Travels in India (Tavernier) 21.2
Travels in India (Ball) 21.2
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- English
21.2.1
I remained at Benares on the 12th and 13th, and during these two days there was continual rain; but it did not prevent me from resuming my journey, and on the evening of the 13th I crossed the Ganges with the passport of the Governor. They examine all travellers’ baggage before embarking in the boat, personal property pays nothing, and it is only on merchandise that one must pay duty. The 13th [December] I halted at Baterpour (Bahādurpur) . ... 2 coss. 14th at Satragy-sera (Sadrāzā-ki-sarāi on old map) . . 8 „ 15th at Moniaricy-sera (Mohaniā-ki-sarāi) 6 ,, During the morning of this day, after having travelled two coss, I crossed a river called Carnasar sou, and at three coss from thence one crosses another named Saode-sou, and both are crossed by fords. The 16th at Gourmabad (Khurmābād) . 8 coss. It is a town on a river called Goudera-sou, and you cross it by a stone bridge. The 17th at Saseron (Sāsserām) . . 4 coss.
21.2.2
Sāsserām is a town at the foot of the mountains, near to which there is a large tank. You see a small island in the middle, where there is a very beautiful mosque, in which there is the tomb of a Nawāb named Selim-Khān, who had it built during the time he was Governor of the Province. There is a fine stone bridge to cross into the island, which is all flanked and paved with large cut stones. On one of the sides of the tank there is a large garden, in the middle of which is another beautiful tomb of the son of the same Nawāb, Selim-Khān, who succeeded his father in the government of the Province. When you wish to go to the mine of Soulmelpour, of which I shall speak in the last book of this narrative, you leave the main road to Patna, and turn straight southwards by Ekberbourg and the famous fort of Rhodas (Rohtas), as I shall say in the same place. The 18th [December] I crossed, in a boat, the river Sonsou, which comes from the mountains of the south; and, after crossing it, those who have goods have to pay a certain duty. This day my halt was at Daoud-Nagar-Sera (Daudnagar), where there is a fine tomb. 9 coss. The 19th to Halva-sera (Arwal). 10 ,, 20th to Aga-sera (?). . 9 ,, In the morning I met 130 elephants, both large and small, which they were taking to Delhi to the Great Mogul. The 21st to Patna..... 10 coss.
21.2.3
Patna is one of the largest towns in India, on the margin of the Ganges, on its western side, and it is not less than two coss in length. The houses are not better than in the majority of the other towns of India, and they are nearly all roofed with thatch or bamboo. The Dutch company has an establishment there on account of the trade in saltpetre, which it refines at a large village called ChaprA, situated on the right bank of the Ganges, 10 coss above Patna. Arriving at Patna with M. Bernier, we encountered some Dutchmen in the street who were returning to ChaprA, but who halted their carriages in order to salute us. We did not separate before we had emptied together two bottles of ShirAz wine in the open street, regarding which there is nothing to remark upon in this country, where one lives without ceremony, and with perfect liberty.
21.2.4
I remained eight days in Patna, during which time an occurrence happened which will show the reader that unnatural crime does not rest unpunished by the Muhammadans. A Mimbachi who commanded 1000 foot disgraced a young boy who was in his service ; . . . the boy, overwhelmed with grief, chose his time to avenge himself, and being one day out hunting with his master, and removed from the other attendants by about a quarter of a league, he came behind him and cut off his head with his sword. He then rode immediately to the town at full speed, crying aloud that he had slain his master for such a reason, and came at once to the house of the Governor, who placed him in prison. But he left it at the end of six months, and although all the relatives of the defunct did what they could to procure his execution, the Governor did not dare to condemn him, as he feared the people, who protested that the young man had acted rightly. I left Patna in a boat to descend to Dacca on the 29th of January (?), between 11 o’clock and noon. If the river had been strong, as it is after the rains, I should have embarked at Allahabad, or at the least at Benares. The same day I slept at Sera Beconcour, 15 coss. Five coss on this side of Beconcour you meet a river called Pompon sou, which comes from the south and flows into the Ganges. The 30th [December] to Sera D’Eriia (Dariapur ?), 17 coss.
21.2.5
On the 31st, after having gone 4 coss or thereabouts, you meet the river Kaoa, which comes from the south; 3 coss lower you see another called Chanon, which falls from the north; 4 coss farther you discover that called Erguga, which comes from the south; and again, 6 coss below that of Aquera, which comes from the same quarter, and these four rivers lose their names in the Ganges. All that day I beheld lofty mountains on the south side, and at a distance from the Ganges some 10 coss and some 15 coss, and I came to a halt at Monger (Mongir) town, 18 coss. The first day of January 1666, after having sailed two hours I saw the Gandaic enter the Ganges from the north. It is a large navigable river. This evening the halt was at Zangira (Janjira,) 8 coss. But as the Ganges twisted much during the day it is by water fully 22 coss. During the 2d, between 6 o’clock in the morning and about 11 o’clock, I saw three rivers enter the Ganges, and they all three come from the north side. The first is called Ronova, the second Tae, and the third Chanan. I slept at Baquelpour (Bhagalpur), 18 coss. The 3d, after four hours’ travelling on the Ganges, I encountered the river Ivatare, which comes from the north, and slept this day at a village called Pongangel, at the end of the mountains which abut on the Ganges, 13 coss. On the 4th [January], one hour below Pongangel, I met a great river called Mart-nadi (Kalindry?), which comes from the north, and I slept at RAGEMEHALE (RAJMAHAL), 6 coss.
21.2.6
Rajmahal is a town on the right bank of the Ganges, and when you approach it by land you find that for one or two coss the roads are paved with brick up to the town. It was formerly the residence of the Governors of Bengal, because it is a splendid hunting country, and, moreover, the trade there was considerable. But the river having taken another course, and passing only at a distance of a full half league from the town, as much for this reason as for the purpose of restraining the King of Arakan, and many Portuguese bandits who have settled at the mouths of the Ganges, and by whom the inhabitants of Dacca, up to which place they made incursions, were molested, — the Governor and the merchants who dwelt at Rajmahal removed to Dacca, which is to-day a place of considerable trade. On the 6th, having arrived at a great town called Donapour, at 6 coss from Rajmahal, I left M. Bernier, who went to Kasimbazar, and from thence to Hugli by land, because when the river is low one is unable to pass on account of a great bank of sand which is before a town called Soutiqui. I lay this evening at Toutipour, distant from RAJMAHAL 12 coss. At sunrise I beheld a number of crocodiles asleep on the sand.
21.2.7
The 7th I reached Acerat (Hadjrapur), 25 coss. From Acerat to Dacca, by land, there are still 45 coss. All this day I beheld so large a number of crocodiles that, at length, I became desirous to shoot one in order to ascertain if what is commonly said is true, namely, that a shot from a gun does not affect them. The shot struck him in the jaw and the blood flowed, but he did not remain where he was, but went into the river. On the 8th I again saw a great number of these crocodiles lying on the bank of the river, and I fired at two with two shots, each charge having three balls. Immediately they were wounded they turned over on the back, opening the mouth and dying on the spot. This day I slept at Douloudia (?), 17 coss. The crows were the cause of our finding a fine fish which the fishermen had concealed on the bank of the river in the reeds. For when our boatmen observed that there were a great number of crows which cawed and entered the reeds, they concluded that they must contain something unusual, and they searched so well that they found sufficient to make a good meal.