aSa GANGETIC HINDOOSTAN. 



" terpreter, to fome who were repofing themfelves in the 

 " heat of noon in a Tope, or grove, where I happened to 

 " halt. They gave me an account of their fatigues, and their 

 " misfortunes, and making ufe of fome of thofe geftures that 

 " are common to the people o^ India, and often very expreffive, 

 " one of them fliewed me his feet covered with blifters, by 

 « being alternately in the water, and on the fcorching ground ; 

 " and pointing to fome coarfe rice, and a few pepper pods, faid, 

 " * This is all we have in return.' I am forry to add, that I fear 

 ♦' he gave but too faithful a reprefentation of the ftate of 

 " fome millions befides himfelf *." 



The Lords of thefe unhappy men are analogous to our 

 Lords of Manors. They are called Zimanders : their lands are 

 grants from the Rajahs, or Soubahdars, on condition of paying 

 a certain fliare of the revenue, and as long as they did that 

 they were fecure in their poiTeffions. They generally are cruel 

 oppreflbrs, fo that Mr. Cranfiird''^ painting is by no means 

 too high. 

 Gtak. a small river which rifes in the weft, and falls into the 



Ganges oppofite to Mongheir, is remarkable for a great event 

 which happened on its banks, near the fmall town of Gyah, about 

 eighty miles fouth-weft of Mongheir ; the ill-fated Shah Alum, 

 in an attempt to invade Bengal in 1760, made a furrender of 

 himfelf to the EngliJJj under Carnac. He was at that time called 

 Sbah Zada, or the Prince, his father ^^;;« G^^r being then alive. 

 This nominal Mogul was at the head of eighty thoufand men ; 

 the Major at the head of twenty thoufand. The affair was called 



* Sketches of the Hindoos, ii. p. 104. 



a battle. 



