﻿l*}% A DESCRIPTION 



Whenever any of the Rajahs, magistrates, or prin- 

 cipal men die, they dig a large cave for the deceased, 

 in which they inter his women, attendants, and ser- 

 vants, and some of the magnificent equipage and useful 

 furniture which he possessed in his life-time ; such as 

 elephants, gold and silver, baJcash (large fans), car- 

 pets, clothes, victuals, lamps, with a great deal of oil, 

 and a torch- bearer ; for they consider these articles 

 as stores for a future state. They afterwards construct 

 a strong roof over the cave upon thick timbers. 

 The people of the army entered some of the old 

 caves, and took out of them the value of 90,000 rupees, 

 in gold and silver. But an extraordinary circum- 

 stance is said to have happened, to which the mind of 

 man can scarcely give credit, and the probability of 

 which is contradicted by daily experience. It is this : 

 All the nobles came to the imperial general and de- 

 clared, with universal agreement, that a golden betel- 

 stand was found in one of the caves that was dug 

 eighty years before, which contained betel-leaf quite 

 green and fresh ; but the authenticity of this story 

 rests upon report. 



Gkervonv has four sates, constructed of stone and 

 earth ; from each of which the Raja's palace is dis- 

 tant three coss. The city is encompassed with a fence 

 of bamboos; and within it high and broad causeways 

 have been raised for the convenience of passengers 

 during the rainy season. In the front of every man's 

 house is a garden, or some cultivated ground. This 

 is a fortified city, which encloses villages and tilled 

 fields. The Raja's palace stands upon the bank of 

 the Degoo, which flows throughout the city. This 

 river is lined on each side with houses ; and there is a 

 small market, which contains no shopkeepers except 

 .sellers' of betel. The reason is, that it is not customary 

 for the inhabitants to buy provisions for daily use, be- 

 cause they lay up a stock for themselves., which lasts 



