Travels in India. Part DL 



From the Bridg Jaoulcapoul to Agra, coftes ^ 



So that from Seronge to ^»w it is an hundred and fix Coftes, which arc ordinary 

 leagues ; and from Surat to Agra, 339. 



CHAP. V. 



7fo Road from Surat fo Agra through Amadabat. 



FRom Surat to Baroche, coftes 22 



All the Countrcy between thefe two Cities is full of Com, Rice, Millet, and 

 Sugar-Canes. Before you enter into Baroche , you muft Ferry over the River 

 which runs to Cambaya, and falls into the Golf that carries the lame name. 



Baroche is a great City, to which there belongs a Fortrefs, of which there is 

 no ufe made at this time. But the City has been always verv famous by reafon 

 of the River, which has a particular quality to whiten their dettoHS , which are 

 brought thither from all parr- of the Great Mogul's Territories, where they have 

 not that convenience. In this place are made a great quantity of Batfa's, or long 

 and large pieces of Cotton. Thefe Cottons are very fair, and dole woven ; and 

 the price of thefe pieces is from four to an hundred Roupies. You muft pay 

 Cuftom at Baroch- for all Goods that arc brought in and carri'd our. The E»g- 

 tijh have a very fair Houfe in the City j and I remember once, that coming rhi- 

 ther one day in my return from Surat to Agra with the Prciident of the Englijh, 

 prefently the Mountebanks came about him, and ask'd him if he would lee any 

 of their tricks. The firft thing they did was to light a great fire, and to heat cer- 

 tain Iron-chains red-hot, and wind them aboat their bodies, making as if they felc 

 a great deal of pain, but in truth receiving no harm at all. Then they thruft a 

 piece of a ftick into the ground, and ask'd the Company what F.uit they would 

 nave. One told them, he would have Mengues ; trrn one of the Mountebanks 

 hiding himfelf in the middle of a Sheet^ ftoopt to the ground five or fix times 

 one after another. I was fo curious to go up ftairs, and look out of a window, to 

 fee if I could fpy what the Mountebank did ; and ] erccived, that after he had 

 cut himfelf under the armpits with a Razor, he rubb'd the ftick with his Blood. 

 After the two firft times rh: ; r he rais'd himfelf the ftick feem'd to the very eye to 

 grow. The third time there irirturg out branches with young buds. The fourth 

 time the Tree was covered with leave? j and the rift time it bore flowers. The 

 Prefidentof the EnglifchaA then his Minifter with him, having brought him from 

 Amadabat to Chriften the Commander of the Hollander's Child, to which he had 

 promifed to be Godfather. The Englijh Minifter protefted that he could not give 

 his confent that any Chriftian mould be a ipeelator of fiich delufions. So that as 

 foon as he faw that thofe Mountebanks had of a dry-ftick, in lefs than half an 

 hour, made a Tree four or five foot high, that bare leaves and flowers as in the 

 Spring-time j he went about to break it, protefting he would not give the Com- 

 munion to any perfon that mould ftay any longer to fee thofe things. Thereupon 

 the Prefident was fore'd to difmifs the Mountebanks, who wander about the 

 Countrey with their Wives and Children juft like Gipfies -, and having given 

 them to the value of ten or twelve Crowns, they went away very well con- 

 tented. 



They that are curious to fee Cambaya, never go out of their way above 

 five or fix Coftes, or thereabout. For when you are at Baroche , inftead of 

 going to Broudra, you may go directly forward to Cambaya, from thence af- 

 terwards to Amadabat. ■ But whether it be for bufinefs, or out of curiofity, 

 the latter Road is never to be taken ; not only becaufe it is the longeft way, 

 hut becaufe of the danger in croffing the mouth of the Golf. 



Comb ay a is a great City at the bottom .of the Golf that bears its name. 

 Here it is that they fhape thofe fair A gats, that come from the Indies, into 

 Cups, Hafts of Knives, Beads, and other forts of Workmanfhip. In the parts 

 adjacent to the City , they alfo make Indigo of. the fame nature of that of 



Sar- 



