414

Hamilton’s account of the east indies.

many poor natives, when they are in danger of being opprefied by the Mogul’s gover-nor, or his harpies.

Hughly is a town of a large extent, but ill built. It reaches about two miles alongthe river’s fide, from the Chinchura before mentioned tot he Bandel, a colony for-merly fettled by the Portugueze; but the Mogul’s Fouzdaar governs both at prefent.This town of Hughly drives a great trade, becaufe all foreign goods are broughtthither for import, and all goods of the product of Bengal are brought hither for ex-portation. And the Mogul’s furza or cuftom-houfe is at this place. It affords richcargoes for fifty or fixty {hips yearly, befides what is carried to neighbouring countriesin fmall veffels; and there are veffels that bring falt-petre from Patana, above fiftyyards long, and five broad, and two and an half deep, and can carry above 200 tuns.They come down in the month of October, before the ftream of the river, but areobliged to track them up again, with ftrength of hand, about icoo miles. To men-tion all the particular fpecies of goods that this rich country produces, is far beyondmy {kill; but, in our Eaft-India Company’s fales, all the forts that are fent hence toEurope , may be found; but opium, long pepper, and ginger are commodities thatthe trading {hipping in India deals in, befides tobacco, and many forts of piece goods,that are not merchantable in Europe .

The Bandel, at prefent, deals in no fort: of commodities, but what are in requeftat the court of Venus ; and they have a church, where the owners of fuch goods andmerchandize are to be met with, and the buyer may be conducted to proper {hops,where the commodities may be feen and felt, and a prieft to be fecurity for the found-nefs of the goods.

Now this being my fartheft travels up the famous Ganges , I mud advance fartheron the report of others, and fo I begin with Cafiembazaar, about 100 miles aboveHughly, where the Englifli and Dutch have their refpective factories; and, by theircompanies orders, the feconds of council ought to be chiefs of thofe factories. Thetown is large, and much frequented by merchants, which never fails of making aplace rich. The country about it is very healthful and fruitful, and produces induf-trious people, who cultivate many valuable manufactories.

Muxadabaud is but 12 miles from it, a place of much greater antiquity, and theMogul has a mint there; but the ancient name of Muxadabaud is changed for Rajah-tnal, for above a century. It was, in former times, the greatefi: place of trade andcommerce on the Ganges , but now its trade and grandeur adorns Cafiembazaar.

About forty or fifty miles to the eaftward of Rajahmal, on another channel of theGanges , is Maldo, a large town, well inhabited and frequented by merchants, andthe Englilh and Dutch had factories there, but whether they are continued {till, Iknow not.

Patana is the next town frequented by Europeans, where the Englifli and Dutchhave factories for falt-petre and raw filk. It produces alfo fo much opium, that itferves all the countries in India with that commodity. It is the place of refidence ofthe prince of Bengal, who is always of the blood royal. The town is large, but thehoufes built at fome diftance from one another. The country is pleafant and fruitful;and the town lies in 26 degrees of latitude to the northward of the equator.

Bannaras lies about 100 miles farther up the river, celebrated for its fluidity by allperfons over India , where Paganifm prevails. Here are feminaries and universitiesfor the education, of youth, and to initiate them into the myfteries of their religion-Aurengzeb reftraincd the priefts from {hewing the madnefs of their zeal, for they

found