40 



WESTERN HINDOOSTAN. 



t\\t Mahometans, whom they hold in abhorrence. Their army con- 

 fifts wholly of horfe; they can raife a hundred thoullind cavalry, 

 and make war in the mod favage mode. They kept long con- 

 cealed or unnoticed, at length became formidable by their 

 courage and enterprize, and extended their conquefls over 

 Lahore, Moultan, and the weftern parts of Delhi. 



Lahore is a city of great antiquity, and was the refidence of 

 the firft Mahometan concjuerors in hidia, before they were efta- 

 blillied in the central parts. In 1043, in the reign of Mahmood, 

 it was clofely befieged by the confederated Hindoos, who were 

 compelled to retire on a vigorous fally made by the garrifon. 

 It is alfo a Soubalifliip of confiderable extent. Humaioon, father 

 of Akhar, kept his court here part of his days. Its length, 

 fuburbs included, was at that period three leagues. It had a 

 magnificent palace, and feveral other fine buildings built of 

 brick. Poflibly its trade is declined fince the obflTU(51:ion of the 

 bed of the river, by the banks of fand or gravel. Here begins 

 the famous avenue which extended five hundred miles, even to 

 Agra. It confifts, according to Tbevenot, Part iii. p. 61, of 

 what he calls Achy ivt^s.. It was planted in 1619, by Jehangir : 

 He alfo erc(5ted an obelifk at the end of every cofe, and at the 

 end of every third cofe was funk a well for the refrefliment of 

 travellers. 

 Pestilence. The peflilence firft appeared in the Panjab in 1616, fpread to 



Lahore, and then broke out in the Duab and Dehli. It never 

 before was known in Hindoojlan, if the memoirs of Jehangir 

 are to be depended on ; but Mr. Gibbon, iv. 328, afiTures us, that 

 . ' the dreadful plague which depopulated the earth in the time of 



Jujiinian 



