Hamilton’s account of the east indies. 405-

the city, condemned to be beheaded, and their heads to be placed in thofe holes, andthere they have continued ever fince. Clofe by that temple, we took boat to carry us tothe city, the river, on that fide, being about a mile broad, and founding it in the mid-dle, I found fix fathoms. The river water is very clear, and wholefome to drink, anddefcends with a flow ftream.

The fprings of the river are from the mountains of Gatti, within 40 leagues ofGoa , and, in its paffage, wafhes part of the kingdoms of Talinga, Vifapore, Gol-condah, and Qrixa, blefling all the countries that it paffes through with fertility ofcorn, even to the place where it lofes itfelf, and there it is alfo benificent, in afford-ing a convenient harbour for flipping, though it is not much frequented byGrangers, and not at all by Europeans. I believe the reafon is, that many Rajahs, ofdifferent interefts, have their countries on the fides of the river, and they load thetrade with fo many taxes and impofitions, that the induftrious merchant cannot getany profit by his labour; and the reins of the Mogul’s government being fo flackin thofe parts, the Nabob of Orixa is not capable to keep the contentious Rajahs inbetter order.

Cattack is ftill a large city, walled round, and a good many cannon planted onits walls, but neither the wall nor artillery are kept in good order. The townis not one quarter part inhabited 5 but the ruins of many large buildings fhewfufficiently its ancient grandeur, when Kings kept their courts there. Its figureis an oblong for a league long, and a mile broad. It is garrifoned with 5000 foot,and 500 horfe.

The Englifh Company had once a fine fadlory in Cattack. Moft of its walls wereHanding in anno 1708, and a garden that belonged to the factory, was then in goodrepair* kept by a perfon of quality in the town. The country about abounds in comand cattle, and tame and wild fowl are very plentiful and good. Their manufactory isin cotton cloths, coarfe and fine of all forts, and very cheap, and fo are butter and oil.

I bought a few feerbands and fannoes there, to know the difference of the pricesbetween Cattack and Ballafore markets, and I found Cattack fold them about 60 percent, cheaper than Ballafore; but, on the road, which is about 35 leagues long, wepaid feven or eight times toll for our heads and goods, which made them come outabout 28 per cent, better than Ballafore market.

That part of the river, on the north fide of Cattack, is very fhallow. When Ipaffed it, there were not above three feet water in it. They have a cuftom in thistown, that, when any ftranger travels through it, he muff find furety, that he willcarry none of the inhabitants off with him, without the Nabob’s permiffion, and if theftranger can find no fecurity, the Nabob’s fecretary becomes bound for paying himten rupees for the danger he runs. Two Dutch renegadoes, who were in theNabob’s fervice as gunners, came to wait on'me, with a prefent of mutton, fowl andfilh, and proffered to be my fureties. I rewarded them with the ufual perquifite dueto the fecretary, and gave them a bottle of French brandy, which they fet a greatvalue on.

When I left Cattack, I travelled about 50 miles in two days, and came to Badruck,which Hands on the fide of a river that runs into the fea at Cunnaca, about 20 milesbelow Badruck. There are about 1000 houfes in it, and a fmall mud-wall fort, butnever a gun in it. The inhabitants are moftly employed in hufbandry, fpinning.,Weaving , and churning, and butter here is pretty cheap, being accounted dear at apenny per pound weight. In two days I travelled from Badruck to Ballafore, and fawnothing in the way, but things common and indifferent,, the product of the country

being,