R ock Sa l t .
C a n a l ,
Cm JN AU F ,
U pper.
Copper, Rowey, Tin, Brafs, and Lead. Rowey is unknown to
me; brafs is factitious. I am doubtful as to fome of thefe
metals being found in India. Farther enquiry may afcer-
tain the metallic productions of India in the courfe of this
volume.
A v a s t mountain o f rock fait is found in this province,
equal to that o f Cardonna, and, like the fait of that mountain,
is cut into difhes, plates, and Hands for lamps. Ice is an article
o f commerce from the northern' mountains, and fold at Labors
throughout the year.
T he famous canal o f Shah Nebr begins at Ragipour, and is
continued almoft parallel to the Rauvee, and ends at Lahore, a
diftance o f above eighty miles. The intent o f this canal feems to
have been to fupply Lahore with water in the dry feafon, when
all the Indian rivers are from twenty to thirty feet below the
level o f their banks. Three other canals, for the purpofe o f
watering the country on the fouth and eaft o f Lahore, were
drawn from the fame place. Thefe, formed in a diftant age,
are ftrong proofs o f attention to rural ceconomy, and the benefit
o f the fubjed.
T he Chunauh, for a few miles, is continued from its forks
in a fingle channel. Near Zujferabad, the Jhylum, or Rebut,
falls into it with vaft rapidity and violence. This was the place
where Alexander fo nearly loft his fleet in the paifage through
this turbulent conflux. The Chunaub flows in a ftrait channel
from the foot o f the Himmaleb or Imaus, and there originates
from two ftreams which quickly re-unite. Gujerat, and jum -
tnoo and Mundal, are town and forts on its banks. From the
origin o f the Chunaub to that o f the Rauvee, is a plain trad,
6 bounded
bounded to the eaft by mount Imaus, bounded on the weft and
fouth by the chain o f the Panjab hills. There is another
plain fimilar, from the upper part of the Setlege as far as the
Ganges, where it flows through the province o f Sirinagur.
I n o w afcend, from its union with the Chunaub, the Behut, T he B ehut.
the moft celebrated o f the five rivers, the Fabulofus Hydafpes,
which flows in two magnificent meanders, and ifluing from a
narrow gap between exalted mountains, from its origin in the
romantic Cajhmere\ partly along a plain, partly, at the foot of
mountains cloathed with forefts o f trees of fize magnificent,
many of which are periihing continually through weight o f
years, and others fucceeding them in the full verdure and
vigor o f youth. Would my pen could be infpired like that o f
M. Bernier, who in 1664 attended in quality of a phyfician, and
philofophic friend, to a great Omrab o f that time, a follower
o f Aurengezebe in his Iplendid progrefs to Cajhmere for the
recovery of his health, by a change o f the burning dime o f
HindaoJIan, for the falubrious air of the former. I leave to the
reader the perufal o f Bernier, the firft traveller, I may fay,
of his, or any other age. I ihall 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
lifter, which gave fplendor unfpeakable to the train of ladies.
He left Agra in the moment pronounced fortunate by the imperial
attrologers. 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 crofling the rivers bridges of boats were
ufed for the purpofe. The heats on the march were dreadful,
G 2 caufed