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Travels in India. Part IX 



every two Leagues there are little Huts, where there are men always ready, 

 who are engag'd to run away immediately 5 Co that when one of thefe men ihat 

 carries the Letters, comes to one of thefe Huts, he throws the Letters into the 

 Hut, and then he that is appointed, runs with them to the next Stage. They 

 look upon it as an ill Omen, to give the Letters into the Meffengers hands 5 

 but they mult be thrown at his feet, and he mult gather them op. It is to 

 be obferv'd alio, that the Highways in molt parts of India, are like Walks of 

 Trees 5 and that where there are no Trees, at every rive hundred paces di- 

 ftance' there are fet up little Heaps of Stones, which the Inhabitants of the 

 next Villages are bound to white-wafh from time to time, to the end thole 

 Letter-Carriers. may not mifs their ways in dark and Rainy nights. While we IrayM 

 with the Nabob, certain Officers came to tell him, that they had brought cer- 

 tain Offenders to the door of his Tent. He was above half an hour before he 

 returnM them any anfwer, writing on, and giving initructions to his Secretaries ■, 

 but by and by, all of a fudden he commanded the Offenders to be brought id, 

 and after he had examin'd them, and made them confefs the crime of which 

 they ftood accus'd, he was above an hour before he laid a word, itill writing 

 on, and employing his Secretaries. In the mean while feveral of the Officers 

 of the Army came to tender their refpects tq him in a very fubmitfive manner, 

 all whom he anfwer'd.only with* a nod. There was one of the Offenders which 

 were brought before him, had broken into a Houfe, and had kill'd the Mother 

 and three Children. He was condemned upon the fpot' to have his Hands and 

 Feet cut off, and to be caft out into the high way, there to end his days 

 in mifery. Another had rob'd upon the Highway ; for which the Nabob or- 

 der'd his Belly to be ript up, and himfelf to be caft upon the Dunghill. I kr.ow 

 not what crimes the Other two had committed, but their Heads were both 

 cut off. When we perceiv'd him at a little jeifiire, we ask'd him whether he 

 had any other Commands to lay upon us, and whether he thought our Com- 

 modities fitting to be fhew'n to the King. He anfwer'd, that we might go to 

 Gokonda,zxA that he would wirite to his Son in our behalf,and that his Letter would 

 be there fooner than we. .And in' order to our journey, he order'd us fixteen 

 Horiemento convoy us, andito provide us necelfaries upon the Road, till we 

 came to a River thirteen Leagues from Gandicot 3 which no perfbns are to pafs, 

 unlefs they have the Nabobs Pafsport, to keep the Soldiers from running from 

 their Colours. 



i CHAP. XIX, 

 The Road- from Gandicot to Golconda-. 



HH H E fixteenth in the morning, we let out of Gandicot , accompanied with 

 A the greateft part of the Ganoneers, who brought us the ririt days journey up- 

 on our way 5 and that day having travel'd feven Leagues, we came to lye at 

 Cotepaii. 



The feventeenth, the Canoneers took their leaves of us j and we kept on our 

 journey with our Horfemen $ and having travel'd fix Leagues , we lay. at a 

 Village call'd Coteen, on the other fide of the River, which is very broad. So 

 foor us we had crofs'd it, the Horfemen took their leaves of us ; and though 

 we made them a prefent of Roupies, to buy them Tobacco and Betle, yet we 

 could not perf.vade them to' take it. Their Ferry-Boats wherewith they crofs 

 the River, are like broad bottom'd Wicker Flaskets, cover'd without with Oxe's 

 Hides 3 at the bottom whereof they lay certain Faggots, over which theyfpread 

 a piece of old Tapeitry, to keep the Wares and Merchandife from the wet. As 

 for their Coaches and Waggons, they faften them between two Boats, by the 

 Wheels and the Pole j the. Horfes fwimming all the while, one man whip- 

 ping them on behind, while another in the Boat holds them up by the Head- 



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