406 



in the surrounding country, whole villages, with the peasantry and 

 cattle, were swept away. Every ship at the bar, with yachts, 

 boats, and vessels of all descriptions in the river, either foundered 

 at their anchors, or were driven on shore. Three ships richly 

 laden, belonging to a Turkish merchant, were entirely lost ; their 

 cargoes exceeded five lacs of rupees. The Revenge, the finest 

 cruizer on the Bombay station, foundered, and every soul perished; 

 together with the Terrible, Dolphin, and several of the smaller 

 armed vessels. The ravages of this storm extended along the coast 

 for upwards of six hundred miles on the west side of India ; but it 

 was felt most about the latitude of Surat and Baroche, and added 

 no trifling effect to the sombre appearance of this once animated 

 emporium. 



The palace and gardens at Mahmud-a-bhaug were nearly de- 

 stroyed by the storm, nor did the nabob seem inclined to repair 

 them. The garden-houses of the English gentlemen suffered much 

 damage, but were now resuming their former appearance. Melan- 

 choly indeed was the general aspect of Mahmud-a-bhaug. The 

 pavilions and detached buildings were blown to pieces, having 

 by lapse of time, and the parsimony of the nabob, been for many 

 years out of repair. The pavilions and smaller buildings, so often 

 mentioned in the oriental gardens, separated from the princely 

 mansion, are not to be considered like the generality of European 

 summer-houses, as ornamental structures to embellish a vista, or 

 command a prospect ; on the contrary, being intended for use as 

 well as ornament, they occupy different parts of the garden ; some- 

 times connected to the principal building by corridores and veran- 

 das, oftener entirely detached, like those described in the chief's 



