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among other objedts of curlofity, I was eager to afcertain the 

 reality of the Bramins ftory. And if the difficulty of acquiring 

 information here, not more from the want of interpreters, 

 than the jealoufy of the government, were not well known 

 in Europe, I fliould be aftiamed to tell your Lordfhip that I 

 defpaired of fuccefs for fome time. A young Mandarin, how- 

 ever, of the profeffion of arms, having an inquifitive turn, was 

 my frequent vifitor ; and, what no queflions tould have drawn 

 from him, the accidental figh-t of an Engli£h chefs-board efFeded. 

 He told me, that the Chinefe had a game of the fame nature ; 

 and, on his fpecifying a difference in the pieces and board, I 

 perceived, with joy, that I had difcovered the defideratum of 

 which I had been fo long in fearch. The very next day my 

 Mandarin brought me the board and equipage ; and I found, 

 that the Bramins were neither miftaken touching the board, 

 which has a river in the middle to divide the contending 

 parties, noi< in the powers of the King, who is entrenched 

 in a fort, and moves only ih- that fpace, in every diredtitJni 

 But, what I did not befdre hdar, nor do I believe is known 

 out of this country, there are two pieces, whofe movelmentsf 

 are diflincfl from any in the Indian or European game. The 

 Mandarin, which anfwers to our bifhop^ in his ftatiori and 

 fidelong courfe, cannot, through age, crofs the river; and s 

 rocket-boy, ftill ufed in the Indian armies, who is ftationed 

 between the lines of each party, adls literally with the motion' 

 of the rocket, by vaulting over a man, and taking his adver- 

 fary at the other end of the board. Except that the King has 



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