and forty-five reach a fountain, near which we encamp, on a spot of uncultivated ground surrounded by the Sarson or mustard in flower. The Nishánchí, or colour bearer, of a company belonging to Bhacti Thápá, paid us a visit. Afterwards Bhawani Singh Négi made his appearance. He says that our loads shall be brought from Malárí in a short time, and that he will charge the expense as a set off against our account of one hundred and one rupees advanced to him on his bond. Thermometer at night 64°. September 18th.-Thermometer 62°. At noon 74°. Night 642. Many showers of short continuance but smart, in the course of the day, with intervals of sunshine and heat. The jamâdar Jagrub sent some rice and flour last night, and to-day a present of game. This man was with Sheristha Thápá at Sirinagar in 1808, when Mr. H. came with the party to survey; but on account of his disguise did not recognise him. He gave the following account of the transactions which had reached us in a confused manner, whilst in the Undés. Dasrat'h, who was formerly in power at Sirinagar, but had been displaced, had written information to Catmandu, that Bhácti Thápá had allowed two Europeans to go through the country in his division into the Undés. The Nepalese government sent Bhactí a reprimand, on the receipt of which he sent Jagrup with thirty men to examine into the foundation of the reports propagated by Dasrat'h, with whom he had long been at enmity. On Jagrup reaching Baragaon, he found that Bhawani Singh had left his house to avoid the oppression of a party of Dasrat'h's men, which to the amount of ninety had taken possession of his premises, broken open his granaries, and used the grain they had found in them. He had armed all his dependents but on Jagrup sending him assurances of his personal safety, he went over to him. Bhawáni then made a declaration of his ignorance of our being Europeans, and of his having received the sum of eighty-seven rupees to forward our baggage to Niti. Dasrat'h, in his letter to Bhácti, accused Bhawani Sing of having taken three thousand rupees, and made use of this falsehood as a plea to ruin : Bhawani by extorting that sum from him. The report forwarded to Catmandu stated, that we had gone with an intention of building two forts, one at Niti and one in the Undés, to garrison them with Marchis, and thence proceed by Bubesin to join the Sikhs, with whose arms we proposed to invade the country. The accounts amongst the country people were ridiculous enough. One reported that a letter had arrived from Delhi stating that we had stolen the philosopher's stone and three lacks of rupees from the Company's wife. A letter arrived from Bandhu Thápá's son, now at Solur, directing Jagrup to treat us with attention, and to take care that no part of our property should receive any injury. He was anxious that we should march to-morrow to Solúr, which is five kos below Jóshi-math. To this the rainy state of the weather was objected; but it was promised that we would go as soon as the weather became fair. The motive he assigned for our going thither was, that we should be able to get provisions easily, which could not be done at Baragaon. September 19th.-Thermometer 59°. During the night the summits of the neighbouring mountains have been covered with a fall of snow. Halt at Bara About two P. M. it began to rain gaon. smartly and continued without intermission until six, leaving the air cold and disagreeably damp. After sun-set thermometer 16o. September 20th.-Thermometer 57°. The jamádár having strongly represented that they could not procure provisions without the greatest difficulty at Baragaon, but that they should be able to get abundance at Solúr, we agreed to march as far as Jáshi-math to-day, provided it did not rain. At 11h 15' we marched. At one thousand three hundred paces cross a watercourse, from which the air before us was filled with an immense body of locusts, some of which were of a light yellow, but the greater number of an orange colour. On heaps of weeds that were dry, and on stones, they assembled by forties and fifties, and remained quiet in the sun-shine; but others were actively employed in eating the heads Manduu,* now nearly ripe. They had *Eleusine Coracana. been here about two months, but had not Sept. 21st.-Thermometer 55°. The leopard has committed some ravage in a village to the east of Joshi-math. In this village my goats were yesterday entangled, and with no small trouble and loss of time I extricated them out of the filthy and intricate roads. Goats are cleanly animals when they reached one filthy spot, the leading animals stopped, and the whole flock was delayed in a narrow path overhung with long grass, and from which issued a streak drawn upwards by the heat of the sun, that was scarcely supportable by man, and must have been greatly annoying to the animals shut up in an alley of this offensive vapour. At length they clambered up some large blocks of stones. Our march did not take place till 2h 15', owing to the Gorkha party having served themselves with carriers for their On loads before they gave any to us. reaching the foot of the hill, half way up which are many detached cottages which form the village of Solúr, I found my flock, which had started at an early hour. We went up, and after an ascent of about a mile through narrow paths and fields in Marcha, Sawa, and Sarson, reached the residence of Bhawani Singh, at the close of day, where was a stone threshing floor almost covered with hemp, on which we pitched our tents. Gave the body of a goat which died to the Gorkia Sipahis, who requested to have it for their night's repast. Sept. 22d.-Halt. Bhawani Singh has not come here according to his promise. We found Bandhu Thàpà's son, the ne† Palinum Colonum. phew of the general Bhacti, sick of an intermittent. Sept. 23d.-After breakfast we set off accompanied by a farmer, who said that he thought it likely we should find wild hogs, bears, deer, and pheasants, if we would go up to the top of a high wooded mountain to the left, which formed part of the great Túgast range. We ascended a steep ridge, and passed through a forest of fir, cedar, and cypress+, with sycamore, horse chesnut, walnut, and yew trees, the latter are called Túnér. The cedars were of enormous size; one measured eighteen cubits in girth at four feet from the ground, and was about one hundred and eighty feet high; another that had fallen down was one hundred and fifty-nine feet in length, and trees of this size were not uncommon. From this eminence I had a fine prospect, in which a cascade forming the source of the Patál Gangá, that ran in the bottom between two ranges of hills, formed the most prominent feature. This cascade appeared to have a fall of from eighty to one hundred feet, and was about twenty feet broad. It had almost escaped me to remark, that in our return we met with very large service trees, bearing fruit much larger than those of this tree in England. I stopped to examine some plants of hemp sown near a house, many of these were twelve feet in height, and few lower than ten; where thinly sown, the plants had very thick stems and sent out many side branches, but when numerous they were thin, tall, and without branches. The person who sowed them said, that when the plant was supposed sufficiently ripe for pulling, which is considered to be the case when it is in flower, it is placed on the roof of the house, and exposed to the sun till thoroughly dry, when the bark is stripped off and tied in bundles for use. During the time it is on the house, care is taken to prevent its being wetted, as wet is supposed to weaken the fibres. stripping, one half the bark is separated. from the wood by the nails of the finger and thumb of one hand, whilst the finger and thumb of the other are placed, one upon and the other under the bark, during the time that it is drawn from the butt towards the point of the stem: this process is performed on the other side, and the bark by the two operations is completely (To be continued.) taken off. BEAWES'S JOURNEY TO BASSORA. Aug. 5th.-Tuis morning about seven o'clock we left Aleppo in expectation of joining our caravan at Spheera three hours off, but on the road were informed that they had proceeded to Gaboul, and when arrived there, they were gone a league further, as accordingly we found them about four in the afternoon, having then been riding and fasting, which made this day's journey very disagreeable, but a fresh westerly wind which lasted the whole day made some amends. We found our tents pitched and all our baggage around in good order. The eveuing was delightfully cool, and the night so cold that a quilt was scarcely sufficient covering. About this place it seems are abundance of scorpions, and a Jew merchant in the night was wounded by one which gave him great pain, but he found relief in a few hours from the application of a squeezed garlic; we neither felt nor saw any, and consider our having quilts a good prevention. 6th. This morning early we mounted, and for the first time tried our Mahofti, but the camel happened to be as great a stranger to this machine as ourselves, and with difficulty submitted to the burthen, which neither being to-day well fixed, made us conclude this manner of travelling nothing near so commodious as we had imagined: but the Arabs assured us a day or two would remedy all such inconveniences. At ten this morning we again encamped, this small journey into the desert being it seems designed to separate the caravan from any further communication with Aleppo, as otherwise there would be no end to delays, and also this day is designed to put every thing into due order for a regular march in future. Our course today was somewhat to southward of east, the country similar to that around Aleppo, only quite a level. A fresh westerly wind continues, whereby we find not the least inconvenience from heat, though otherwise it must be very hot; for we observe a single tent is but a slight defence against the sun, and the ground reflects the rays with great force. We have given orders always to pitch our tents somewhat apart Asiatic Journ.-No. 31. from, and to windward of the rest of the caravan, as also at the time of cooking you are incommoded with smoke, and also with dust from the camels continually rambling about you. The order for diet in the caravan is coffee in the morning before mounting, then when they stop about noon for an hour, coffee again, and what else any one has ready drest; in the evening it is pleasant for any one to observe, soon after encamping, there appear almost as many fires as men, and all hands set to preparing the Pilau, and what better their stores may afford. The water here is very foul, but we brought from Aleppo (a lucky thought) some fine hebit which formed into an Hippocrates sleeve, makes an excellent strainer: Our caravan is reckoned large, consisting of two thousand and odd hundreds of camels, of which about four hundred are loaded with merchandise and nearly as many more with passengers and baggage, the rest mounted by the Arabs themselves, or empty for want of freight, the returns from Aleppo being considerable, compared to what is carried from Bassora; and what likewise renders the caravans numerous independent of merchants, are the armed Arabs in case of necessity. The Shaiks and their attendants, and many poor Arabs, join the caravan from Bassora, with one, two or three camels, either loaded with things of small import to barter at Aleppo, or in hopes the greater cameleers may favour them with some freight back again; we have also several horses and mules in the caravan, being carried for sale, because cheap at Aleppo, and af fording a good profit at Bassora; but they arrive there such skeletons that many months are requisite to restore them, especially such as have performed the journey mounted. This afternoon not finding sufficient water at the halting place to supply the caravan, we went on an hour further. The wind was in the west, blowing pleasantly, and the night was very cold. 7th.-Mounted this morning about six, and travelled till noon, when we stopped and unloaded the camels, but I think to VOL. VI. Ꭰ little purpose, for in half an hour we were again on our way. At seven finished our day's journey, the country quite level and horizon fair all round. The wind to-day fresh and westerly, our course S.S.E.; no water; night cold. 8th.-Mounted between four and five, and travelled till noon, when we rested an hour, and proceeded till seven. Country and course the same as yesterday; wind westerly and heat moderate; evening agreeable; night cold. I asked our conductor to-day by what means they directed their course, who told me there are beaten paths throughout the journey (which I afterwards found) wherein the guides constantly keep, and therefore, however the caravan extraviates on one side or the other, they are sufficient to keep them in due course. But these paths are sometimes by gales of wind covered with sand, and then the caravan is obliged to halt, and the guides spread themselves as far as not losing sight of the body will permit to discover a tract, or not succeeding therein wait till night and proceed by the stars; and one evening desiring them to shew me those they particularly observed, there was scarce an Arab, but manifested such a knowledge of the heavens as I little expected. That which they said was their chief director between Bassora and Aleppo, they pointed to, calling Judda, and is the north star. We observed no order in our march, but spread over the waste in different figures. The caravan being so large, this afforded a diverting prospect, the objects being so various and to us so strange. One reason of their spreading may be on account of the camels feeding as they travel, having absolutely no other provision but what they meet with in the way, which has hitherto been only a sort of Farzbush, and in no great plenty. 9th.-Set out this morning about four, lasted the same till about nine, when we got among hills quite barren and parched up, and though the westerly wind continues, it is extremely hot; at one we pitched our tents being come to water, which is not bad, and we shall therefore stay to enjoy it till to-morrow. Course to day S.S.E. our Mahofti terribly fatigues us, and was certainly only intended for such as have no legs or can bestow them independent of their bodies; it is impossible to maintain a tolerably easy posture for two minutes together, and the motion moreover is so diabolical, that I have frequently in a day worse qualms than a landsman at sea, and am sorer bruised at night than Sancho in his government. However it keeps the immediate heat of the sun from us, which we shonld probably find at this season insupportable; though here also the accommodation is not much greater than being baked instead of roasted, and therefore the Mahofti is but a trumpery machine, and a wheelbarrow, in comparison, a princely and civilized carriage. This evening were killed in our quar ters two snakes, of which it seems there is no want in the desert, and in some places are very large ones. I inquired of Haji Salek, our conductor, what remedy they had when bit thereby, who told me none "but Alla Kerim, God is great and protects them," not having known in his time of one doing harm. The evening and night agreeably cool. 10th.-To-day being the Jews' sabbath, they prevailed on the caravan Bashi with thirty dollars not to proceed; which seems a trifling sum to detain so large a company, but he commands, and it may be supposed that nobody bid against the Jews. The conductor in chief is always a man of extraordinary note among the desert Arabs in general; our's was called Said Mahud. His business is to protect the caravan from being molested by any tribe we may meet, for which he receives a tanto per load; but although this man is principally necessary for the safety of the caravan, he is not absolutely sufficient, for we have also several others of different tribes, who likewise receive a gratuity for their protection, and this expense amounts in the whole to the merchants from Aleppo to Bassora to about fourteen dollars for each load, but provisions may be excused for only a small present. were necessitated to defer proceeding on our journey till to-morrow, I fain would have employed the idle day in visiting a town we saw in sight, about seven miles distant, called by the Arabs Jaiba. It appears to be an extensive place having a large tower in the middle. The Arabs inform us it is a place of great antiquity, but now in ruins, which is all they know of the As we matter. As to my going thither, no one whom I invited would accompany me, nor could I prevail by any means with Haji Salek to supply me with a beast and some Arabs to enjoy the sight alone, whether because he thought there might be dangers, and any accident be imputed to his defect of care, or that Arabs do not approve of our examining these places in the desert, I know not, but all the reason he produced was, that the undertaking was improper, and that the sight would rather produce a horror than a pleasure, as time and other circumstances have produced a scene which only serves at pre sent to excite a melancholy reflection on the instability of human things. The place they say had some inhabitants until within these last four years, but is now totally deserted, every company of Arabs in their passage despoiling them at pleasure and otherwise contributing to render their situation intolerable. At a small distance there is another town, called Suckna, which is inhabited. At Jaiba is a spring of hot water. From hence to Suckna is six hours of caravan, and from Suckna to Tadmor or Palmira fourteen hours. Those famous ruins bear from this place S.W. there are many ruins about this part of the country, but none bespeaking any great magnificence or very great antiquity; for as to Jaiba, which I have expressed so much concern at not visiting, he assures us that little else besides the tower and ruins pertaining thereto are of stone, the rest being only earth. He says the country about the Euphrates, from whence we are not above a day's journey, so abounded formerly with towns and villages, that only between Dier and Arachba, which is also a day's journey, there were upwards of three hundred, of which scarce one at present remains entire. We got acquainted to-day with an inhabitant of Arechba, who informed us This watering place is called Ain ul Kom, or the fountain of Kom, and I reckon its distance from Aleppo about eighty miles. I intended to have regulated the distance by counting the camel's steps for a number of minutes and have measured his step, with which, and knowing the time travelled, I might have been tolerably exact, but this method is rendered useless in a caravan, as the animals wander or stop to feed as they journey, and consequently have not that constancy in their pace as is requisite. We passed to-day without any great fatigue from the heat; the evening and night also was cool; the wind westerly. (To be continued.) THE DISSAWE OF VELASSIS ACCOUNT OF THE CEREMONY OF PERAHERRA. Presented to His Exc. the Governor of Ceylon, August 19, 1817. PERAHERRA (properly called Eysala Keleye) is a very ancient ceremony in commemoration of the birth of the god Vishnu, beginning on the day that the god was born, namely, the day of the new moon in the month of July (Eysala). In some sacred books this ceremony is said to be in remembrance of Vishnu's victory over the asuras or enemies of the gods. The ceremony of the Peraherra is thus begun. The people belonging to the four principal Dewales go to a young jack tree not yet in fruit, the stalks of which are three spans in circumferance. They Devalaya, the house of god. clear the ground round the tree, and consecrate it by fumigating it with the smoke of burning rosin, smearing it with a preparation of sandal made on purpose, and further by an offering of a lighted lamp with nine wicks, which is put at the foot of the tree, and of nine betel leaves and nine different kinds of flowers arranged on a chair. This being done, the wood-cutter of the Maha Dewale, dressed in a clean cloth and purified by washing and rubbing himself with lemon juice, with an axe fells the tree at its root and cuts the trunk transversely into four pieces of equal length, to be divided among the four Dewales. The lowes |