13 



Malet's, was present, on his last journey to Delhi; when several 

 men were taken up for a most cruel method of robbery and mur- 

 der, practised on travellers, by a tribe called phanseegurs, or strang- 

 les, who join passengers frequenting the fair, in bye-roads, or 

 at other seasons convenient for their purpose: under the pretence 

 of travelling the same way, they enter into conversation with the 

 strangers, share their sweetmeats, and pay them other little atten- 

 tions, until an opportunity offers of suddenly throwing a rope 

 round their necks with a slip knot, by which they dexterously con- 

 trive to strangle them on the spot. 



Sarungpore is a part of the allotment of the Powar family ; 

 the fine province of Malwa, having, after the Mahratta conquest, 

 been chiefly divided between the great families of Sindia, Holcar, 

 and Pozoar, with certain territorial and feudal reservations to the 

 peshwa, as head of the Mahratta government. 



On the 18th of April we travelled from Sarungpore to Kooj- 

 neer, a large village in Holcar's districts, having in the last stage 

 made the deviation, already mentioned, from the usual route. The 

 road was excellent; the country beautiful, populous, and well 

 cultivated, with hills in the distance. Koojneer is surrounded by 

 regular groves of mangos, so contrasted by irregular forest trees, 

 as to form a charming variety in form and colour; not more so 

 than the crops in the intervening fields, where sugar canes, oil 

 plants, flowers for dying, pulse and vegetables, present a rich scene 

 of mingled hues. Large herds of cattle were grazing in the pas- 

 tures, and the general appearance of industry among the pea- 

 sants, afforded unusual delight. How truly happy might these 

 people be under the wholesome regulations of a mild and foster- 



