Part IL 



every two Leagues there are little Huts, where there are men always ready, 

 who are engag'd to run away immediately ; Co that when one of thefe men that 

 carries the Letters, comes to one of thefe Huts, he throws the Letters into the 

 Hut, and then he that is appointed, runs with them to the next Stage. They 

 look upon it as an ill Omen, to give the Letters into the MelTengers hands - y 

 but they muft be thrown at his feet, and he muft gather them up. It is to 

 be obferv'd alfo, that the Highways in moft parts of India, are like Walks of 

 Trees ; and that where there are no Trees, at every five hundred paces di- 

 ftance there are fet up little Heaps of Stones, which the Inhabitants of the 

 next Villages are bound to white-wafh from time to time, to the end thole 

 Letter-Carriers may not mifs their ways in dark and Rainy nights. While we ftay'd 

 with the Nabab, certain Officers came to tell him, that they had brought cer- 

 tain Offenders to the door of his Tent. He was above half an hour before he 

 return'd them any anfwer, writing on, and giving initru&ions to his Secretaries j 

 but by and by, all of a fudden he commanded the Offenders to be brought in, 

 and after he had examin'd them, and made them confefs the crime of which 

 they ftood aceus'd, he was above an hour before he fàid a word, ftill writing 

 On, and employing his Secretaries. In the mean while feveral of the Officers 

 of the Army came to tender their refpefts to him in a very fubmiffive manner, 

 all whom he anfwer'd only with a nod. There was one of the Offenders which 

 were brought before him, had broken into a Houfe, and had kill'd the Mother 

 and three Children. He was condemned upon the fpot to have his Hands and 

 Feet cut off, and to be caft out into the high way, there to end his days 

 in mifcry. Another had rob'd upon the Highway 5 for which the Nabab or- 

 der'd his Belly to be ript up, and himfelf to be caft upon the Dunghill. I know 

 not what crimes the other two had committed, but their Heads were both 

 cut off. When we perceiv'd him at a little leifure, we ask'd him whether he 

 had any other Commands to lay upon us, and whether he thought our Com- 

 modities fitting to be ihew?n to the King. He anfwer'd, that we might go to 

 Gotconda^nA that he would write to his Son in our behalf,and that his Letter would 

 be there fooner than we. And in order to our journey, he order'd us fixteen 

 Horl'emento convoy us, and to provide us neceflaries upon the Road, till we 

 came to a River thirteen Leagues from Gandicot, which no perfôns are to pals, 

 unlefs they have the Nababs "Pafsport, to keep the Soldiers from running from- 

 their Colours. 



CHAP. XIX- 

 The Road from Gandicot to Golconda. 



THE fixteenth in the morning, we fet out of Gandicot , accompanied with 

 the greateftpart of the Canoneers, who brought us the firft days journey up- 

 on our way j and that day having travel'd feven Leagues, we came to lye at 



Cotepali. 



The feventeenth, the Canoneers took their leaves of us j and we kept on our 

 journey with our Morfemenj and having travel'd fix Leagues, we lay at a 

 Village call'd Cotem, on the other fide of the River, which is very broad. So 

 loon as we had croft'd it, the Horfemen took their leaves of us ; and though 

 we made them a prefent of Roupies, to buy them Tobacco and Betlè, yet we 

 could not perfwade them to take it. Their Ferry-Boats wherewith they croft 

 the River, arg like broad bottom'd Wicker Flaskets, cover d without with Oxe's 

 Hides j at th&jbottom whereof they lay certain Faggots, over which they fpread 

 a piece of old Tapeftry, to keep the Wares and Merchandifè from the wet. As 

 for their Coaches and Waggons, they faften them between two Boats, by the 

 Wheels and the Pole j the Horfes fwimming all the while, one man whip- 

 ping them on behind, while another in the Boat holds them up by the Head- 

 Stall. 



