Hamilton’s account of the east inoies.

3®4

flrange ilories; but whether true or falfe I know not: but I am fure he has plaguedthem with faft-days, for they fail one half of the year at leafl.

Having made what obfervations I could of the empire of Perfia, I’ll travel alongthe fea-coafl towards Induftan, or the Great Mogul’s empire. All that fhore, fromJafques to Sindy, is inhabited by uncivilized people, who admit of no commerce withftrangers, though Guaddel and Diul,'two fea-ports, did, about a century ago, afford agood trade.

Chap. XI.— Treats of the Mogul’s Dominions on the River Indus , particularly of the an-cient Kingdom of Sindy, its Product and Commerce, Religion and Cufoms of the Inhabi-tants ; with a Defcription of the River Indus .

SINDY is the weflmofl province of the Mogul’s dominions, on the fea coaft, andhas Larribundar to its fea mart, which hands about 5 or 6 leagues from the fea, on abranch of the river Indus , capable to receive fhips of 200 tons. It is but a village ofabout 100 houfes, built of crooked flicks and mud ; but it has a large flone fort, withfour or five great guns mounted in it, to protect the merchandize brought thitherfrom the robberies of the Ballowches and Mackrans that lie near them, to the weft-ward, and the Jams to the eaftward, who being borderers, are much given to thieving,and they rob all whom they are able to mailer. The former are revolted fubjects ofPerfia, and the other are fubjedts of the Mogul; but being fecured from the awe ofan army’s coming to chaflife their infolency, by the marfliy grounds they live in, andthe rapid tides of Indus , they make but little account of their Sovereign’s power ororders, and fo they commit depredations on the Caffillas that pafs to and fro betweenTatta and Larribundar, notwithflanding a guard of 100 or 200 horfe are fent alongwith them, by the nabob or viceroy of Tatta, for protection ; but often thofe protec-tors fuffer the Caffillas to be robbed, pretending the robbers are too numerous to bereflrained by their fmall forces, and afterwards come in fharers with the robbers.

Tatta is the emporium of the province, a very large and rich city. It is about threemiles long, and one and an half broad, and is about 40 miles diftance from Larribun-dar, and has a large citadel on its weft end, capable to lodge 5000 men and horfe, andhas barracks and flables convenient for them, with a palace built in it for the nabob.All goods and merchandize imported or exported between Tatta and Larribundar, aretranfported on carriage beafls, fuch as camels, oxen, and horfes. The country is al-tnoft level, and overgrown with fhrubs and bufhes, very fit to cover an ambufeade,which the aforefaid robbers often make ufe of, and fuddenly ruff out on a Caffilla, andwhilft the guards and carriers are fighting in one place, either of front, flank, or rear,the robbers drive away the beafls with their packs. In anno 1699, a pretty rich Caffillawas robbed by a band of four and five thoufand villains : the guard confifling of 250horfe were intirely cut off, and above 500 of the merchants and carriers, which flrucka terror on all that had commerce at Tatta.

It was my fortune, about four months after, to come to Larribundar, with a cargofrom Malabar, worth above io,oool. I could find no Tatta merchants that wouldmeddle with my cargo before it was carried to Tatta ; but agreed on the prices of moftof the fpecies of my goods : and finding no other remedy but travelling by land, in aCaffilla of 1500 beafls, and as many, or more men and women, befides 200 horfe forour guard, about the middle of January we fet out; and after we had marched about 16

miles,