now; and accordingly proceeded by Dauk Bearers, and left
my fervants, with nay baggage, to follow at'leifure. •
I s.e t off on the rath, at night, said reached Gohud on
the following day, where I flopped a few hours to refrefh
myfelf: but I found an Englifhman, who was a watchmaker,
but at this'time commanded two battalions of the
Rana’s infantry j he exprefled himfelf heartily tired of his
military career, and a wifh to return within the Britifli territory,
to his former occupation, as he had made fome little
property in the Rana’s fervice, which he wifhed to retreat
with, but. had no means to convey it, not being fuffered
to depart; he therefore requefted I would take charge of a
calket for him to Lucknow, which I readily did, and delivered
it -to his friend. Had I, however, forefeen the dif-
mal country I was to pafs through, I fhould have been extremely
averfe to this undertaking; for, from the town of
Gohud, it is hardly pofiible for the imagination to figure any
thing fo difmal, duiky, and barren. There were no villages,
and fcarcely- a human being to be found, until I arrived
near the river Chumbull, the banks of which are very.high,
and defeending through deep ravines, in fome of which are
huts : in' this part,- as a ftranger pafles, every now and then
a favage-like being ftarts out, completely armed in their way;
fortunately, however, the countenance of an European is, in
the prefent day, a pafiport. I was two days and a night on
this journey from Gwalior to Etaya. The heats, in the mid-
I N D I A . *43
die of the day were extreme, and the bearers, having one
day miffed their way in this ocean of ; land, they fet me
down, and left me, while they went fome xliftance to 'a hut
to enquire the road. In this fit-uation I was for upwards of
two hours,, when fome jof them returned; and .heartily rejoiced
I was at the fight of a human beihg-ti it was impdfli-
ble, indeed, to be angry at their long flay, when I confidered
what they muft have fuffered. On my arrival at Etaya, the
fight of,-a few green herbs made me -cokfidef it as almofl a
veryEden.
O n1 the kóth, I finilhed this',joumey at Lucknow, when
thé heats and fatigue I had fuffered brought' on a violent
dyfentery, and a palpitation at the heart, from which I was
long in recovering. Colonel Polier received me. with his
wonted hofpitality; and I remained with that gentleman
about ten d a ysmy indifpofition, however, rather increafing
than abating, his houfe being a large bungelow*, was con-
feqüently very hot, and therefore Colonel Martin, who had
* Bungelows are buildings in India, generally railed on abate of brick, one,
two, or three feet from the ground, and confift only of one itory ; the plan of
them ufually is, a large room in the center for an eating and fitting room, and
rooms at each corner for Deeping; the whole is covered with one general thatch,
which comes low to each fide ; the fpace between the angle rooms are vi.randers,
or open porticoes, to fit in during the evenings s the center hall is lighted from
the fides with windows, and a large door in.the center ; fometimes the center
viranders, at each end,, are: converted into rooms.