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cultivated, rich groves, and extensive lakes, abounding with 

 game, hares and partridges being often taken close to the tents. 

 On finding us taking a southern route, the enemy sent detach- 

 ments to burn the villages and provender, and to drain the wells 

 and lakes; so that all the cottages around us were in flames, 

 and the smoke of distant towns and hamlets indicated their further 

 ravages. 



To see this beautiful and fertile country destroyed, and its 

 wretched inhabitants compelled to fly to foreign states for protec- 

 tion, added a poignancy to other distresses. The calamities of war 

 fall heavily on the Indian peasantry: the collectors in those de- 

 spotic governments make no abatements of rent nor attend to any 

 remonstrance: nothing remains for the wretched farmer but the 

 cruel alternative of flight or punishment. 



" O ! think to these depopulated realms 



" What dreadful mischiefs from ambition flow; 

 " But heroes, whirl'd in victory's thundering car, 



" Nor hear the widow's cry, nor orphan's woe !" 



Aurungzebe, marching through Hindostan, set an example 

 worthy the imitation of other princes, by observing the most exact 

 discipline, and permitting no ravages nor injustice by his troops: 

 when he encamped among corn lands, he either paid the estimated 

 value to the owners, or ordered a receipt to be given for it, as part 

 of the revenue due to the crown ; saying, " Although I am com- 

 pelled into a war by the machinations of my brother, I cannot 

 consider myself as in an enemy's country." Ragobah was now in 

 a similar situation, but neither himself nor the arnvy he commanded 

 paid any attention to such humane considerations. 



