§22 / A JOURNEY TO LAKE 



A body of Sipdhis ran before to gain a narrow part, which confined 

 the path. One went through the goats; I followed to pufh him from 

 amongft them, and found about twenty men- had formed a line upon 

 the path* The man I had purfued, probably exafperated by being 

 obliged to run in the light of his countrymen, put himfelf in a inena* 

 cing poiition on the path. I retired a few paces, dropped on one kr«% 

 in order to get a Heady and low aim, when another advanced humbly, 

 and the perfon, who appeared fo re folute, threw down hb rnuf^jt and 

 prefented his neck alfo. I ordered the foldiers to quit the path, and 

 they drew u^> on the fide for me to pafs. Whilfl this was going on^ 

 Mr. H. was engaged in warm eonverfation with the. Sipdhis behind^ had 

 formed his few mtn into two divifions, and agreed to no- other terms 

 than thofe I had before propofed, vizvthat we would go to ■ Mehelchowri 

 and wait there the remainder of the day. To this place we went; and, 

 having only made 4500 paces, encamped under the fhade of a mulberry 

 tree and falinga tree,.clofe to the habitation of a Gofain,,,. This perfon-* 

 age was tall, thin, with along beard and about eighty, years of age. He- 

 approached with much refpecl, and defired me to fit down on part o£ 

 the Ckabutr asunder the mulberry, furroundedby Hone figures of deities*: 

 In a fhort time bringing a pomegranate, he particularly requefted that 

 we would ftay a few days , as violence would certainly be offered i§ 

 we did not He reprefented himfelf to be an inhabitant of Oude ; and 9 : 

 after re fiding here forty years* was anxious to die at Benares* He was 

 tired of living in a country where religion was neglected, and every, 

 thing tended to defolation. In the evening a Brahman- who was, called 

 a major, and who we under flood- executed the writing bufinefs belong- 

 ing to the Company , now. made his appearance with a meffage from- the. 

 Jubadar f flatingthat to-day he was. much engaged in ceremonies of ab- 

 lution andworih'p 9 but that early, in the morning he would certainly, 

 wait on us.. To. this we replied^ that we had made a. very fhort ..march. 



