Book I. Travels Ml India. 



CHAP. X. 



Of the Kingdom of GoJconda, and the Wars which it has maintain d 

 for fome few years lajl jpaft. 



THE whole Kingdom of Golconda, take it in general, is a good Countrey, 

 abounding in Corn, Rice, Cattel, Sheep, Poultry, and other necellaries for 

 human life. In regard there are great ftore of Lakes in it, there is alio great 

 ftore of Fifli. Above all the reft, there is a fort of Smelt, that has but one bone 

 in the middle, which is moft delicious food. Nature has contributed more than 

 Art, toward the making thefe Lakes, whereof the Countrey is full ; which are 

 generally in places fomewhat rais'd, ib that you need do no more than make a lit- 

 tle Dam upon the plain-fide to keep in the water. Thefe Dams or Banks are fome- 

 times half a league long : and after the rainy feafons are over, they open the 

 Sluces from time to time to let out the water into the adjacent Fields, where it 

 is receiv'd by divers little Channels to water particular grounds. 



Bagnagar is the name of the Metropolis of this Kingdom ; but vulgarly it is 

 call'd Golconda, from the name of a Fortrefs, not above two leagues diltant from 

 it, where the King keeps his Court. This Fortrefs is about two leagues in cir- 

 cuit, and by confequence requires a numerous Guard. It is as it were a Town 

 where the King keeps hisTreafure: having left Bagnagar, ever finceit was fack'd 

 by the Array, which Attreng-z.eb brought a gain ft it. 



Bagnagar is then the City, which they vulgarly call Golconda ; and it was foun- 

 ded by the Great Grandfather of the prefent King ; upon the importunity of oné 

 of his Wives, whom he paffionately lov'd, whole name was Nagar. Before that, 

 it was only a place of Pleafure, where the King had very fair Gardens, till at 

 length his Wife continually reprefènting to him the delicacies of the fituation for 

 the building a City and a Palace, by reafon of the River ; he laid the foundations, 

 and order'd that it fhould bear the name of his Wife, calling it Bag-Nagar, that 

 is to fay^ the Garden of Nagar. This City lies in feventeen degrees of Eleva- 

 tion, wanting two minutes. The Countrey round about is a flat Countrey, only 

 neer the City are lèverai Rocks, as you fee about Fantaih-Bleatt'. A great River 

 wafhes the Walls of the City upon the South- weft-fide, which, neer to Maflipa- 

 tan, falls into the Gulf of Bengala. At Bagnagar you crofs this River over a 

 Bridg no lefs beautiful than Vont-Neuf at Paris. The City is little lefs than Or- 

 leans, well-built, and full of windows. There are many fair large Streets, but not 

 being well-pav'd : they are dufty, as are all the Cities of Perfia and India, which 

 is very offenfive in the Summer. 



Before you come to the Bridg, you muft pafs through a large Suburb, call'd 

 Erengabad, about a league in length ; where live all the Merchants, the Brokers, 

 Handicraft-Trades, and in general, all the meaner fort of people 5 the ,City 

 being inhabited only by perfons of Quality , Officers of the , King's Houfe, 

 Minifters of Juftice, and Officers of the Army. From ten or eleven in the 

 forenoon, till four or five in the evening, the Merchants, Brokers and Work- 

 men come into the City to trade with the Forreign Merchants ; after which time 

 they return to their own Houfes. In the Suburb are two or three fair Mofyuees, 

 which ferve for Inns for the Forreigners, befides feveral Pagods in the Neighbour- 

 ing-parts. Through the fame Suburb lies the way to the Fortrefs of Gol- 

 conda. , 



So foon as you are over the Bridg, you enter into a large Street, that leads 

 you to the King s Palace. On the right-hand are the Houfes of fome Lords of 

 the Court 'j and four or five Inns two Stories-high : wherein there are fair Halls, 

 and large Chambers to let in the frefh Air. At the end of this Street there is a 

 large Piazza -, upon which ftands one of the fides of the Palace ; in the middle 

 whereof there is a Balcone, wherein the King comes to fit, when he pleales to 

 give Audience to the People. The great Gate of the Palace ftands not upon this 

 Piau~a, but upon another very neer adjoyning ; and you enter firft into a large. 



Court" 



