136 An Account op 



notes. 



p. 124. fotds). This number feems very great* but any perfon, acquainted with the multitudes of fol- 

 lowers in an Indian camp, will not diibelieve it. Even in Englijh camps in India, three followers to each 

 fighting man is confidered as a moderate number. 



p. 124.. merit). This is looked upon as highly beneficial to the fouls of the faithful; and almoft a cer- 

 tain pafs-port to paradife. 



p. \zi. Ganzes). This is one of the many inftances among this people, where abfurd fuperftition is 

 brought in excuie of lax morality : what the author adverts to, is very common both among Hindoos and 

 Mujfulmans. It is rather an adjuration than any thing that might reafonably be deemed obligatory (even 

 though its object were innocent) on the perfon, on whom it is involuntarily impofed ; and is ufually pracYifed 

 to make men betray fecrets w hich they are bound in honour to conceal. He who wilhes to difcover the fecret, 

 fays, '* I adjure you by the Ganges, or the Koran, or your fon's head :" this the other pretends to confidera 

 fufficient .compulfion for him to betray his truft . I fay pretends, becaufe where the fecret regards their 

 own intereft or fafety, they are very far from allowing an equal force to the adjuration. 



p. 1 zg. cruelty). The caufe of this extraordinary enmity to Ibrahim Khan, was his having 

 fought on the fide of the infidels againft the true believers. 



p. 132. killed). Notwithstanding all this however, in the year 1779, a man appeared, who 

 called himfelf the Bhow, and from many circumftances obtained credit for fome time. 



He came firft to Etaiv a, and made himfelf known to Lala Balgobind, a merchant with whom the 

 Bhow had been on terms of friendihip. Balgobind was fo far perfuaded of his identity, that he treated 

 and entertained him with great refpecl : but, though he brought many circumiTantial proofs, that he was the 

 Show, and his age, perfon, and feveral marks about his body, firongly fupported that belief, (till there 

 appeared a difference in temper and manner, which excited doubt. Balgobi n d having expreffed his wifli 

 to be fatisfied refpe&ing this, the perfon replied, that after the battle and purfuit, from which he efcaped 

 alive, though wounded, he fled to the hills of Kdmaiun, where he lived five years among a fraternity of 

 Fakeirs, conforming to all their aufterities, which mull necelTarily have made a great change in his manners. 

 That after this, he bad refided fome time in Rahilcund, and had travelled to many places in the difouife of 

 a Byraghy fahir. " At length, (faid he) I am arrived here, and we muft devife the beft method for me to 

 " declare myfelf." Balgobind told him, that, as there were many Mahraitas at Benares to whom the 

 Bhow was known, he had better firft fhow himfelf there; accordingly he went to Cbutter'kote, in 

 Bondekund, from whence he wrote, (as the Bhow) to Morjee Bhut, Ramchund Gotkur, and 

 Gunneish Bhut, at Benares; informing, them that he was arrived at Chuiterkote, and defiring them to 

 come to him immediately. 



Upon receipt cf this letter, Morjee Bhut, the fon of Ramchund Gotkur, and Doondoo Bhut, 

 who was an old fervant of the Bhow, fet out for Cbutterkote, where they immediately waited upon the 



