

Robert Kerr (writer)

[Footnote 141:  Purch.  Pilgr.  I. 519.—­In the title of this article in the Pilgrims, Agimere, or Azmere, as it is there called, is said to have been the residence of the Great Mogul at the commencement of this journey, and Spahan, or Ispahan, the royal seat of the kings of Persia.—­E.]

[Footnote 142:  This place, named Azmeer in the Pilgrims, is known in modern geography under the name of Ajmeer, or Agimere.—­E.]

[Footnote 143:  A coss, or course, as it is uniformly denominated in the Pilgrims, is stated on the margin by Purchas, to be equal to a mile and a half, and in some places two English miles.  As more precisely determined in modern geography, the Hindoostanee coss is equal to 1 4/7th English miles, and the Rajput coss to 2 1/6th miles nearly.  It would overload this article to attempt critically following all the stations in the present journal, in which the names of places are often so corrupt as to be unintelligible.  Such corrections of the text as can be ventured upon are included within brackets.—­E.]

[Footnote 144:  This is a Spanish or Portuguese term, signifying country village.—­E.]

Within two days journey of Agra, we passed by the country and city of Biana, where the finest indigo is made, the best being then worth thirty-six rupees the maund at Agra, but much cheaper in the country.  Finding the promised firmaun came not, and the hot season of the year fast approaching, we departed on the 3d April in the prosecution of our journey, leaving directions with Richard Barber to send it after us.  We came that night to a serai called Boutta, six coss.  The 4th to the town of Matra, fourteen coss, where we lay in a fair serai,[145] and there we received the firmaun.  The 5th we went twelve coss to a serai called Chatta, [Chautra.] The 6th to a serai built by Azam Khan, nine coss.  The 7th to a serai built by Sheic Ferreede, called Puhlwall, eleven coss.  The 8th to a serai built by the same person, ten coss.  The 9th to Dillee, [Delhi,] nine coss.  This being a great and ancient city, formerly the seat of the kings, where many of them are interred.  At this time, many of the great men have their gardens and pleasure houses here, and are here buried, so that it is beautified with many fine buildings.  The inhabitants, who are mostly Banians or Hindoos, are poor and beggarly, through the long absence of the court.

[Footnote 145:  These are fair buildings for the accommodation of travellers, many of which were erected by great men._Purch._]

The 10th we went ten coss from Delhi to Bunira.  The 11th to Cullvower, twelve coss.  The 12th to Pampette, [Paniput,] twelve coss.  This is a small handsome city, where they manufacture various sorts of girdles and sashes, and great quantities of cotton-cloth, and have abundance of handicrafts.  The 13th to Carnanl, twelve coss.  The 14th to Tanisera, [Tahnessir,] fourteen coss. 

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