34 



Travels h India. 



Parti! 



by 24 Yoke of Oxen. A very ftrong Elephant follow'd the Artillery, and when 

 they came to any bad-way, where the Oxen were at a ftand, they brought up the 

 Elephant, who heav'd the Cannon forward with his Trunk. Without the Town, 

 all along the high-way, there grows a valt number of great Trees, which they 

 call Mangues ; and in many places neer the Trees are to be fetn little Pagods, 

 with every one an Idol at the door. The Elephant palling by one of the Pagods, 

 before which I was lodg'd, at the door whereof there ftood three Idols about five 

 foot high ; lb focn as he came near one, he took it up in his trunk, and broke it in 

 two pieces ; the next he took, he threw it up fo high, and lb far, that he broke 

 it in four pieces ; and carried away the head of the third along with him. Some 

 thought that the Governour of the Elephant had taught him what to do, and made 

 figns to him, which however I did not oblèrve ; neverthelefs the Banians were 

 very much offended, though they durft not fay any thing ; for there was a Guard 

 of above two thoufand men that convoy'd the Artillery, all Souldiers of the 

 King, and Mahometans, befides F sanguis, or Franks, Englijlo and Hollanders that 

 were Cannoneers. The King fent this Artillery to his Army in Decan,bç'mg at Wars 

 with the Raja Seva-gi, who the year before had plunder'd Sur at ; of whom I 

 fhall have occafion to fpeak in another place. 



From Collafar to Sanftle, coftes 6 

 From Sanfele to Dongry, coftes 4 

 From Dongry to Gate, coftes 



Gate is a lirait paffage of the Mountains, a quarter of a league in length, the 

 defcent whereof leads from Swat to Agra. At the entry thereof you fee the 

 ruins of two or three Caftles, and the Road is fo narrow, that two Waggons can 

 hardly go a breaft. They that come from the South to go to Agra, as from Su- 

 rat, Goa, Fifapore, Golconda, Maflipatan, and other places, cannot avoid thele 

 ftreights, there being no other Road but this, efpecially if you take the Road 

 from Amadabat. Formerly there was a Gate at each end of the {freight, and 

 at that end which is next to Agra, there are five or fix Shops of Bamans, that 

 fell Flower, Butter, Rice, Herbs and Pulfe. In my laff Travels I ftaid at one of 

 thele Shops, to tarry for the Coaches and Waggons, all the Paffengers alighting 

 at the four of the Streights. Not far off there is a great xViagazin full of lacks 

 of Rice afld Corn ; and behind every lack lay a Serpent thirteen or fourteen foot 

 long, and proportionable in bignefs. A Woman that went to fetch Corn out of 

 one of thole lacks, was bitten by one of thofe Serpents, and perceiving her lelf 

 wounded, ran out of the Magazin, crying out Ram, Ram, that is, O God, O God; 

 whereupon lèverai Banians, men and women came running to her relief, and 

 bound her arm very hard above the wound, thinking to flop the venom from run- 

 ning any higher. But all in vain, for immediately her face fwtU'd, and turn'd black, 

 and me dy'd in lefs than an hour. The Ragipous,who are the belt Souldiers among 

 the Indians, and are all Idolaters, came in juif as the woman was expiring, and 

 about four of them entriri£ with their Skains, and Half-pikes in their hands into 

 the Magazin, kill'd the Serpent. The people of the Village took and threw it 

 without the Town, and immediately there came a great number of Birds of prey, 

 which lighting upon the Carrion, devour d it in lefs than an hours time. The Pa- 

 rents of the woman took her body, carri'd it to the River, walh'd it, and then 

 burnt it. I was fore'd to Itay two days at that place, becaufe there was a River 

 to pafs, which inlfead of falling, fwelî'd at that time, by reafon of the rains that 

 fell for three or four days together : So that I was cohltrain'd to go half a league 

 ïower before I could crois it. They always endeavour'd to ford this River ; for 

 otherwife they mult be compell'd to unload the Waggon into the Boats $ and alfo 

 to carry the Goods in their arms for above half a league, which is worle way 

 than can be imagin'd. The people get their livings by the PalTengers, from whom 

 they extort as much as they can, there being none but they that know the ways : 

 Otherwile it would be an eafy thing to make a Bridg, there being no want either 

 of Wood or Stone near at hand. For the palTage is nothing butthorough Rocks, 

 that lie between the Mountain and the River ; fo that the waters when they 

 fwell, overflow all the Road, in-fo-much that no-body can pafs it, but they 

 who are very well acquainted with it. 



From 



