VI PREFACE. 



political considerations, are rendered dull 

 and uninteresting to the common reader. 

 I believe I may venture to say, that no 

 cheap publication has yet appeared con- 

 taining any description of the country 

 with its animal and vegetable productions, 

 or of the customs of this singular people. 

 Under this impression I have undertaken 

 to write this book, (which is of a mo- 

 derate price,) with the hope of afford- 

 ing some entertainment during a winter's 

 evening to such as have relatives in that 

 part of the world, or who take an interest 

 in field sports. 



The inhabitants, their customs, and the 

 whole character of the country, differ so 

 widely from every thing that is seen in 

 Europe, that any true description will ne- 

 cessarily wear the garb of fiction or exag- 

 geration. I should not therefore have 

 ventured to offer this to the public on my 

 own credit, had not others before me pub- 

 lished books on similar subjects. All per- 

 sons who have not been in India would 



