Travels in India (Tavernier) 15: BOOK I

15

From Dantawara to Merta it is three days’ journey, and it is a mountainous country belonging to semi-independent Rajas or Princes, who pay some tribute to the Great Mogul. But in return, the Great Mogul appoints them to important posts in his armies, from which they derive much more than the tribute which they are obliged to pay him.
Merta is a large town, but badly built. When I arrived there, during one of my journeys in India, all the caravansarais were full of people, because the aunt of Shah Jahan, wife of Shaista Khan, was then on her way, taking her daughter to marry her to Sultan Shuja, second son of Shah Jahan. I was obliged to order my tent to be pitched upon a bank where there were large trees on both sides, and two hours afterwards I was much surprised to see fifteen or twenty elephants, which came to break off as much as they could of these great trees. It was a strange thing to see them break large branches with their trunks, as we break a piece of faggot. This injury was done by order of the Begum to avenge herself of an affront by the inhabitants of Merta, who had not received her, and had not made a present as they ought to have done.
From Mirda to Boronda (Barunda) . 12 coss. ,, Boronda to Coetchiel (?) . . 18 ,, From Coetchel to Bander-Sonnery (Bandar-Sindri) . . . 14 coss. ,, Bander-Sonnery to Ladona (Ludana) 16 „ ,, Ladona town to Chasou (Chaksu) 12 ,, „ Chasou to Nuali (Lawali ?) . . 17 „ ,, Nuali to Hindoo (Hindaun) . 19 ,, ,, Hindoo to Baniana (Biana) . 10 „
These two last places are towns where, as in all the surrounding country, round indigo cake is made, and being the best of all the varieties of indigo it is also twice as dear.
From Baniana to Vettapour (Fatehpur Sikri), 14 coss.
Fatehpur Sikri is a very old town where they make woollen carpets.
From Vettapour to Agra . . . 12 coss. ,, Surat to Agra there are in all 415 ,,
If one were able to make regular stages of 13 coss each, he would accomplish the journey in thirty-three days; but, since one rests and halts in certain places, the journey lasts generally from thirty-five to forty days.