I 



Book II Travels in India. 12 



Idolaters beyond all meafure ; and if any of them embrace Mahumetijm, 'tis only 

 becaufe they would not work any longer. For then they turn Souldiers or Faquirs, 

 . who are a fort of people that profefs a renunciation of the World, and live upon 

 Alms, but are indeed very Rafcals. They reckon that there are in India 800006 

 of thefè Mahometan Faquirs, and twelve hunder'd thoufand Idolaters. 



Once in fifteen days the King goes a Hunting, mounted upon his Elephant, and 

 fo continues during the chafe. All the Game he takes is brought within Musket- 

 Ihot of his Elephants. Which confifts generally of Lions, Tigers, Harts, and wild- 

 Goats. For they will not meddle with Boars, as being Mahumetans. When he 

 returns home, he puts himfelf into his Paliekj, and goes in the fame order, and 

 with the fame Guard, as when he returns from the Mofyuee^ fàving that when he 

 goes a Hunting, he is attended with three or four-hunder'd Horfemen, that ride 

 without any discipline in the World. 



As for the PrincefTes, as well the Wives, Daughters and Sifters of the King, 

 they never ftir out of the Palace, unlefs it be to fpend a few days in the Countrey 

 for their pleafure. Some of them go abroad, but very rare!y,to vifit fome great 

 Noble-mens Wives, as the Wife of Giafer-Kan, who is the King's Aunt. But that 

 is only by particular leave of the King. And then it is not the cuftom as in Per fia, 

 , where the Ladies make their vifits only by night, and with a great number of 

 Eunuchs, who clear the Streets of all people they meet. For in the Mogul's 

 Court, they ufually go out about nine in the morning, with only three or four 

 Eunuchs, and ten or twelve Slaves, which are inftead of Maids of Honour. 



The PrincefTes are carri'd in Pallets cover'd over with Embroider'd Tapeftry, 

 and a little Coach to hold one fingle perfon that follows the Palleki, drawn by 

 two men, the wheels not being above a foot in diameter. The reafon why they 

 carry that Coach along with them, is, becaufe that when the PrincefTes arrive at 

 the Houfe where they intend to alight, the men that carry the Palkki, not being 

 permitted to go any farther than the firft Gate,they then take their Coaches,and are 

 drawn by their female-Slaves to the Womens Apartment. I have alfo obferv'd, 

 that in all the Houfes of great Noble-men, the Womens Apartment is at the far- 

 ther-end of all. So that you muft crofs two or three great Courts, and a Garden 

 or two, before you can come at it. 



When the PrincefTes are married to any of the Court-Grandees, they become 

 abfolute MiftrefTes of their Husbands ; fo that if they ftudy not to pleafe them, 

 and do not as they would have them, in rçgard of their free accefs to the King, 

 they over-rule the King many times to their prejudice, even to the turning them 

 out of their employments. 



As it is a cuftom that the firft-born always is Heir to the Throne, though he be 

 the Son of a Slave, fo foon as the PrincefTes of the King's Haram perceive that 

 there is any one among them big with Child,they ufe all the artifices imaginable to 

 make them mifcarry. Infomuch that being at Patna in the year 1666, Cha-Eft- 

 Kan's Chirurgeon aflur'd me, that the Wife of Cha-Eft-Kan had procur'd the 

 mifcarrying of eight Women, becaufe fhe would fuffer no other Womens Children! 

 but her own. 



CHAP, 



