iintfa the necefi&y of patting down their bmfoens, and £hel-
tering foemfelves beneath the fhade ©fthe Banyan trees, many
of which are found on the road, particularly by the fide of
wells, or fome little choultry on. the borders of a tank. The
number of thefe rural accommodations for travellers reflcâ
the highefl: credit on the care.ôf the old Hindoo and Moorifli
governments. It is particularly mentioned in the life o f the
Emperor Shore Shah; that, although a ufurper who obtained
the empire by the moil atrocious adts, he paid foe moil humant
attention to the comforts and âccommodations of hi’§
people. He caufed wells to be dug' at every) oofs,; t©rtwp
mies) and trees to he planted on the road fide. At many of
thefe wells have I halted in my joumies. They are, in gey
neral, from ten to fourteen fed: in diameter, and lined with
ftone: the mafotuy excellent j and they are taifedTrom the
furface of foe ground hy a little wall two feet high. I ihould
have remarked that, throughout Bengal and Bahar, foe water
is excellent. It is extremely pleafant to obferve foe varrety of
travellers that are to be met with on the road.* either palling
. along in groups, .under foe (hade ofjfome fpreading tree, by
foe fide of the wells or tanks. In one part may be feed the
native foldiers, foeir; half pikesv fockingby 'their fide, and
their ihields lying by them, with their fabres and matchlocks
; in another part is, perhaps, a company of merchants,
engaged in calcidàtron, or - of devotees'in the adt o f .focial
worihip ; and in another, thercpinmon Hindoo palankeen
bearers baking their bread. j This operation is performed in
A PEA SAlf T. mrmsmmm