Book I 



Travels in India. 



29 



bttck the Lime that comes from Barocha, which, after it is temper'd, and laid on, 

 "becomes as hard as Marble. 



I come now to the manner of travelling in India, to which purpofe they make 

 ufe of Oxen inftead of Horfes, and there are fome, whofe pace is as ea(y as the 

 amble of our Hackneys. But you muft take a care, when you either buy or hire 

 an Ox to ride upon, that the horns be not above a foot in length. For if they be 

 longer, when the flies begin to fting, he will chafe, and tofs back his horns, and 

 ftrike them into the ftomack of the Rider, as oftentimes it has hapned. Thefe 

 Oxen are rid like our Horfes, and inftead of Snaffles or Bitts, they have only a 

 Rope drawn through the mufcly part of the muzzle or noftrils. In firm ground 

 where there are no ftones, they never fhooe their Oxen ; but only in rough pla- 

 ces, where not only the ftones but the heat will waft and chop the hoof. Where- 

 as in Europe We tie our Oxen by the horns, the Indians only put a thick trufs upon 

 their necks, that keeps fait a Coller of Leather four fingers broad, which they 

 have nothing to do but to put about their necks when they faften them to the 

 Waggon. 



They ule alfo for Travel little Coaches, but very light, that will hold two 

 perfons 5- but generally they ride alone for more eafè, carrying only their ne- 

 ceflary Cloak-Bags along with them ; with a fmall Velfel of Wine, and a fmall 

 quantity of Provifions, for which there is a proper place under the Coach, 

 where they tye the two Oxen. Thefe Coaches have their Curtains and Seats 

 Jike ours, yet are not hung : But in my laft Travels I caus'd one to be made after 

 our manner ; and the two Oxen that drew it, ccft me near upon fix-hundred 

 Roupies. Nor is the Reader to wonder at the price j for there are fome of 

 thefe Oxen that are very ftrong, and that will travel upon the trot twelve or 

 fifteen leagues a-day for fixty days together. When they have gone half the 

 days journey, they give them nvo or three Balls,as big as one of our two-penny- 

 loaves, of Wheat kneaded up with butter and black-fugar. The hire of a Coach 

 comes to a Roupie a-day more or lefs. From Sur an to Agk is forty days jour-j* 

 ney, and you pay for the whole journey from forty to forty-five Roupies. Froni 

 Suratt to Goiconda, being almoft the fame diftance, the fame price is obferved j 

 and by the fame proportion you may travel over all the Indies. 



They who have more to fpend, for their own eafe make ufe of a Pallanquin ) 

 wherein they travel very commodioufly. This is a fort of little Couch fix or fe- 

 ven foot long, and three broad, with balifters round aboutit. A fort of Cane, 

 cal I'd Bambouc, which they bend like an Arch, fuftains the covering of the Pal- 

 lanqtiin, which is either of Satin or Cloath of Gold ; and when the Sun lies Up- 

 on one fide, a Slave that goes by the fide, takes care to pull down the covering. 

 Another Slave carries at the end of a long ftick a kind of Target of Ofier, cover- 

 ed over with fome gentile ftuff, to preferve the perfon that is in the Pallanqmn 

 from the heat of the Sun, when he turns and lies upon his face. The two ends- of 

 the Bambouc are faftned on both fides to the body of the Pallanquin between tWo 

 fticks join'd together like a Saltir or St. jîndrexvs-crofs, every one of thole two 

 flicks being five or fix foot long. There are fome of thefe Bambouc's that coft 

 two-hundred Crowns ; T my felf have paid an hundred and twenty. Three men 

 for the molt part apply themfelves to each of thelè two ends to carry the Pal- 

 lancjuin upon their fhoulders ; fome on the right,and fome on the left,and they go 

 fwifter than our Sedan-men, and with a much more eafy pace, as being that which 

 they praftice from their youth. You give ro every one for all things not above 

 four Roupies a Month ; but it ftands you in above five if the journey be long, and 

 exceed fixty days labour. 



Whether it be in Coach, or Pallanquin, he that will travel honourably in the 

 Indies, muft take along with him twenty or thirty armed men, with Bows and 

 Arrows fome, others with Mulquets ; and they have the lame rate with thofè 

 that carry the Pallanquin. Sometimes for more magnificence they carry a Ban- 

 ner, as the EngLJh and Hollanders do, for the honour of their Companies. 

 Theie Souldiers are not only for (hew, but they watch for your defence, keeping 

 Centinels, and relieving one another, and are very ftudious to give content. For 

 you muft know, that in the Towns where you take them into fervice, they have 

 a Chieftain, that is refponfible for their fidelity, who for his' good' word has two 

 Roupies a-piece of every one. Ï R 



