though on the oppofite fide, is HoOGLY, a fmall, but ancient city. The French, Dutch, Danes, and Portuguese, have each of them a town and factory on this part of the river. The French fettlement of CHANDERNAGORE, and the Dutch one of CHINSURA, are both very neat, and pretty large towns; and each of them on a better fite than Calcutta.

About one hundred and twenty miles above Calcutta stands MOORSHEDABAD, alfo on the western arm of the Ganges, which is there very low in the dry feafon. It was the capital of the Bengal provinces before the establishment of the British power, but is now much decayed.-The ancient capital of Bengal was GOUR, fuppofed to be the GANGIA REGIA of Ptolemy;

Romans, aimed at nothing more than to fecure an intercourfe by trade with that Opulent country; fee p. 127. But neither the Greeks nor Romans feem to have vifited the more eastern parts of it. They procured the productions of thofe countries only at fecond hand.

Commerce was extinguished in the western part of the Roman empire, by the irruption of the barbarous nations; and the communication of the eastern empire with India by the Red-Sea and the Peruan Gulf, was cut off by the conquests of the Arabs. The Arabs, however, ftill continued to carry on the fame trade with India, and, with that ardour which characterifes all the early efforts of Mahomet's followers, advancing far beyond the boundaries of ancient navigation, brought many of the mof precious commodities of the eaft from the countries which produced them. In order to engrofs the profits of this trade, the Caliph OMAR founded the city of BASSORA, on the western banks of the great ftream formed by the junction of the Euphrates and the Tigris; which foon became an emporium not inferior to Alexandria itself.

The merchants of Conftantinople, excluded from their accustomed channel of trading with India, had recourie to the ancient way of communication, over land to the banks of the Oxus, and down that river to the Cafpian sea, fee p. 127. By this mode of conveyance, perilous and difficult as it was, Europe was fupplied with the commodities of the eat for more than two centuries. During that period, the Chriftians and Mahomedans were engaged in almost uninterrupted hoftilities; which, added to the antipathy caufed by their different religions, excited the keenest animofity and hatred against each other. This was increafed and perpetuated by the crufades, fee p. 253. which, however, by the confequences, ferved again to open the ufua! channel of Indian commerce, ib. During the space of fifty-feven years, that the Latins were in poffeffion of Conftantinople, fee p. 479. the Venetians, who had greatly contributed to the taking of that city, engroffed a confiderable part of is trade, particularly of that to India. When the Latins were expelled from Conftantinople, partly by the affittance of the Genoefe, the rivals of the Venetians, among the other donations bestowed on the Genoefe for their services, they obtained PERA, the chief fuburb of Conftantinople, with fuch exemption from the accustomed duties on goods imported and exported, as gave them a decided fuperiority over every competitor in trade. With the vigilant attention of merchan's, the Genoefe availed themselves of this favourable fituation. They furrounded their new fettlement in Pera with fortifications. They rendered their factories on the adjacent coafts places of strength. They were masters of the harbour of Conftantinople more than the Greeks themselves. The whole trade of the Black Sea came into their hands; and, not satisfied with this, they took poffeffion of the Cherfonefus Taurica, the modern Crimaa, and made CAFFA, its principal city, the chief feat of their trade with the eaft. In confequence

of

Ptolemy; extending along the north bank of the Ganges, twelve miles in length, and two or three in breadth. It now can only be traced from its ruins. Near its fite ftands the modern MAULDAH.

The chief city in the east quarter of Bengal is DACCA, beyond the principal ftream of the Ganges, although a very large branch of that river runs paft it. Dacca is most commodiously fituate for trade, having a communication with all the inland navigations. It is one hundred miles above the mouth of the Ganges, and one hundred and eighty by the road from Cal

cutta.

About

of this revolution, Genoa became the greatest commercial power in Europe; and had the wifdom of its government been equal to the enterprifing industry and courage of its citizens, it might have long held that rank. But in this respect it was greatly inferior to Venice.

The Venetians, to counterbalance the advantages recently acquired by their rivals, reforted to the ancient ftaples of Indian commodities, chiefly to Alexandria: and having concluded a treaty of commerce with the Saldans of Egypt, or Princes of the Mamalukes, who were then poffeffion alfo of Syria, they made fettlements at Alexandria and Damafcus, appointing a conful to refide at each place, in a public character, and to exercife a mercantile jurifdiction, under the authority of the Soldans. To fanction this intercourfe with Infidels, they obtained a dispensation from the Pope a thing indifpenfably neceflary in that age, to filence the scruples of the people The Venetians derived much ufeful information concerning Indian commerce, from the fuccefsful enterprife of one of their own citizens, MARCO POLO; who having penetrated to the court of the Great Khan of Tartary, on the frontier of Catbay or China, and having gained the favour of that prince, during the course of twenty-fix years, partly employed in mercantile tranfactions, and partly in conducting negotiations with which the Great Khan entrusted him, explored many regions of the caft, which no European had ever visited.

In the mean time the Genoefe, deprived of their Indian commerce upon the capture of Conftantinople by the Turks, a. 1453, and weakened by domestic diffenfions, left the Venetians in the entire poffeffion of the trade to India, which raised that people to the highest pitch of power and opulence. The merchants of Florence alfo obtained a fhare, though inconfiderable, in this commerce.' -The Venetians are thought to have carried on their trade to India with greater advantage than any other nation ever did; as they had no direct intercourfe with that country, but purchased the commodities of the caft, imported by the Mahomedans into Egypt and Syria, more frequently by barter for their own manufactures, than with ready money.. Concerning the fubfequent changes which have taken place in this trade, fee p. 254. 489. & 519.

The fit conquerer of India in modern times was MAHMOOD, Emperor or Sultan of Ghizzi, anciently Badriana; whofe capital city was Ghizni or Ghazne, Situate among the western fources of the Indus. He entered Indoftan or Hindoeßian A. D. 1000; but in the course of eight years made no farther progress than MOULTAN, the modern capital of the country of the ancient Malli, at the conflux of the Jenaub or Chunaub with the Indus, (which river is called by the natives Sirde or Snách,) about 800 miles from the fra. He afterwards conquered most of the country eastwards to the Ganges, deftroying in his way all the Pagodas or temples of the Hindoos, whom he treated with the most favage cruelty, and, from his furious zeal for iflamifm, wished to exterminate. In the year 1184, his pofterity were expelled

by

About five hundred miles from the mouth of the Ganges is PATNA, the capital of Bahar, built along the fouth bank of the river; a very extenfive and populous city; fupposed to be the ancient Palibothra. Having been often the seat of war, it is fortified in the Indian manner, with a wall and a small citadel. It is a place of very confiderable trade. Most of the faltpetre imported by the Eaft-India Company is manufactured within the province of Bahar.-About fixty miles above Patna is BENARES, the chief city of the district or Zemindary of that name, (including alfo the Circars of Fianpour, Guzar, and Gazypour,) the ancient feat of Braminical learning; a very rich and populous city, compactly built along the north bank of the Ganges.

North

by the family of the Gaurides, so called from Gaur or Ghor, a country beyond the Indian Caucafus, who fixed their refidence at LAHORE, the capital of Panjab, ór the country of the five rivers, lo called from its being contained between the five eastern branches of the Indus. Their prince MAHOMED GORI extended his dominion eastward, and having taken the city of BENARES, on the north bank of the Ganges, the ancient feat of Braminical learning, perpetrated there the most fhocking cruelties. About this period, as it is thought, the original language of the country, called the Senferit or Sanfkreet language, began to decline in its purity, by the admixture of words from that of the conquerors: Thus being gradually changed, it has now become a dead language, as the Saxon in England, and is only preferved in ancient writings, which are understood by none but the most learned Brahmins. After the death of Mahomed Gori, a. 1205, his empire was divided. The Indian part fell to CUTTUB, one of his generals, who founded the Patan or Afghan dynasty in Hindooftan; fo called from the Afghans, who originally inhabited that mountainous tract lying between India and Perfia, or the ancient Paropamifus. Cuttub removed the Imperial refidence to DELHI or Dehly, where, with a few interruptions, it has fince remained.

The Patan dynafty continued to poffefs the throne of Delhi till the time of Mahmood III. in whofe reign, a. 1398, TIMUR or Tamerlane over-ran India, where he acted with fuch inhuman cruelty, that he got the title of the deftreying Prince. He did not however change the order of fucceffion, but left Mahmood in poffeffion of the throne. He said only five months in the country, being bent on his expedition against the Turks; fee p. 481. and carried very little plunder out of India. He died, a 1405.

After the death of Mahmood, a. 1413, the crown of Delhi devolved on CHIZIER, a SEID, that is, one of the race of the Prophet; whofe pofterity continued to enjoy it till the year 1450, when BELLOLI, an Afghan of the tribe of LODI, obtained it. His fon transferred the feat of empire to AGRA (a. 1501).In this reign the Portuguese first arrived in India. Under the family of Ledi the empire was torn by dreadful convulfions, which occafioned their expulfion.

BABER, a defcendant of Tamerlane and Gengiz Kan, Sultan of the MOGUL Tartars poffeffing the provinces between the Indus and Samarcand, being difpoffeffed of the northern part of his dominions by the Uber Tartars, determined to try his fortune in Hindooftan, where the diftracted state of the country flattered him with the hopes of conquest. After repeated attempts he at laft fucceeded in defeating Ibrahim 11. the emperor of Delhi, and thus put an end to the dynasty of Ledi. a. 1525. The countries which he and his fucceffors fubdued were called the MOGUL EMPIRE.

North-weft from this is the province of OUDE. The chief city, where the Nabob now refides, is. LUCKNOW, on a fmall river, named the Goomty, which communicates with the Ganges at forty-five miles fouth-west of Lucknow. This city is fix hundred and fifty miles, by the nearest road, from Calcutta. All from Lucknow to the mouth of the Ganges is one vaft plain. About eighty miles to the eastward of Lucknow is FYZABAD, five hundred and fixty miles from Calcutta; a very large city; the refidence of the Nabob, till within these few years; fituate on the Gegra, a very large river from Thibet. Nearly adjoining to it is the ancient city of OUDE or Adjudiah. At the confluence of the two great

rivers

EMPIRE.—Baber dying in 1530, his fon HUMAIOON fucceeded, who, although a prince of ability and virtue, was expelled from the throne by the intrigues of his brothers, and the art of SHEER KAN, who ufurped the empire, a. 1541. But Sheer being flain at the fiege of Cheitore, a. 1545, Humaioon, who had suffered great diftrefs in his exile, was recalled, a. 1554; and dying the following year, transmitted the crown to ACBAR or Akber his fon, who proved one of the most illustrious princes that ever reigned in Indoftan; being equally distinguished for his humanity, and toleration to the Hindoos or Gentoos, as for his wifdom and courage. Acbar died, a. 1605. The reign of this prince has been celebrated by his vizier or prime minifter, the famous ABUL FAZEL, in a book called the "Aibar-namma, or history of Acbar. -This emperor divided his dominions into eleven fuubahs or provinces, fome of which were equal in extent to large European kingdoms; each soubah he subdivided into a certain number of circars or counties; and these into fo many purgunnahs or hundreds. The population, revenue, produce, religion, arts, and commerce of each district were ascertained. Many of these particulats were collected by Abul Fazel into a book called AYIN ACBAREE, or Inftitutes of Acbar, which, to this day, forms an authentic regifter of thefe matters. This curious book was fome years ago tranflated by Mr. Gladwin, and published in Bengal, under the patronage of Mr. Haftings, Governor-General of the English dominions in India. JOHANG JURE, the fon of Acbar, fucceeded, in whose reign Sir Thomas Roe was fent as the first English ambaffador to the Emperor of Hindooftan, 1615. The latter part of this Emperor's life was imbittered by the rebellion of his fon, SHAW JEHAN, who upon his father's death fucceeded, a. 1627. He quarrelling with the Portuguese, expelled them from Hoogly on the Ganges.

In the year 1658 began the civil wars between Jehan and his fons, as alfo between the fons themselves, which terminated in the elevation of AURUNGZEBE, the youngest; after he had depofed his father, and murdered or expelled his three brothers, a. 1660. This prince, having finished the conqueft of the DECCAN, and fubdued feveral other countries, raised the Mogul empire to the highest pitch of splendour. He died in 1707, in the ninetieth year of his age, at Amednagar in the Deccan, which he had fixed on as his refidence, while in winter-quarters. His authority extended from the 10th to the 35th degree of latitude, and nearly as much in longitude; containing at least fixty-four millions of inhabitants; and his revenue exceeded thirty-two millions of pounds sterling, in a country where the products of the earth are about four times as cheap as in England. But the feble princes who fucceeded, being unable to wield so mighty a sceptre, this vast empire was in the course of fifty years reduced to nothing.

1

Aurangzebe

rivers Ganges and JUMNA, is feated ALLAHABAD, in a very important fituation, belonging to the Nabob of Oude, about eight hundred and twenty miles above the mouth of the Ganges, thought by fome to be the Palibothra of the ancients.

About three hundred miles above Allahabad is fituate AGRA, on the fouth bank of the Jumna river, which is very feldom fordable. In 1566, the Emperor Acbar, liking the fituation of this city, made it his capital; whence it is often called Ackbarabad. During the laft century, and the beginning of this, it was one of the most splendid cities in India. But as it quickly rofe to eminence, so it as fuddenly declined. It now exhibits the most magnificent ruins.

About one hundred and nineteen miles north of Agra stands DELHI, or Dehly, on the right or western bank of the Jumna, 28° 37′ N. L. and 77° 40' E. L. the nominal capital of the Mogul empire. It anciently ftood on the oppofite bank. During the latter part of last century, and the beginning of this, it was faid to contain two millions of inhabitants; but it is now greatly reduced. The fertile tract of country between the Jumna and Ganges is called DooAB, which name is

applied

Aurungzebe left four fons. The two eldest contended about the empire. Each brought into the field about 300,000 men. The conteft was determined near Agra, in favour of the oldeft, who took the name of BAHADER SHAH, but is ufually called SHAH AULUM. His competitor fell in the battle. The youngest brother next revolted, and was alfo crushed. The other brother, thirty years before, had rebelled against his father, and fled into Perfia. In this reign the SEIKS, a new lect of religionists, from the foot of the eastern mountains, attacked the province of Lahore. Pavader, having with difficulty reduced them, took up his residence at Lahore, that he might be near at hand to keep them in fubjection. Here he died,

a. 1712.

Bahader alfo left four fons, who likewife contended together about the fucceffion. Three of them fell at different times in the ftruggle; and the fourth was foon after dethroned, to make way for his nephew FEROKSERE, who was fet up by the Seids or Syeds, two brothers, and Omrahs or chiefs of great power. In this reign the English Eaft India company received the famous FIRMAN er Grant, by which their goods of im ort and exp rt were exempted from duties or cuftoms; which was re, arded as the company's COMMERCIAL CHARTER in India, while they ftood in need of protection from the princes of the country.

In the year 1717 Ferokfere was depofed and deprived of fight by the Seids, who raifed to the throne a fon of Bahadar Shah. But he was foon depofed, and alfo his bother in the courfe of a year; and both of them put to death by th- Seids, who now diffed of every thing at pleafure.- They next placed on the throne MAHOMED SHAH, grandton of Babader Shab, who, warned by the fate of his predeceffors, got rid of the Seids, but not without a rebellion and a battle. In this reign, the MAHRATTAS became troublefome, fo called from MARHAT, a prince in the Deccan, their original country; and NIZAM AL-MULUCK, Vicesoy of the Deccan, afpired at independence. To promote his views, he invited NADIR

Tt