American watchman and Delaware advertiser. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1822-1828, 1826-05-02
SKETCHES OF INDIA.
No. III.

The Guiph of Cambsy nearly in latltudlnai line
with the mouth OF the Gauges the Deccdn' com
prising the space between the NerDuooa 10 uie
river Ktishna, which springs not tar from the west
ern shore, and flows into the Bay OF Bengal ;-ano
the peninsula Of India, from the Deccan to the Is
land of Cey!on. The inhabitants residing 10 inc
countries westward of the river Indus, viz Baioo-
ch;s,an Afpbanisan, Cabul, &c. may be called In.
do p.rsians aud those who dwell eastward OF the
Tioe,sh Wilds, which bound Bengal-Arracan'
Assam Ava, the Brman Empire, Siam, Pegu, iun'
ouin, Cambodia, Laos &c.-may be called 1900
Chinese. North Of the Himalaya range, the 10
habtapts are Of the Tartar race and in the Islands
Of Ceylon, Snmatra. Java, the Sunda Cham Boz
mes Celebes. the Moluccas the philippines, &c.
which gem the Indian Ocean. the Estises are mix
cd. partaking oil The characters OF the conunems
which nearest 10 them.
| Captain Christie and Mr.. Pottinger, who travel
| led through Baloochstan, disguised as Musselman
horse dealers, have furnished the only authentic IN
formation relative to the country lying between in-
dus and Persia, as they jonrneyed from the NOUN
of that river to the Court OF Pcrsia-a distance OF
/ 500 miles. They found Hindoos and monuments
OF Brahmanca institutions all through their course
but the mass Of the inhabitants are Moslems. l ne
Baloochcs are governed by petty chiefs nominally
subject to the King OF Cabul, but, in TACT, yielding
ODE dience only to the sword hey a'e something
like the Hghlanoers, high spirited, hosptable, and
brave, but fond of debauth and loose in their mo
rality. Their climate exhibits the extremes oil
hea, and cold. |, s visited 10 summer by the most
burning wind known in the world, called the Babe
Sumoom.
The Snds under the government OF two chiefs,
called Meers, inhsbit both banks OF the Indus. tor
some distance. Like the Baoochees, they wear
,urbsns, gowns and .rowsers, and only differ in the
head dress, which is cap something like the crown
of our hat iancitully embroidered round the lower
edge. The females, some oe whom are very beau,
uful, wear similar cap. Hyderabad is the capi
t4, where iron and gold are sklliully wrought. The
province of Taua, the Delta Of the Indus, is in
this region. The Indus runs 1850 miles, iertallz
ing the whole country, like the Nile, and has .
number OF branches
Hndoos are numerous throughout Afhanis,an
and as far as Astracan and even in Arabia and the
northern parts of Persia, whittier, although In g
state of miserable dcg adation, they are driven by
the love of gain. The Atehans have sort OF pc,
lltical constitution, aud enjoy much Liberty. lhey
are very refined in their ideas OF love and are Sc
completely under the power OF the lair sex, that !
lady OF rank sends chet her veil, he teeis him
self bound by honor TO espouse her quarrel, al
though il involve him and hi. tribe In destruction
The ancient capital, Ghznt stood IN the province
Of Cabul, bu there is now scarcely trace OF it
magnificent structures; yeti pilgrimages are mad
10 the tombs OF the saints, aud is called the Sc
l
{ cond Medina.
e Cabul, to which the preceding tribes are nomin
ally subject, extends 10 the Great Northern Noun
tans the lower ranges Of which are inhabited by
W lid race of men, who occupy all the valleys o
E Gaffristan, from its western border to Cashmere
where the beautiful shawlt q which We gave SOM
: accoun. in our last sketch made Cabul ex
ports horses poneys iurs, shaNls mooltan chintzes
madden, ASA ida, tobacco Almonds pistacho
nuts, hazel nuts, and uit; aud imports srom ndlt
u cotton, muslin. silks, and brocade, indigo, ivory
chalk, bamboo wax. tin, sandel.wood. sugar, broad
e CLOTH musk, coral, and drugs and spices OF a
6 kinds.
y Beyond the Himasya Mountains lies the val
e and dreary region oil Tibet, stretching from tn
d sources OF the Indus and Ganges TO the confines
!. China 1000 miles in length; and, in breadth, fror
). Iiindostan TO the great desert of Cobb. The col
Us almost insup portabe in this region, vegeatio
being parched the il by extreme hea
The highest ridge of these mountains rises about
/. miles above the plains Of Bengal; and this elevate
e tract swarms with wild fowl, game, forest animals
Ill and hocks ard herds. The women here have Sc,
i. eral husbands, there being seldom more than on
70 wife, who is selected by the eldest to whole fam
I'd lily Of brothers. The Ganges Rows from under
r. etsrnally hard mass of snow, few miles from tn
~ village Of Gangotra, where fancy has given to i
~, source the shape OF cows mouth, although it
n merely an aperture in the ice Hndoos repair hit
ad er from all parts of India, pilgrimage which
e. supposed to redeem all he OF this lite ar
all troubles hereafter. In this journey, they ba'
: to traverse mountains almost perpendicular, whe
The faotpa,h winds along their sides, with prec
: pice OF near 1000 feet below, where false ste
~ would be inevitable destruction. They have al
!, to cross swinging bridges oil rope or cane, ov
:. frightfui torrents, from which hund eds perha
thousands, fall every year, their bones whitening q
- feet Of the precpices.
To Hurdwarra, where the Ganges enters 4
plains OF Bengal, and where the greatest fair IN
India is held. pilgrims from all parts of Asia, spea
he "S eHc N"' ,''1eS' '@P1' - -