Storia do Mogor 69.2

69.2

Aurangzeb wished to repress this disorder, and therefore ordered that all Christians, excepting physicians and surgeons, should leave the city and remove to near the park of artillery, which was beyond the suburbs at one league's distance from the city. There they had leave to prepare and drink spirits on condition they did not sell them. After the issue of this order he directed the kotwal (chief of police) to search out Mahomedans and Hindus who sold spirits, every one of whom was to lose one hand and one foot. Without fail the kotwal went out to search for the vendors, although himself one of the consumers. One day I saw him carry out such a sentence on six Mahomedans and six Hindus; after the punishment he ordered them to be trailed to a dung-heap, leaving them there to die discreetly. This penal order was in force for a time, so that no vendors were to be found ; for whenever the kotwal suspected that spirits were made in any house, he sent his soldiers to plunder everything in it. The regulations were strict at first, but little by little they were relaxed ; and during the period of strictness the nobles, who found it hard to live without spirits, distilled in their houses, there being few who do not drink secretly.