the service of Ram Pal and Bukhshee Goojur, two notorious marauding chieftains; and that they had been beaten off, with some loss, but were still encamped in the neighbourhood.

In the afternoon I rode out to see a hunting seat built by the Emperor Shah Jihan. It is situated in the midst of an extensive plain, about two miles from the town. The palace is built upon the borders of a fine piece of water, formed by strong embankments faced with stone, along the top of which runs a wide and well paved terrace. At three angles of the embankment are as many handsome pavilions, each containing a complete suit of apartments; and on the northern bank is an enclosure, about a hundred and fifty yards square, which was formerly a garden surrounding the apartments allotted to the ladies. The whole of the buildings are faced with massy slabs of red stone, and are in very good repair. Siree-Muttra.] LETTERS FROM A MAHRATTA CAMP. 7 On the 23d we had a tedious and disagreeable march of eighteen miles to Siree-Muttra; the residence of a petty Raja, a tributary of the Rana of Dholpoor.

The road lay over rocks of the red stone, so common in this part of the country, covered only in a few places by shallow strata of mould. Near a cluster of little hamlets I saw some spots cultivated with inferior kinds of grain, a little sugar cane, castor, and cotton: the rest of the country was a perfect desert. Siree-Muttra is a pretty large town, built on a naked rock of red stone; of which material all the houses are constructed : so that, at a little distance, it is not easy to distinguish that there is any town at all. The houses are mean; and the streets so narrow, that it was with difficulty my elephant passed through without injuring the roofs. The chief occupation of the inhabitants seemed to be working the red stone into slabs, with which the whole country around is covered in such abundance, that it was some time before I could find a spot to pitch my tent upon.

The Raja was very civil; and gave immediate orders for furnishing me with whatever I required. In the afternoon he came to wait upon me, attended by his Deewan or minister, and a Wukeel or envoy, of the Rana's. The Raja himself is a fat good-looking man, middle aged, and apparently not marked with any striking character: but his minister is a lively sensible old man, very inquisitive, and talked a great deal. He examined every thing about the tent ; and seemed [Siree-Muttra, 8 particularly pleased with a printed book, which lay upon the table; an art of which he appeared to have had before no conception. It happened to contain a portrait of Marquis Wellesley, which I showed to him: he instantly inquired if it was he who beat the Mahrattas; and when I told him it was, " it makes my heart quake to look at him," cried he, and shut the book.

The Wukeel was going on a mission to Seend,hiya's camp; and the main object of his visit to me was to ask permission to proceed under my protection. He had halted at Siree-Muttra for seven days, from a fear of falling in with the marauding chiefs : to one of whom, Bukhshee Goojur, he was particularly an object of hatred ; having been the adviser of his dismissal from the Rana's service, and since placed in the very situation which the Bukhshee had filled. As I was aware of this, and had been informed that the Goojur was awaiting his arrival at Kiruolee, I did not at all relish the idea of this addition to my party. I told him, therefore, as politely as I could, that I should be most happy in his company; but as I had a large quantity of baggage, upwards of fifty camels and three ele phants, and a numerous train of followers with me, and scarcely fifty Sipahees to protect them, it was important that I should become as little an object of jealousy to these people, as possible; and therefore I recommended that we should move separately, and that he should wait for a more favourable opportunity of prosecuting his journey.

He Kiruolee.] LETTERS FROM A MAHRATTA CAMP. 9 acquiesced; but seemed, I thought, still to harbour an idea of joining me at the next stage. You may judge in what estimation British soldiers are held here, when I tell you that this Wukeel, who wanted protection from my little detachment, had with him upwards of two hundred armed men. While my visitors staid with me, they all expressed themselves in terms of high admiration of the prowess, humanity, and justice of the British Government; which alone, the Deewan said, seemed to understand and to prac tise the true art of ruling. Above all things they com mended our having crushed the intolerable power of the Mahrattas; and launched forth in unqualified praise of Lord Wellesley; whose character seems, amongst these rescued states, to have secured that veneration and esteem which his splendid talents and distinguished services so eminently entitle him to.

On the 24th the road was so bad, that I with difficulty reached a small village on the Siree-Muttra territory, a distance of only eight miles, where I encamped for the day; and had the satisfaction to find that the Wukeel had given up his intention of joining me. Yesterday I reached this place, after a march of fourteen miles. Soon after we started in the morning it began to rain, and continued to do so throughout the remainder of the day: in consequence of which, and the badness of the road, I did not get to the c LETTERS FROM A MAHRATTA CAMP. [Kiruolee. 10 ground till past one o'clock, wet to the skin, cold and tired. The baggage did not arrive till two hours after; and, as the tents were by that time completely wetted, the people fatigued, and the cattle jaded, I resolved to halt to-day.

Our supplies did not come from the town till late in the evening; and altogether it was the most comfortless Christmas Day I ever passed. No people suffer more from cold and wet than the natives of India; at this season, they dress in clothes stuffed with cotton, and wrap themselves in shawls or quilts, according to their means. The poorer sort throw a coarse blanket over their shoulders, and, with their lower extremities always exposed, go about shivering and shaking in the most lamentable manner. They never dream of keeping themselves warm by exercise ; but cower round the embers of a few burnt sticks, with more eagerness than we crowd about a fire in the severest weather: and should a shower of rain chance to fall, it renders them absolutely helpless. I shall take the opportunity of a messenger's going off" to camp, to send this account of my journey thus far.

Wish ing you many happy returns of the season, and a much merrier Christmas than I am likely to pass, I am, My dear brother, &c. &c. B % L LETTERS FROM A MAHRATTA CAMP. Kiruolee.] 11

Letter II

Account of Kiruolee — Interview with the Daroghu — March to Haruotee — the Bunas — Difficulties respecting remainder of the route — Hirkarus — March down the Bunas — Goojitrs — Arrival at Kund,har — Difficulties of encamping — Kund,har — Qiludars — Runtambor — Nuya Shuhur — Buniyas — March to Palee — Crossing the Chumbul — Arrival in Camp. Seend,hiya's Camp, Soopoor, Jan. 1, 1809. Soon after I had despatched my last letter from Kiruolee, I received a message from the Raja, intimating that he intended me the honour of a visit, and also that he expected to see me at his own house : at the same time he gave orders for supplying my camp with every thing that I could require. The present Raja, whose name is Hurree Bukhsh Pal, succeeded, a few years ago, to his brother, who is said to have been a most promising young man; and of whom his people still speak with enthusiastic admiration.