Book II. 



Travels in India. 



CHAP. XIII. 



A Continuation of the Authors Travels to the Diamond Mines. 



I come to the third Mine, which is the moft ancient of all, in the Kingdom 

 of Bengala. You may give it the name of Soumelpour, which is the name of 

 the Town next to the place where the Diamonds are found $ or rather Gouel, 

 which is the name of the River in the Sand whereof they feek for the Stones. 

 The Territories through which this River runs, belong to a Raja, who was 

 anciently tributary to the Great Mogul, but revolted in the time of the Wars 

 between Sha-jehan and Geban-guir his Father. So foon as Sha-jehan came to 

 the Empire, he fent to demand his Tribute of this Raja, as well for the time 

 palt, as to come ; who finding that his Revenues were not fufficient to pay him, 

 quitted his Country, and retir'd into the Mountains with his Subjects. Upon 

 his refufàl, Sha-jehan believing he would ftand it out, fent a great Army againft- 

 him , perfwading himfèlf that he mould find great ftore of Diamonds in his 

 Country. But he found neither Diamonds, nor People, nor Victuals, the Raja 

 having burnt all the Corn which his Subjefts could not carry away ; fo that 

 the greateft part of Sha-jehans Army perifh'd for hunger. At length the Raja 

 return'd into his Country, upon condition to pay the Mogul fome flight 

 Tribute. 



The Way from Agra to this Mine. 



From -Agra to Halabas, coftes 130 

 From Halabas to Banarous, coftes 33 

 From Banarous to Safaron, coftes 4 

 From Agra to Saferon you travel Eaftward ; but from Safcron to the Mine 

 you muft wind to the South, coming firft to a great Town, coftes 21 

 This Town belongs to the Raja I have fpoke of. From thence you go to 

 a Fortrefs çaïl'd Rodas, coftes e < 4 



This is one of the ftrongeft places in all AJîa 3 feated upon a Mountain, for- 

 tifi'd with fix Battions, and twenty-fèven pieces of Cannon, with three Moats 

 full of Water, wherein there are good Fifh. There is but one way to come 

 to the top of the Mountain, where there is a Plain half a League in compafs,, 

 wherein they fbw Corn and Rice. There is above twenty Springs that water 

 that Plain ; but all the reft of that Mountain from top to bottom is nothing 

 but a fteep Precipice cover d with over-grown' Woods. The Raja's formerly 

 us'd to live in this Fort with a Garrifon of feven.or eight hundred men. But 

 the Grèat Mogul has it now , having taken that Fort by the policy of the fa- 

 mous Mirgimola, which all the Kings of India could never take before. The 

 Raja left three Sons, who betray'd one another ; the eldeft was poifon'd, the 

 fécond went and ferv'd the Great Mogul, who gave him the command of four 

 thoufànd Horfe j the third pcflefies his Fathers Territories, paying the Mogul 

 a fmâll Tribute. 



From the Fortrefs of Rodas to Soumelpour, coftes 30' 

 Soumelpour is a great Town, the* Houfes whereof are built of Earth, and co- 

 ver'd only with Branches of CoCO-trees. All thefe thirty Leagues you travel 

 through Woods, which is a very dangerous paflage, as being very much pefter'd 

 with Robbers. The Raja lives half a League from the Town, in Tents fet upon 

 a fair rifing ground, at thé foot whereof runs the Gouel, defcending from the 

 Southern Mountains, and fatting into Ganges, 



In this River they find the Diamonds. For after the great Rains are over, 

 which is ufually in December, they ftay all January till the River be clear j by 

 reafon that by that time in fome places it is not above two foot deep, and 

 in feveral places the Sand lies above the water. About the end of January, 

 or the beginning of Febmary ) there flock together out of the great Town,J 



* T z and 



