ASSEWAN. 183 
holes in the parapet for musquetry. The gates are strong, and 
handsome; the street wide, and hned witii trees. It seems po- 
pulous, and in a thriving condition, forming a complete contrast to 
the wretched villages we have hitherto met with. After dinner we 
rode into the town, and visited Almas 's house, and the three serais. 
The former is neat and large, with a garden in the centre ; the 
latter are convenient. When the Vizier visited Almas at Meah 
Gunge, he received a nazur of a lac of rupees, piled up as a seat for 
him to sit on. His Excellency took care to take away the seat with 
him. The park of artillery here is in excellent order: there are 
forty pieces, some of large calibre, with ammunition waggons, and 
bullocks in abundance. The site of the town is a flat, but it has a 
small lake on two sides of it, which serves as a ditch. The vicinity is 
well cultivated, and altogether does credit to the master. It must 
indeed be observed, for the credit of Almas, that though he was a 
very strict, and even extorting Aumil, yet his people were the most 
prosperous of the Vizier's subjects, and his soldiers the best disci- 
plined. We had frequent and heavy showers during the day, which 
rendered the air very pleasant- Fruit was sent us in the evening. 
July 29.— We set off in the usual manner at the usual hour; and 
after travelling about twelve miles, came to our ground in three 
hours, Assewan is distant about a mile from Meah Gunge, and is 
more pleasantly situated on a slight elevation overlooking a small 
lake. It has been deserted for the latter place, and is mostly in 
ruins. Two of Mr.Grant's horsemen here met me fromFutty Ghur 
with a letter, assuring me that every thing was ready, as I had re- 
quested, at the passage of the Cali Niti. The country continued 
the same uniform level. We encamped three miles beyond Tukeah, 
