WESTERN HINDOOSTAN. h$3
bounded to the eaft by mount Imaus, bounded on the weft and
fouth by the chain of the Punjab hills. There is another
plain fimilar, from the tipper part of the Setlege as far as the
Ganges, where it flows through the province of Sirinagur.
■ I now afcend, from its union with the Cbunaub, the Behut, The Behut.
the moft celebrated of the five rivers, the Fabuldfus Hydafpes,
which flows in two magnificent meanders, and iffuing from a
narrow gap between exalted mountains, from its origin in the
romantic CaJJjmere; partly along a plain, partly at the foot of
mountains cloathed with forefts of trees of fize magnificent,
many of which are perifhing continually through weight of
years, and others fucceeding them in the full verdure and
vigor of youth. Would my pen could be infpired like that of
M. Bernier, who in 1664 attended in quality of a phyfician, and
philofophic friend, to a great Omrah of that time, a follower
of Aurengezebe in his fplendid progrefs to Cajhmere for the
recovery of his health, by a change of the burning clime of
HindooJIan, for the falubrious air of the former. I leave to the
reader the perufal of Bernier, the firft traveller, I may fay,
of his, or any other age. I fhall in a very abridged form
take up the account from the departure of the court from
Agra. His fuite was an army. He was alfo attended by his
filler, which gave fplendor unfpeakable to the train of ladies.
He left Agra in the moment pronounced fortunate by the im-
perial aftrologers. To this day nothing is done without their
aufpices. He took the road to Lahore, hunting or hawking on
each fide as occafion offered. Among the nobler game, a lion
prefented itfelf. In croffing the rivers bridges of boats were
ufed for the purpofe. The heats on the march were dreadful,
G 2 caufed
bounded to the eaft by mount Imaus, bounded on the weft and
fouth by the chain of the Punjab hills. There is another
plain fimilar, from the tipper part of the Setlege as far as the
Ganges, where it flows through the province of Sirinagur.
■ I now afcend, from its union with the Cbunaub, the Behut, The Behut.
the moft celebrated of the five rivers, the Fabuldfus Hydafpes,
which flows in two magnificent meanders, and iffuing from a
narrow gap between exalted mountains, from its origin in the
romantic CaJJjmere; partly along a plain, partly at the foot of
mountains cloathed with forefts of trees of fize magnificent,
many of which are perifhing continually through weight of
years, and others fucceeding them in the full verdure and
vigor of youth. Would my pen could be infpired like that of
M. Bernier, who in 1664 attended in quality of a phyfician, and
philofophic friend, to a great Omrah of that time, a follower
of Aurengezebe in his fplendid progrefs to Cajhmere for the
recovery of his health, by a change of the burning clime of
HindooJIan, for the falubrious air of the former. I leave to the
reader the perufal of Bernier, the firft traveller, I may fay,
of his, or any other age. I fhall in a very abridged form
take up the account from the departure of the court from
Agra. His fuite was an army. He was alfo attended by his
filler, which gave fplendor unfpeakable to the train of ladies.
He left Agra in the moment pronounced fortunate by the im-
perial aftrologers. To this day nothing is done without their
aufpices. He took the road to Lahore, hunting or hawking on
each fide as occafion offered. Among the nobler game, a lion
prefented itfelf. In croffing the rivers bridges of boats were
ufed for the purpofe. The heats on the march were dreadful,
G 2 caufed