5^ 
Travels into the INDIES. Part III. 
The Idol of 
Mult an. 
The yearly Re- 
venue of Mid- 
tan. 
Worftiipped there -, the Face of it is black, and it is doathcd in red Leather: 
It hath two Pearls in place of Eyes ; and the Emir ■ or Governour of the 
Countrey , takes the Offerings that are prefented to it. To conclude, The 
Town of Multan is but of fmall extent for a Capital , but it is pretty well 
Fortifi'd \ and is very confiderable to the Mogul^ when the Terfians are Ma- 
fters of Candahar^ as they are at prefenx. 
What the Great Mogul receives yearly from this Province , amounts to 
Seventeen millionSjJFive hundred thouland Livres* 
The Province 
of Candahar. 
The King of 
ferfia kills his 
Grand-mother. 
The bounds of 
Candahar, 
Two Citadels 
at Candahar. 
Candahar, a 
rich Town. 
The yearly Re- 
venue of the 
Mogul from 
Candahar, 
Wine- drinkers 
punifhed. 
C H ^ f 
Of the Vroviîice of Candahar . 
BEfore I fpeak of the Eailern Provinces of the Indies ^ \ fhall proceed to 
treat of thofc which are to the Weft of the Indus , or towards the Ri- 
vers that make part of it. Candahar is one of them ; tho' the chief Town 
of it belong at prefent to the King of Terfia , who took it from Cha-Gehan 
contrary to the will of his Grand-mother , which coft her her Life. It is 
faid, That that Lady got Money from the Great Mogul, to hinder the Siege 
of this Town. Her Grand-fon being ready to march, flie made him a thou- 
fand Entreaties to divert him from the expedition -, and finding that flie 
could gain nothing of him by fair means, me fell into a paffion , and up- 
braided him that he was going to fquander away the Eîlate of Orphans^ 
This Difcourfe fo offended the King , that having asked her if that Eftate 
belonged to any but to him, He cut lier over the head with an Axe that he 
held in his hand, of which fhe died. 
This Province hath to the North the Country of Balc^ whereof an Usiec 
Prince is Sovereign. To the Eaft it hath the Province of Caboul, to the South 
that of Bucor , which belongs to Multan, and part of Sigeftan, whicii is of the 
Kingdom of Terfia -, and to the Weft^ other Countries of the King of Verfia. 
The Province is very moutainous , and Candahar its chief Town , lies in 
the twenty third degree of Latitude , though fome Travellers have placed 
it in the four and thirtieth. 
That Countrey produces abundantly all forts of Provifions that are ne- 
cefiary for the fubfiftence of its Inhabitants , unlefs it be on that fide which 
lies towards Verfia , where it is very barren. Every thing is dear in the 
chief Town, becaufe of the multitude of Forreign Merchants that refort 
thither, and it wants good Water. The Town of Candahar is confiderable 
by its Situation \ and every one knows that the Terfian and Mogul both pre- 
tend to it. The former has in it at prefent a Garrifon of nine or ten thou- 
fand Men , leaft it fhould be furprized by the Mogul -, and being befides a 
Town of great importance , it is fortified with good Walls , and hath two 
Citadels. 
The Trade that it hath with Terfia , the Country of the Uz,hecs and In- 
dies, makes it very rich -, and for all the Province is fo little, it heretofore 
yielded the Afo_^«/ betwixt fourteen and fifteen Millions a year. There is 
no Province in Indoftan where there are fewer Gentiles. The Inhabitants are 
great lovers of Wine, but they are prohibited to drink any -, and if a Moor 
who hath drank Wine , commit any Scandal, he is fet upon an Afs , with 
his Face to the Tail, and led about the Town , attended by the Officers of 
the Cotoual , who beat a little Drum, and th"v are followed by all the Chil- 
dren, who hooop and hallow after them. Though there be no Province 
of Indofian , where there are fewer Gentiles : yet there are Banians tjiere, be- 
caufe of Traffick ; but they have nopublick Pagod : And their AfTemblies 
for Religion are kept in a Private Houfe , under the direction of a Bramen^ 
whom they entertain for performing their Ceremonies. The 
