[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Indian literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in) › [Dark Ages](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages) › [Travellers (1500–1858)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel) › [Storia do Mogor](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.manucci) › [Storia do Mogor (Irvine)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.manucci~en-irvine) › 45 # Storia do Mogor 45: CHAPTER XVIII · OF THE TOWN OF BRAMPUR (BURHANPUR), AND OF OUR ARRIVAL IN AGRA (AGRAH), AND DEATH OF THE AMBASSADOR Storia do Mogor (Irvine) 45 - **Language:** English ### CHAPTER XVIII · OF THE TOWN OF BRAMPUR (BURHANPUR), AND OF OUR ARRIVAL IN AGRA (AGRAH), AND DEATH OF THE AMBASSADOR ### [45.1](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.manucci~en-irvine.45.1) We found Brampur (Burhanpur) a town of medium size, and without a wall. Aurangzeb, in the year one thousand six hundred and seventy-six, being then absolute king, caused it to be enclosed by a bulwark and wall along the bank of the river which flows beneath it. This river is not very large, but its waters are very clear and good. The town is much frequented by Persian and Armenian traders, on account of the many kinds of excellent cloth manufactured there, chiefly various sorts of women's headdresses (touca) and cloth for veils (beatilha), scarlet and white, of exceeding fineness; also for the quantity of iron to be procured there. In this town there is plenty of fruit, such as amb (ambah) or mungiis (mango) — the best fruit to be found in India — oranges, limes, citrons, and grapes in abundance. There is also in this town, as throughout the kingdom of the Mogul, a large supply of vegetables of various sorts. On the road to this town we found every day different streams and brooks with good water, also villages, shady and pleasant woods, peopled with many varieties of animals of the chase, such as harts, stags, gazelles, wild oxen (\<»;YS), peacocks, cooing doves, partridges, quail (cordernizes), blackbirds (tordo), geese (patto), ducks (ades), widgeon (marecas), and many sorts of birds. I would warn the reader never to stray far from his companions, because he might come across robbers in these woods. When they find any person apart from his company they rob him. ### [45.2](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.manucci~en-irvine.45.2) I was very near falling into their hands, for, having gone some distance from the rest of the caravan, I had got off my horse. I was about to shoot at a peacock with my matchlock, when all of a sudden there came out towards me two men with bows and arrows, who with signs and calls invited me to approach them. But I, apprehending what they wanted, went on my way in the direction the rest of the company had gone, never ceasing to have an eye upon those men. These, seeing me choose a different direction, placed arrows in their bows, and, hastening their pace, came after me, trying to overtake me. Seeing that otherwise I could never escape them, I stopped and put my matchlock to my cheek as if I meant to fire. Frightened at my firmness, they placed their hands on their heads as a sign of politeness, and, turning their backs, fled with even more agility than they had followed me. I continued on my way in dread of a similar encounter, and thus I learnt never more to leave the rest of the travellers, and I put off my longing to go out shooting until we should reach some place or village. Then I went out to shoot, and without hindrance killed whatever I wished, there being no scarcity of things to kill. ### [45.3](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.manucci~en-irvine.45.3) We delayed eight days in Burhanpur, then, resuming our journey, we came in six days to a river called the Narbada, where there was a town called Andia (Handiyah); there was also on the bank of the above-named river a little fort situated at the crossing-place. This river is of great breadth, and full of large stones. Its waters divide the lands of the Dacan (Dakhin) from those of Industan (Hindustan), which word means 'Hindudom' (gentilidade, place of the heathen). We crossed the river, and after going eight days through jungle, we arrived at a large town called Seronge (Sironj), which in old days was founded by a Hindu prince, but at present the overlord thereof is the Grand Mogul. This town lies in the midst of the territories of several Hindu princes of the Rajput tribe. Of these the nearest and the most powerful is the Rajah Champet Bondela (Champat Rae, Bundelah), whose country extends to twenty leagues from Agra (Agrah), and he has command over fifteen thousand horsemen and three hundred thousand infantry. In this town is made much cloth, both white and printed; Armenian traders dwell there, who buy the cloth and send it to various parts. Sometimes European traders come there to do business in this cloth. ### [45.4](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.manucci~en-irvine.45.4) It happened that more than once the said Champet Bondela (Champat Rae, Bundelah) came to plunder this town, on account of certain dissensions between him and the Mogul king. For this reason it was always garrisoned by a considerable force of Mogul cavalry under a general. In spite of this the fighting was not put an end to; there were many battles, in which on many occasions the Moguls had the worst of it. By reason of these Hindu princes, these routes are very dangerous for travellers. For the use of wayfarers there are throughout the realms of the Mogul on every route many 'sarais' (sarae). They are like fortified places with their bastions and strong -; most of them are built of stone or of brick. In every one is an official whose duty it is to close the gates at the going down of the sun. After he has shut the gates, he calls out that everyone must look after his belongings, picket his horses by their fore and hind legs; above all, that he must look out for dogs, for the dogs of Hindustan are very cunning and great thieves. I may find a good opportunity \[44\] to speak of the cunning of these dogs (III., 152). ### [45.5](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.manucci~en-irvine.45.5) At six o'clock in the morning, before opening the gates, the watchman gives three warnings to the travellers, crying in a loud voice that everyone must look after his own things. After these warnings, if anyone suspects that any of his property is missing, the doors are not opened until the lost thing is found, By this means they make sure of having the thief, and he is strung up opposite the sarae. Thus the thieves, when they hear a complaint made, drop the goods somewhere, so as not to be discovered. Thes ire only intended for travellers (soldiers do not go into them). Each one of them might hold, more or less, from 800 to 1,000 persons, with their horses, camels, carriages; and some of them are even larger. They contain different rooms, halls, and verandas, with trees inside the courtyard, and many provision shops; also separate abodes for the women and men who arrange the rooms and the beds for travellers. I will speak hereafter of the deceits of all these, when I come \[I., 71\] to talk of the sultan Amayum (Humayun). ### [45.6](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.manucci~en-irvine.45.6) We halted four days in Sironj, and then went on our way across inaccessible mountains, with numerous beautiful trees, and traversed by crystal streams whose waters are most wholesome, doing no harm to those who drink them fasting; rather are they beneficial and most palatable. In six days we reached the town of Narvar (Narwar), which lies at the foot of a great range of hills six leagues in circumference. On the very highest point of these hills is a fortress, which occupies all the level ground on the summit, with a circumference of two miles—a little more or less—with many houses and rooms, a work made long ago by the Hindus. But in the course of years, and by the inclemency of the weather, the walls are crumbling away, through the negligence of the Mogul king. His object is to destroy all the strong places of the Hindus of which he can get possession, so that their conquered princes may not rebel against him. His only anxiety is to fortify and supply the forts that are on the frontiers of his kingdom. ### [45.7](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.manucci~en-irvine.45.7) We did not halt at this place (Narwar), but pressed onwards. In five days we arrived at the well-known fortress of Gualior (Gwaliyar), where it is usual for the Mogul to keep as prisoners princes and men of rank. This fortress is on the top of a great mountain having a circuit of three leagues. It is in the middle of a fertile plain, and thus there is no other high ground from which it could be attacked. There is only a single road to ascend it, walled in on both sides, and having many gates to bar the way, each having its guard and sentinels. The rest of the \[45\] hill is of rock, perpendicular as a wall, though made by Nature. All around this mountain are to be seen many balconies, lanterns (? kiosks), rooms, and verandas, in different styles of architecture, with Hindu sculptures, all of this making the view most agreeable and pleasant to the visitor. On the crest of the mountain is a great plain, on which are sumptuous palaces with many balconies and windows of various kinds of stone, and delightful gardens irrigated from many crystal springs, where cypress and other lovely trees raise their heads aloft, so as to be visible from a distance. Within this fortress is manufactured much oil of jasmine, the best to be found in the kingdom, the whole of the level ground on the summit being covered with that shrub. There are also in this district many iron-mines, of which numerous articles are made and sent to the principal cities in the Mogul country. ### [45.8](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.manucci~en-irvine.45.8) In the town, which lies at the foot of the hill, there dwell many musicians, who gain a livelihood with their instruments ; and many persons maintain that it was on this mountain that the god Apollo first started Hindu music. Continuing our route, we came in three days to the river called the Chambal, at which is the town named Dolpur (Dholpur), where Aurangzeb gave battle against his brother Dara (Dara Shukoh), in the year one thousand six hundred and fifty-six \[correctly, 1658\], at which I was present, and to which, further on, I shall refer \[I. 182-184\]. Thence, in four days, we arrived at the city of Agrah, having ended by doing four hundred and sixty leagues, for such is the number reckoned from Surat as far as Agrah. At this place the governor assigned to us a handsome house to stay in. ### [45.9](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.manucci~en-irvine.45.9) We remained in this city, of which I will speak on a future occasion (I. 83), and, a few days after our arrival, the Englishmen who at that time were present at their factory came to visit the ambassador, showing themselves desirous of being ful to him, making him frequent and handsome offers. But these the ambassador would in no way accept. After several visits they invited him to their house, where they gave him a splendid feast, with dressed meats and beverages after their style. The ambassador complained very much of the great heat that has to be endured in that country, and the English offered him a powder, declaring that if he mixed it and drank it he would experience great relief and coolness. ### [45.10](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.manucci~en-irvine.45.10) When a few days had passed we resumed our route for Dely (Dihli), where at that moment the king, Shahjahan, was living. Then, after three days from our leaving Agrah, towards the evening, when in sight of the place where we meant to halt for that night, the ambassador called out to me in great pain, asking me for water. Then he expired without allowing me time to give it to him, those being the last words that he uttered. He died on the twentieth of June of one thousand six hundred and fifty-three \[correctly, 1656\], at five o'clock in the evening. We carried the body at once to a sarae called Orel (Hodal), between Agrah and Dihli, and, it being already late, we did not bury him that night. The official at the sarae sent notice to the local judicial officer, who hastened to the spot, and, putting his seal on all the baggage, laid an embargo upon it. I asked him why he seized and sealed up those goods. He answered me that it was the custom of that realm, and that he could not release the things until an order came from court, they being the property of an ambassador. ### [45.11](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.manucci~en-irvine.45.11) After seven hours of the night had passed, we removed the body of the defunct from the palanquin in order to enshroud it, and, as day began to dawn, we proceeded to lay him in the grave. Taking him by the arms, I tried to lift him, but, while in my hands, a blister burst from which exhaled such a fetid odour that all those standing by nearly fainted and fell down. We were forced to cease to lift him, and await the day. When day arose we somehow or other put him into a coffin, with all the haste that the odour compelled, and interred him on the bank of a reservoir which adjoined the town, marking the spot so that his bones might be transported elsewhere, as accorded with the rank of such a person. And as a fact they removed the remains after fifteen months to the city of Agra (Agrah). Having interred the ambassador, the servants all disappeared, and I was left alone, sad and anxious, having nothing to console me, nor anywhere to turn in order to recover my things, which had been sealed up by the official along with the ambassador's, although all the keys were in my possession. --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.manucci~en-irvine.45](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.manucci~en-irvine.45) · Pramāṇa