* BENARES. 
215 
be done by large bodies of Mahratta horse, lias been shown by Major 
de Fleury, who, with six thousand, has made an incursion, plun- 
dered Etaway, captured a detachment under Mr. Cuningham at 
Shekoabad, and obliged Colonel Vandeleure to retire to Furruck- 
abad. I have reason to rejoice that I escaped from the vicinity of 
the seat of war. We returned to our boats for the night, which was 
sultry, under the high bank of Benares. 
September 13. — At five we set off. The current was slow, and 
we only got to the mouth of the Goomty by half after two. The soil 
on the banks is changed from a sand to a clay mixed with loam. 
We saw a green alligator. The breeze was light, and w^e were obliged 
to track most of the morning. We came to at half after six, having 
made about twenty coss. 
September 14. — This was a hotter day than any we had expe- 
rienced. About four in the evening we passed Gazypore, where 
are cantonments for three regiments of cavalry, and at the end of 
the town a palace of the Nawaub of Oude overhanging the river, 
which was now wide, and the current consequently so slow, that 
we have made but sixteen coss in fourteen hours. 
September 15. — The weather was so extremely sultry that our 
dandys could hardly get us on. Eight of Mr. Salt's deserted in the 
night, but we procured others at Buxar, where we were obliged to 
stop, in order once more to give in a report of our names and busi- 
ness to a person appointed by Government for that purpose. Whilst 
we stayed to allow our people to procure provisions, we were told 
that yesterday a boat, containing a petty Rajah and his family, was 
overset a little higher up the river by striking on a steep bank, 
and that only two dandys were saved. Such accidents are not 
