578 



afflicting periods (for (here were many) 

 to aggrandize Iiimsclf, impoverish tlic 

 state, and ruin tiie people. If he had 

 the means and opportnnity, lie was sure 

 to throw off Iiis allusriancc, which was 

 only to be reclaimed by grants of land 

 and bribes ; and if the invader outbid his 

 liege lord, he was sure to join the high- 

 est bidder, or he whose fortunes were 

 ascendant in these ruthless times. 'I'he 

 state of the country and the condition of 

 the inhabitants cannot be imagined; at 

 all times living under the very worst 

 system of government, but in war as- 

 sailed by the additional calamities of 

 plunder, burnings, and captivity ; so 

 that the country and its inhabitants 

 were in a constant state of iudescrihable 

 and heart-rending distress. 



DECCAN. 



Capooly isamean, dirty little village, 

 situate at the very base of the great bar- 

 rier wall of rock that supports the table 

 land of theDcccan, propping up an im- 

 mense tract of country, some large 

 rivers, several millions of people, and 

 many cities, towns, and villages. 



This enormous chain of mountain is 

 securely fastened by iron-bound but- 

 tresses of primeval granite, as naked and 

 frightful to look on in some places, as 

 they are romantic and singular in ap- 

 pearance in others. Above and beyond 

 these mountains we fancy another 

 world, of whose inhabitants we know 

 nothing ; how to visit them, how to 

 penetrate their country, or how to scale 

 their inaccessible looking wall, extend- 

 ing for thirteen degrees of latitude, and 

 rising to a height of from four to 5500 

 feel. 



On taking a more leisurely view of 

 the mighty wall before me, while wan- 

 dering about this most interesting spot, 

 two or three apertures were seen, but 

 the difficulty was how were they to be 

 approached, "whose (op to climb is 



Seelt/'s Wonders of Elora. 



clothes and all, which, without appre- 

 hension of danger, I left to dry upon mo» 

 It was insufferably hot at this place, 

 situate in an amphitheatre of mountains, 

 the naked face of each burning witli 

 beat, and reflecting the rays, while 

 every breeze was excluded. All the 

 heat was concentrated, as it were, in a 

 focus ; the thermometer was at 104 in 

 the shade at two p.m. 



A little before day-break we com- 

 menced our formidable undertaking, of 

 what appeared to be nothing less than 

 scaling the mural sides of towering 

 mountains. The road, after going sonic 

 little distance, becomes very steep, lined 

 with high banks, and interrupted by 

 large stones and fragments of rock. 

 The distance may be altogether six 

 miles, but equal to treble that number 

 in any thing like a good road. Pro- 

 ceeding onwards on foot, the path at an 

 abrupt angle overhangs a frightful pre- 

 cipice and valley, covered with an eter- 

 nal jungle, and «here probably the foot 

 of man never penetrated : here, in the 

 very bottom, peeping out of (he deep 

 foliage, gleam (he wa(ers of a few 

 meandering streams, which have their 

 sources in unknown parts of the moun- 

 tains. Beyond this immense hollow 

 are seen the forms of vast mountains, 

 towering away, as far as the eye can 

 reach, in rude and magnificent outline, 

 till (hey are lost in the clouds, or their 

 continuity only known by (heir tent 

 clefts and peaks peering (hrough the 

 light-blue veil of mist. 



In some parts of the road the passage 

 is guttered by little streams of water, 

 that run gurgling down the precipitous 

 fronts of the rock, affording a pleasing, 

 soothing sound, as we (race our course 

 through these sequestered spots. Not 

 quite half way up, is a small patch of 

 table land, where the traveller is sure to 

 halt and take some refreshment, not 



certain falling, or the fear as bad as more for the purpose of recruiting his 



falling." All my cogitations on (he 

 subject were soon put to rest by the 

 arrival of about 150 bullocks, laden 

 with grain for the Bombay market, the 

 drovers soon having eased my doubts 

 with respect to the apparent impossibi- 

 lity of surmounting the barrier. 



From the wretched state of (he roads, 

 my poor servants did not arrive till past 

 (he meridian hour; but one whom I had 

 sent forward over-night had prepared 

 my breakfast; after which, as I often 

 was wont (o do after (he pcrspiradon 

 produced by walking about (he village 

 bad subsided, I jumped into a tank, 



strength than regaining bis wind ; for, 

 what with clambering, slipping, and 

 proceeding up a very steep ascent, 

 great personal exertion is required. 



At this spot, (he convoys of bullocks, 

 carrying merchandize (o and fro, halt 

 for an extra day and night, if greatly 

 fatigued. In their night encampments 

 (hey take every precaudon against 

 thieves and wild beasts: they select the 

 mural side of an open spot to place 

 (heir cattle : thus the steep side of the 

 mountain flanks one side, while the 

 bags containing (he produce they carry 

 are piled up to some height, anJ, when 

 7 placed, 



