48 



Travels in I 



NDI A. 



Part II. 



ter. This is inftead of Barley and Oats. As for the King's other Stables, where 

 he has alio very fine Horfes., they are fcurvy places, ill-built, which deferve not to 

 be mention'd. 



The Gemsne is a fair River that bears good big Boats, which running to Agra 

 lofes its name, falling into Ganges at HallabasJt The King has feveral fmall Bri- 

 gantines at Gebanabad upon the River, to take his pleafure in ; and they are very 

 curioufly trimm'd after the manner of the Countrey. 



Hofpital for Apes; as well for thofè that breed there-abouts, as for thofè that 

 come from the neighbouring-parts, which the Banians are very careful to feed. 

 This Pagod is cafl'd Matura, and it was formerly in far greater veneration than 

 it is at this day. Thr reafon is, becaufe the Gemsne ran then juft at the very foot 

 of the Pagod ; wherein the Banians, as well thofe of the Countrey, as thofè that 

 came from remote parts in Pilgrimage,' had the convenience to wafh themfelves 

 before they went to their Devotions ; and when they had perform'd them, to 

 wafh again before they eat ; which they are not to do ere they have wafh'd j be- 

 lieving aifb that if they wafh in running-water, their fins will be the more eafily 

 defac'd. But fome years frnce the River, changing its courfe more to the North- 

 ward, comes not within a good league of the Pagod, which is the reafon that the 

 Pilgrims have defèrted it. 



. From ChekJ-fera to Goodkj-fera, coftes y 

 From GoodkJ-fera to -Agra, coftes è 

 Agra lies in 27 deg. 31 min. of Lat. and in a Sandy-foil, which caufès extre- 

 mity of heat. It is the biggeft City in India 3 and formerly the Refidence of their 

 Kings. The Houi'ès of great Perfons are fair, and well-built ; but the Houfès of 

 the meaner-fort are as plain, as in all the other Cities of India. They are built a 

 good diftance one from another, and hid by the height of their Walls, to keep 

 their Women from being feen : So that it may be eafily conjeclur'd that their 

 Cities are nothing fb pleaïànt as ours in Europe. Add to this, that Jlgra being en- 

 compjit round with the Sands, the heats are there very exceffive, which con- 

 ftrain'd Cha-jehan to remove from thence, and to keep his Court at Gehanabad. 



All that is remarkable in uigra is the King's Palace ; and fome Monuments as 

 well near the City, as in the parts about it. The Palace of the King is a vaft piece 

 of ground encompaft with a double-wall, which is terrafs'd in fome parts, and. 

 in thofe parts are built certain Lodgings for fome of the Officers of the 

 Court : The Gemeue runs before the Palace ; but between the Wall and the 

 River there is a large fpace of ground, where the King caufès his Elephants to 

 fight. This Field is on purpofe near the water, becaufe that the Elephant which 

 gets the victory, being in a fury, they could not bring him to himfelf, did they 

 not drive him into the River : to which end they are forc'd to have recourfè to 

 Policy, by tying Squibs and Crackers to the end of an Half-Pike, and then giving 

 fire to them to fright him into the water : for when he is in but two or rhree- 

 foot-deep, he is prefently appeas'd. 



There is a wide Piaz.z.a upon one fide of the City before the Palace, and the- 

 firft Gate, wherein there is nothing of magnificence, is guarded by a few Soul-- 

 diers. Before the King removed his Court from Agra to Gehanabad, when he- 

 went into the Countrey for fome time, he gave to fome one of his greatelt 

 Omrab's s who was his Confident, the Guard of his Palace, where his Treafure lay 5 



and 



CHAP. VII. 



The continuance of the fame Road from Dehly to Agra. 



