Book I Travels in India. ^7 



The ercateft part of thofe that have made Relations of India, boldly affirm 

 hat the Great Mogul keeps three or four-thoufand Elephants. But being my 

 f If at fehanabad, where the King at prefent refides, he that was chief Mafter of 

 the Elephants, aifur'd me that the King had not above five-hunder'd Elephants, 

 which were called Elephants of the Houfe^ made ufe of only to carry the Women, 

 their Tents, and Luggage ; but that for the Wars, he only kept fourfcore, or four- 

 fcore and ten at molt. The nobleft of the latter fort is always referv'd for the 

 Kind's Eldeft Son, the allowance for his food and other neceflaries being yoo 

 Roupies a month, which comes to 7jo Livres. There are fo me that are not al- 

 lovv'd above 50, others 40, others 30, and fome but 20 Roupies. But thofe Ele- 

 phants that are allow'd an hunder'd, two-hunder'd, three-hunder'd or four- 

 hunder'd Roupies a-month, have belonging to them certain Horfe-men that live 

 upon the fame pay, and two or three young fellows to fan them during the heat 

 of the weather. All thefe Elephants are not always kept in the City : the 

 greater!: part being led out every morning into the fields, or among the thickets, 

 where they feed upon the branches of Trees, Sucre-canes, and Millet, to the great 

 detriment of the poor Countrey man. But not a little to the profit of their 

 Keepers j for the lefs they eat at home, the more they gain into their own 



purfes. w „, 



The twenty-feventh of Augtift, we travell'd fix leagues, and lay at a great Town 

 ca I I'd Ragia-peta. 



The twenty-eighth, after eight leagues journey we came to Ondecour. 



The twenty-ninth, after nine hours travel we arriv'd at Outemeda, where there 

 is one of the greateft Pagods in all India, ft is all built of large Free-ftone, and 

 it has three Towers, where there ftand feveral dcform'd figures of Embofs'd- 

 work. It is encompaft with many little Chambers for the Priefts Lodgings : five- 

 hunder'd paces beyond there is a wide Lake, upon the banks whereof are built 

 feveral Pagods eight or ten-foot-fquare 5 and in every one an Idol reprefenting the 

 fhape of fome Devil, with a Bramere, who takes care that no ftranger that is not 

 of their fuperftition, mail come to wafh, or take any water out of the Lake, If 

 any ftranger defires any water, they .bring it in earthen-pots : and if by chance 

 their pot'touches the ftranger's VelfeJ, they break it immediately. They told me 

 alfo, that if any ftranger, not of their fuperftition, mould happen by accident to 

 wafh in that Lake, they muft be forc'd to drain the Lake of all the water that 

 was in at that time. As for their Alms, they are very charitable ; for there partes 

 by no perfon in neccfTity, or that begs of them, but they give them to eat and 

 drink of fuch as they have. There are feveral Women that fit upon the Road, 

 whereof fome of them always keep fire for Travellers to light their Tobacco by. 

 Nay, they will give a Pipe to fome that have none at all. Others boil Rice with 

 QHickcri, which is a grain fomewhat like our Hemp-feed. Others boil Beans 

 with their Rice, becaufe the water wherein they are boifd never puts thofe that 

 are over-hot into a Pleurify. There are Women that have vow'd to perform thefe 

 acts of Charity to ftrangers for feven or eight years, fome for more, fome for lefs, 

 according to their convenience. And to every Traveller they give fome of their 

 Beans, and Rice-water, and an handful of Rice to eat. There are other Women 

 upon the high-way, and in the fields, looking behind their Horfes, their Oxen, 

 and their Cows, who have made vows never to eat but what they find indigeftcd 

 in the dung of thofe Beafts. Now in regard there is neither Barly nor Oats in that 

 Countrey, they give their Cattel certain great crooked Peafe, which they bruife 

 before between two MilKftones : and then lay them in fteep for half an hour 5 

 for they are a very folid fubftancc, and hard to be digefted. They give their Car- 

 tel thefe Peafe every evening ; and in the morning they feed them with two- 

 pound of dark-brown-Sugar, like Wax, kneaded together with as much Meal, and 

 one-pound of Butter, whereof the Oftlers or Grooms make little round Balls 

 which they thruft down their throats ; for otherwife they would never eat them. 

 Afterwards they wafh their mouths, that are all over clamnfd, efpecially their 

 teeth, which makes them have fuch an averfion againft that fort of food. All the 

 day long they pull up the grafs and weeds by the roots, and give their Cattel, be- 

 ing very careful of letting them eat any of the earth. 



The thirty'th, we travell'd eight leagues, and lay at a place calfd Gonlftpak. 



