110 The Ancient Canals in the Delhi Territory. (Marcu, 
being sunk in the ground, is carried along an elevated mound, in many 
parts of which the bottom rises much higher than the surrounding 
country. The lowest portion of this hollow was crossed on an aqueduct 
of masonry, under which escapes the surplus water of the Farkhnagar 
Jhél into the Jamna. The canal, shortly after entering on and 
skirting the base of the range of hills west of Delhi (the drainage 
from which crosses over the canal by ancient aqueducts), is finally led 
directly across thé ridge by a channel cut out in the rock, to the depth 
of about 60 feet at the crest. It then enters the city, and passing 
through it by an open channel, traverses along another extensive 
aqueduct into the palace, throughout the whole of which it ramifies, 
in open or covered water-courses, having outlets to the Jamna, thus 
permitting the passage of constant streams of fresh water. Similar to 
these, in the space between the range of hills and the palace, numer- 
ous underground channels were led off to the various residences of the 
nobles, and the divisions of the city, yielding to the whole city and its 
suburbs a supply of good water, from the open well shafts connected 
with these underground water-courses, and necessary to admit of their 
being cleared out. 
On a review of the ancient works in Delhi, connected with the 
canal, money must have been expended with a most lavish hand, 
to effect what is known; and much is yet hidden in the ruins of 
the neighbourhood. The branch thus successfully opened, appears 
to have been maintained in a state of efficiency, until the year 1760, 
including a supply down the Gohdna branch, and another down a 
portion of Frroz’s canal, in which latter the water ceased to flow at 
Suffidon about 1740. The decay of the canal was probably gradual ; 
and final only, when the power of the emperor was too much circum- 
scribed, and his attention too much engaged by the perilous circumstances 
of his reign, to attend to such matters : to which may be added the gra- 
dual increase in size and depth of what was then the western branch 
of the Jamna, rendering the annual formation of the earthen dam 
across it in time for the irrigation of the crops, a work of more diffi- 
culty and labor, than was compensated by the advantages deriv- 
ed. During the long period that it did flow, the system of irriga- 
tion from its waters appears to have been most extensively diffused, 
judging from the multitudes of water-courses which intersect the coun- 
try on both banks, from below Karnal to Delhi: the amounts of the 
revenue derived from it must however be deemed fabulous, or must 
be misunderstood ;—villages, which have from 12 to 15,000 digas of 
land, being stated to have paid a lakh of rupees a year—a sum about 
