Book I. Travels, in India. 



The greateft part of thofe that have made Relations of India, boldly affirm 

 that the Great Mogul keeps three or four-thoufand Elephants. But being my 

 felf at Jehanabad, where the King at prefent réfides, he that was chief Mafter of 

 the Elephants, aflur'd me that the King had not above five-hunder'd Elephants, 

 which were calPd Elephants of the Houle, made ufe of only to carry the Women, 

 their Tents, and Luggage ; but that for the Wars, he only kept fourfcore, or four- 

 Icore and ten at molt. The nobleft of the latter fort is always referv'd for the 

 King's Eldeft Son, the allowance for his food and other necelfaries being joo 

 Roupies a month, which comes to 7jo Livres. There are fome that are not al- 

 low'd above jo, others 40, others 30, and fome but 20 Roupies. But thofe Ele- 

 phants that are allow'd an hunder'd, two-hunder'd, three-hunder'd or four- 

 hunder'd Roupies a-month, have belonging to them certain Horfe-men that live 

 upon the (à me pay, and two or three young fellows to fan them during the heat 

 of the weather. All thefe Elephants are not always kept in the. City : the 

 greateft part being led out every morning into the fields, or among the thickets, 

 where they feed upon the branches of Trees, Sucre-canes, and Millet, to the great, 

 detriment of the poor Countrey man. But not a little to the profit of their 

 Keepers } for the left they eat at home, the more they gain into their own 

 purfes. 



The twenty-lev enth of Auguft, we travell'd fix leagues, and lay at a great Town' 

 Call'd Ragia-peta. 



The twenty-eighth, after eight leagues journey we came to Ondecoun 

 The twenty-ninth, after nine hours travel we arriv'd at Outemeda, where there 

 is one of the greateft Pagods in all India. It is all built of large Free-ftonè, and 

 it has three Towers, where there ftand feveral deforrrïd figures of Embofs'd- 

 work. It is encompaft with many little Chambers for the Priefts Lodgings : five- 

 hunder'd paces beyond there is a wide Lake, upon the banks whereof are buile 

 feveral Pagods eight or ten-foot-fquare ; and in every one an Idol reprefenting the 

 fhape of fome Devil, with a Bramert, who takes care that no ftranger that is not 

 of their fuperftition, fhall come to wafli, or take any water out of the Lake. If 

 any ftranger defires any water, they bring it in earthen-pots : and if by chance 

 their pot touches the ftranger's Veffel, they break it immediately. They told me 

 aifo, that if any ftranger, not of their fuperftition, fhould happen by accident to 

 wafh in that Lake, they muft be fore'd to drain the Lake of all the water that 

 was in at that time. As for their Alms, they are very charitable j for there partes 

 by no perfon in neceffity., or that begs of them, but they give them to eat and 

 drink of fuch as they have. There are feveral Women that fit upon the Road, 

 whereof fome of them always keep fire for Travellers to light their Tobacco by. 

 Nay, they will give a Pipe to fome that have none at all. Others boil Rice with 

 JQuicheri, which is a grain fomewhat like our Hemp-feed. Others boil Beans 

 with their Rice, becaufè the water wherein they are borl'd never puts thofe that 

 are over-hot into a Pleurify. There are Women that have vow'd to perform thefe 

 afts of Charity to ftrangers for (even or eight years, fome for more, fome for left, 

 according to their convenience. And to every Traveller they give fome of their 

 Beans, and Rice-water, and an handful of Rice to eat. There are other Women 

 upon the high-way, and in the fields, looking behind their Horfès, their Oxen, 

 and their Cows, who have made vows never to eat but what they find indigefted 

 in the dung of thofe Beafts. Ntow in regard *here is neither Barly nor Oats in that 

 Countrey, they give their Cattel certain great crooked Peafè, which they bruife 

 before between two Mill*-ftones : and then lay them in fteep for half an hour 5 

 for they are a very folid fubftance, and hard to be drgefted. They give their Cat- 

 tel thefe Peafe every evening ; and in the morning they feed them with two- 

 pound of dark-brown-Sugar, like Wax, kneaded together with as much Meal, and 

 one-pound of Butter, whereof the Oftlers or Grooms make little round Balls 

 which they thruft down their throats -, for otherwife they would never eat them. 

 Afterwards they wafh their mouths, that are all over clamm'd, efpecially their 

 teeth, which makes them have fuch an averfion againft that fort of food. All the 

 day long they pull up the graft and weeds by the roots, and give their Cattel, be- 

 ing very careful of letting them eat any of the earth. f 

 The thirty'tb, we travell'd eight leagues, and lay at a place Call'd Goftlnpali. 



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