﻿14Q NARRATIVE OT A ROUTE 



have found no other road than a {lender foot path, in 

 many places almoft impervious : that the wild Goands 

 moreover would have continually haraffed us, and we 

 muft have been frequently bewildered for want of a 

 guide. 



From what information I could colle8:, it did not 

 appear that the want of grain in the hills, and forefts, 

 between us and the Circars, proceeded from any defi- 

 ciency in the foil, for the trees which grow in it are 

 large and flourifhing; but, from the unfettled nature 

 of the wild inhabitants, to whofe minds a predatory 

 life is moft agreeable ; and while they find fuftenance 

 to their fatisfa6lion, produced fpontaneoufly by na- 

 ture, they do not feel the neceflity of toiling for 

 greater luxuries. Being unacquainted with any greater 

 enjoyment than that of roving in their wilds, as their 

 fancy directs, they confider the occupations of huf- 

 bandry and agriculture as fuperfluous, and not necef- 

 fary for their welfare. 



Loll Shaw like wife informed me, that the Goands 

 ' beyond his country had no matchlocks, which his peo- 

 ple had been taught the ufe of by the Mahrattas ; but 

 they were all provided with bows and arrows; that 

 fhey ufaally fix the bow with their feet, directing the 

 arrow and drawing the cord with their hand, and 

 throw the arrow with precifion to a confiderable 

 diilancc. 



I computed that Loll Shaw's party might amount 

 to 500 Goands, moft of them large and well made 

 men. Upon comparing them with xhc fepoys, they ap- 

 peared in no wife inferior to them in ftature, but very 

 black; and I was informed that the Mahrattas confi- 

 dcred them as better foldiers than even the Rojepocts. 

 In the little fl;irmifli I had with them, I faw no reafon 

 to think fo; but if I had had to contend with Loll 

 Shaw's men, who w'ere certainly better armed than 

 thofe who had attacked us, I might perhaps have 

 found them a more formidable enemy. , 



I HAD 



