probability appeared of reaching that capital under the fanc-
tion of Major Brown’s embafly, and the country being overrun
by two hofiile armies, as well as by marauding parties
from each, and invaded by the Sciks from the province of
Lahore, I was obliged in prudence to diredt my courfe towards
Gwalior. I therefore fent off all my baggage under
the efcört of a party of feapoys, and took my leave of Major
Brown on the 28th of April, at nighty Added to the
evils which I intimated above, the whole country was at this
time infefied by bands of robbers j and during the march of
my fmall party they were attacked by a confiderable body of
horfemen, but by the good condüd of the havildar every
thing was preferved. On the 29th I arrived at thé village
of Dohlpoor, and-on the following- day crofléd the riyer
Chumbiill, and marched three~cofe, in a north-weft direction,
through the worfl country I ever faw'; full of ravines and
deep hollow-ways. As foon as I reached the plain I en--
camped under the walls of a large mud fort, which had been
lately taken from the Rana of Gohud, by Madajee Scindia,
the Mahratta chief. .The Killidar, or .goyemor, treated my
people extremely well, and permitted them to purchafe grain
and vegetables within the fort, but would riot fuffer me to
enter it.
T he country through which I had lately palled was moll
dreary and defolate, not a blade of verdure to be any where
feen, and the fun moll intenfely hot. On the iR.of May I
133
arrived at Nurabad". This,'is admail: townyhtfith an oldtflone
fort in it, and'a-Rone bridged over, a -fmall nullah',1i||| branlch
of-the. ChumbulL) confiRujg-of feVefcr tall and narrow pointed
arches: at the> extreme ^of" the. three* center arches are^twfr,1
open pavilions, raifed upon the'-ibpidge',: crbwned with domes]
on each'fide; and at the extremes of the .other two, arches are;
fmall dones, all builS|Ithe^faine''Rone asj-$e bridge* >and‘
finilhed-with lijttlbdomes \ thelfiemaiping part 'of the bridge
abuts againR the banks» On the -following, day I? grayed at
Gwalior.
I SH.duLD, have femarked, that throughout the whole of
the above-country, which I paffed in my way from Dohlpoor,
there did not appear the fmafiefi trace of 1 cultivation,
nor vyas there-even a hut do bejfeenv ' The-feifon, it is true,
wah the worR in the year for the appearance of the'country,'
and the hot winds had lefcin with uncommon violence,-.which
deflroy every thing in their courfe, like the Angel ofbDefo-1
lation. Befides all thpfe unfavourable circumRances, it muR
alfb be remembered» that this is. the bordering; country, 'which
lies between the fine province of Malwah and that country yet
remaining under the dominion of the Great Mogul y and it
h?is confequendy been, evfer fince the eRablilhment of the
Mahratta power, the fcene of perpetual wars., '■
T he , fort of Gwalio^ is Rated on thp top.vof a confiderable
mountain, riling from aperfed.fiat countiy. tTo the