A Pepys of Mongul India (1653-1708)

by Niccolao Manucci

  When the ambassador began to recover his health, we quitted Shfraz, and in nine days we were at the fort of Lar, which they say was formerly much larger, with a great enclosed space. But in the Middle Ages it was quite small, inhabited by many Hindus, who bought there the goods brought by traders from Isfahan and other places, and then exported them to many countries, principally from the ports of Congo and Bandar 'Abbas. 3*

  During our journey from Shfraz as far as Lar we were in excellent health, but were in some concern lest we should not find water for drinking ; for on the roads the water which is used is that collected during the rainy season in great cisterns. The earth being salt, the water which flows over it acquires the same property, and therefore is not potable. For this reason they preserve water in cisterns, in which there are all kinds of filth, and it is only out of absolute necessity that one feels inclined to drink.

  In spite of this defect of water the country was sufficiently humid, and many places had their gardens of oranges, of palm trees and date trees bearing dates. In Lar we obtained sufficient food supplies, but water only of the quality described. There was water below ground in channels, as is the custom over almost the whole of Persia. The fort of Lar is placed upon a small hill standing in the midst of four other hills of the same size. Thus the fort in time of war is in want of protection from good walls and dependent edifices, for an enemy who occupied the aforesaid hills could easily attack the fort.

  After a day's rest we left Lar and journeyed through open and agreeable country, coming to different " sarays" (sardes), where we obtained grapes and melons for our consumption. We moved between hills of salt, we crossed several streams, whose crystal clearness invited us to drink, but their waters were so salt that no one could even pass them over his tongue. Among the rest is a stream called Ryo Salgado (Salt River), over which was a great bridge of more than thirty arches. In nine days, after sufferings enough, we arrived at Gomoram (Gombroon), of which the other name is Bandarabassi (Bandar 'Abbasi), meaning " Harbour of Shah 'Abbas"; for, being a port on the sea, it is called " Bander " (bandar), and having been established by the Great Shah 'Abbas, they have added " abassi" and have come to call it Bandarabassi. This harbour was made by Shah

  'Abbas, after having recovered from the hands of the Portuguese, with the aid of the English, the famous island and fort of Orumus (Hormuz).

  This island was formerly the greatest and most frequented port on the ocean, where dwelt traders to every region in India—men of great wealth—so that a merchant possessing more than a million of patacas (about £100,000) was not a man of very great account Shah 'Abbas considered that by making himself master of Hormuz, and transferring the port to the mainland, lying not over a league from the island, he would be able to draw all this wealth into Persia. But he was frustrated in his object because the traders were afraid of his interference. The island has many hills of salt, and the climate is therefore prejudicial to life. Notwithstanding this, the Persians are so jealous about the island that they do not wish a single European to set foot in it.

  After we had been at Bandar 'Abbas three days, the ambassador ordered me to go to the English factory to speak to the chief, requesting him to send a trustworthy person to discuss certain negotiations of great importance. The chief sent to him Mestre Pit (Mr. Pitt), who had acted as page to the English gentleman desirous of speaking to Shah 'Abbas. With him there was a full hour's discussion. Next day the chief himself came with the officials of the factory to visit the ambassador. Offers were made to him to serve him in every way they could. At the time there was an English vessel, belonging to a private owner, about to sail for the port of Surrati (Surat). They asked the ambassador to embark in her, as she would be the last vessel to leave Bandar 'Abbas in that monsoon. Then we ate mutton which came from Hormuz, also good and cheap fish caught in the harbour.

  The water at Bandar 'Abbas is either rain-water or brackish, and of such bad quality that it disorders the

 

  bodily humours, and generates worms as long as your arm, which appear on the hands, jaws, and legs. When they begin to show themselves you must lay hold of them by the head, and pull at them daily, winding them round a hide (? twig) or cloth very slowly. For if they break they turn inwards, causing great pain and becoming very difficult to cure. For this reason, everybody who can do it sends to fetch water by camels from inland, three leagues off, at a place called Hixin. The climate of this port is most noxious by reason of the salt ridges, and of certain hot winds, and the noise of the sea. I noted that many of the inhabitants had defective sight and teeth, and I was informed that on this coast, as far as Arabia and Mecca, they suffered from these ailments by reason of the many dates they eat; for the larger number of the inhabitants live upon that fruit in addition to fish.

  Two days after the visit that the Englishmen had paid to the ambassador—that is to say, on the fifteenth of December of one thousand six hundred and fifty-two (1652 ; should be 1655)—we went on board the said vessel. During the whole of our voyage the captain treated us with great politeness and civility. Setting sail, we arrived in twelve days, having favourable winds, at a port in the Great Mogul's territory called Sindi. There the vessel anchored, and we travelled up-stream by the river for a whole night to an inhabited place, which stood twelve hours'journey from the sea. This river is a very large one, it being formed of seven rivers which flow down from the interior of the country, as I will relate hereafter. Here we saw many Arabian and Persian vessels which import great quantities of dates, horses, seed-pearls, incense, gum-mastic, senna-leaves, and Jew's-stones, which come from Mecca. In return they load up with white and black sugar, butter, olive oil, and cocos, which medical men call nos Indica (Indian Nut). Of this product and its virtues I will make mention

  farther on. They also export many kinds of white linen (? cotton cloth) and printed goods which are manufactured in the same region. When the business was finished that our captain had to do at this place, we left it, and returned to the vessel. Setting sail, we arrived in a few days at the port of Surat on the twelfth of January of one thousand six hundred and fifty-three (1653 ; correctly 1655-6).

  As soon as we anchored milord went ashore secretly, following the advice given to him by our captain and by a private trader to seek a refuge in the town. For the English were going to seize him and put him by force on board one or other of the English vessels, then in harbour and about to sail for England. It produced great astonishment in me to see how milord landed without breathing a word to me. But I heard the reason afterwards when I reached Surat, bringing all the baggage which was in my charge. There we found Mestre Jonh (Henry Young), who had left Persia a short time before; and my master announced that he had come as an ambassador from the King to the Great Mogul.

  When the Governor of Surat heard of the ambassador's arrival, he ordered his secretary to pay him a visit. The message thus brought was that rumour said he had come as ambassador, therefore he was requested to state whether this was true or not. It was necessary for him (the governor) to send a report to the Emperor Xaaiahan (Shahjahan), then ruling over the Empire of the Great Mogul. The ambassador replied that it was correct, that he could write in all confidence, and announce his arrival. Before I say anything of our stay, I will state something about this port.

  I was much amused when I landed to see the greater number of the inhabitants dressed in white clothes, also the many different kinds of people, as well men as women. The latter, mostly Hindus, do not conceal

  the face as in Persia and Turkey, where women go about with their faces hidden. It is true that the Mahomedan women do not allow their faces to be seen by anyone, it being contrary to their law to allow themselves to be seen with an uncovered face. But among other things I was much surprised to see that almost everybody was spitting something as red as blood. I imagined it must be due to some complaint of the country, or that their teeth had become broken. I asked an English lady what was the matter, and whether it was the practice in
this country for the inhabitants to have their teeth extracted. When she understood my question, she answered that it was not any disease, but (due to) a certain aromatic leaf, called in the language of the country, pan, or in Portuguese, betele. She ordered some leaves to be brought, ate some herself, and gave me some to eat. Having taken them, my head swam to such an extent that I feared I was dying. It caused me to fall down, I lost my colour, and endured agonies, but she poured into my mouth a little salt, and brought me to my senses. The lady assured me that every one who ate it for the first time felt the same effects.

  Betel, or pan, is a leaf similar to the ivy leaf, but the betel leaf is longer ; it is very medicinal, and eaten by everybody in India. They chew it along with "arrecas" (arecd), which physicians call Avclans Indicas (Indian filberts) and a little catto (kath or kattha), which is the dried juice of a certain plant that grows in India. Smearing the betel leaf with a little of the kath, they chew them together, which makes the lips scarlet, and gives a pleasant scent. It happens with the eaters of betel, as to those accustomed to take tobacco, that they are unable to refrain from taking it many times a day. Thus the women of India, whose principal business it is to tell stories and eat betel, are unable to remain many minutes without having it in their mouths.

  It is an exceedingly common practice in India to offer betel leaf by way of politeness, chiefly among the great men, who, when anyone pays them a visit, offer betel at the time of leaving as a mark of goodwill, and of the estimation in which they hold the person who is visiting them. It would be a great piece of rudeness to refuse it.

  We remained for seventy-five days in that port— i.e. Surat—the revenues of which had been given by Shah Jahan to his daughter, Begom Saeb (Begam Sahib) to meet her expenditure on betel. During this time we were making our preparations for going on to the court of the Great Mogul. I was much gratified at seeing such plenty in this place, for I had never had such a satisfaction since (I left) my Venice, and felt proud at staying some days in this port, especially after the arrival of the French. During the time we stayed the English never ceased to offer a thousand civilities to milord, the ambassador. But his true friends told him not to trust them, for all they did was in order to get hold of him and carry him off to England. They did their very best once to persuade the ambassador to go on board of an English vessel, then about to depart for England, under the pretext of offering him a banquet with all the state befitting his dignity. But the truth was that they wanted to confine him in the ship, and he most politely made excuses. Then we began to get together our baggage, for which purpose the ambassador was in want of funds. Mestre Jonh (Henry Young) secretly offered to supply all that was required, whether in money or in different sorts of goods, among the latter some fine broadcloth, a handsome clock, an Arab horse for a present to the king, with swords, pistols, matchlocks, and numerous playthings. We started from Surat bearing a passport given us by the governor, and in fifteen days we reached the town of Brampur (Burhanpur), where

  was the court of the Prince Aurangzeb, with whom we had much to discuss. We did not meet with him, by reason of his being at that time in Orangabad (Aurangabad).

  We found Brampur (Burhanpur) a town of medium size, and without a wall. Aurangzeb, in the year one thousand six hundred and seventy-six, being then absolute king, caused it to be enclosed by a bulwark and wall along the bank of the river which flows beneath it. This river is not very large, but its waters are clear and good. The town is much frequented by Persian and Armenian traders, on account of the many excellent kinds of cloth manufactured there, chiefly various sorts of women's head-dresses (toucd) and cloth for veils (beatilha), scarlet and white, of exceeding fineness; also for the quantity of iron procured there.

  In this town there is plenty of fruit, such as ambah) or mangas (mango)—the best fruit to be found in India—oranges, limes, citrons, and grapes in abundance. There is also in this town, as throughout the kingdom of the Mogul, a large supply of vegetables of various sorts. On the road to this town we found every day different streams and brooks with good water; also villages, shady and pleasant woods, peopled with many varieties of animals of the chase, such as harts, stags, gazelles, wild oxen (ores), peacocks, cooing doves, partridges, quail (cordernizcs), blackbirds (tordo), geese (patto ducks (ades), widgeon (marecas and many sorts of birds.

  1 would warn the reader never to stray far from his companions, because he might come across robbers in these woods. When they find any person apart from his company they rob him. I was very near falling into their hands, for, having gone some distance from the rest of the caravan, I had got off my horse. I was about to shoot at a peacock with my matchlock, when all of a sudden there came out towards me two men with bows and arrows, who

  with signs and calls invited me to approach them. But I, apprehending what they wanted, went on my way in the direction the rest of the company had gone, never ceasing to have an eye upon those men. These, seeing me choose a different direction, placed arrows in their bows and, hastening their pace, came after me, trying to overtake me. Seeing that otherwise I could never escape them, I stopped and put my matchlock to my cheek as if I meant to fire. Frightened at my firmness, they placed their hands on their heads as a sign of politeness, and, turning their backs, fled with even more agility than when they had followed me. I continued on my way in dread of a similar encounter, and thus I learnt nevermore to leave the rest of the travellers, and I put off my longing to go out shooting until we should reach some place or village. Then I went out to shoot, and without hindrance killed whatever I wished, there being no scarcity of things to kill.

  We delayed eight days in Burhanpur, then, resuming our journey, we came in six days to a river called the Narbada, where there was a town called Andia (Handiyah); there was also on the bank of the above-named river a little fort, situated at the crossing-place. This river is a great breadth, and full of large stones. Its waters divide the lands of the Dacan (Dakhin) from those of Industan (Hindustan), which word means " Hindudom " (gentilidade, place of the heathen).

  We crossed the river, and after going eight days through jungle, we arrived at a large town called Seronge (Sironj), which in old days was founded by a Hindu prince, but at present the overlord thereof is the Grand Mogul. This town lies in the midst of the territories of several Hindu princes of the Rajput tribe. Of these the nearest and most powerful is the Rajah Champet Bondela (Champat Rae, Bundelah), whose country extends to twenty leagues from Agra

  (Agrah), and he has command over fifteen thousand horsemen, and three hundred thousand infantry.

  For the use of wayfarers there are throughout the realms of the Mogul on every route many " sarais " (sardes). They are like fortified places with their bastions and strong gates; most of them are built of stone or of brick. In every one is an official whose duty it is to close the gates at the going down of the sun. After he has shut the gates he calls out that everyone must look after his belongings, picket his horses by their fore and hind legs, above all that he must look out for dogs, for the dogs of Hindustan are very cunning, and great thieves. I may find a good opportunity to speak of the cunning of these dogs.

  At six o'clock in the morning, before opening the gates, the watchman gives three warnings to the travellers, crying in a loud voice that everyone must look after his own things. After these warnings, if anyone suspects that any of his property is missing, the doors are not opened until the lost thing is found. By this means they make sure of having the thief, and he is strung up opposite the same. Thus the thieves when they hear a complaint made, drop the goods somewhere, so as not to be discovered.

  These sardes are only intended for travellers (soldiers do not go into them). Each one of them might hold, more or less, from 800 to 1,000 persons, with their horses, camels, carriages, and some of them are even larger. They contain different rooms, halls, verandahs, with trees inside the courtyard, and many provision-shops, also separate abodes for the women and men who arrange the rooms and the beds for the trav
ellers. I will speak hereafter of the deceits of all these, when I come to talk of the Sultan Amayum (Hu-mayun).

  We halted four days in Sironj, and then went on our way across inaccessible mountains, with numer-

  ous beautiful trees, and traversed by crystal streams, whose waters are most wholesome, doing no harm to those who drink them fasting, rather they are beneficial, and most palatable. In six days we reached the town of Narvar (Narwar), which lies at the foot of a great range of hills six leagues in circumference. On the very highest point of these hills is a fortress, which occupies all the level ground on the summit, with a circumference of two miles—a little more or less—with many houses and rooms; a work made long ago by the Hindus. But in the course of years, and by the inclemency of the weather, the walls are crumbling away through the negligence of the Mogul king. His object is to destroy all the strong places of the Hindus of which he can get possession, so that their conquered princes may not rebel against him. His only anxiety is to fortify and supply the forts that are on the frontiers of his kingdom.

  We did not halt at this place, but pressed onwards. In five days we arrived at the well-known fortress of Gualior (GwaliySr), where it is usual for the Mogul to keep as prisoners princes and men of rank. This fortress is on the top of a great mountain having a circuit of three leagues. It is in the middle of a fertile plain, and thus there is no other high ground from which it could be attacked.

  There is only a single road to ascend it, walled in on both sides, and having many gates to bar the way, each having its guard and sentinels. The rest of the hill is of rock, perpendicular as a wall, though made by Nature. All around this mountain are to be seen many balconies, lanterns (? kiosks), rooms and verandahs in different styles of architecture, with Hindu sculptures—all of this making the view most agreeable and pleasant to the visitor.