4H4 A JOURNEY TO LAKE 



fent, that they fhould be glad to fee us the following morning.-— About 

 half pall eight in the evening the old pundit came to fay that the moon 

 was eclipfed, and we immediately heard the found of trumpets and beat- 

 ing of drums and gongs from the temple of Narayan, and that erected 

 on the lite of the old palace of the Surjabans Raja. This I prefume 

 was intended to drive away the dragon, which during the time of an 

 eclipfe, is fuppofed by the Chincfe to attempt to devour the moon. 

 Thiseclipfe was a total one | but the obfcurity was much lefs denfe than 

 I ever before obferved it. Thermometer at night 55 . 



^ u g u ft 23d.— Halt at Ddha 3 or as pronounced, Dhdpa. Thermometer 

 40 at fun- rife. At nine a mefTengcr from the Wazir and Deb a ftated, 

 that they we re ready to receive us. In an apartment on the roof 

 of the government houfe, we found the Wazir and De'ba, along with the 

 brother of the Gdrpan, and a perfon whom we took for a commander 

 of caValry, feated in an open verandah, in front of which we placed 

 ourfelves on a cufh'on. — The prefents made this time were lefscoflly 

 than thofe on our fir ft interview with the young Wazir and De'ba. 

 After, the ufual complimentary enquire?, the Garpdri's brother re- 

 marked, that our journey had taken up a confiderable time, and 

 that he feared, if our return to Hindujlan were much longer de- 

 layed, it might be flopped altogether by a fudden fall of fnow 

 filling, all the paffes: a circumllance not unufual at this feafon 

 of the year. In anfwer to his remark, it was obferved, that we 

 had been fomewhat delayed by an illnefs which attacked me foon 

 after I left G 'her tope ; and that our cattle had been fo reduced by 

 continued marching and fcanty fupply of food, as to be incapable 

 of proceeding as quickly as we wiflied. Tint we were very foli- 

 citous to return to our homes, and Ihould depart as foon as our cattle 

 fhould be a little recruited, and th&Wazir and Beba would aflid us by 



