'A Journey from Bengal to England, through the Northern part of India, Kashmire, Afghanistan, and Persia, and into Russia, by the Caspian-Sea. By George Forster. In the Civil Service of the Honourable the East-India Company in Two Volumes. Vol. I.' [‎74] (99/342)

74
FORSTER’S TRAVELS.
agcdiift the fun and rain, a fmall portion of cloathing, with plain
food, conftitute a large (liare of their real ones. In upper India,
the ceconomy of Karawan Serah * * * § or as it is ufually called the
Serauce, is conduced by better regulations, and its conveniencies
more fenfible felt, than in the fouthern parts of India. An in-
dofed area, the interior fides of which contain fmall apartments,
fronting inwards with a principal gate-way, is appropriated in
every village of note, to the ufe of travellers.^ The flationaiy
tenants of the ferauce,J many of them women, and fome of them
very pretty, approach the traveller on his entrance, and in al
luring language defcribe to him the various excellencies of their
feveral lodgings. When the choice is made, (which is often per
plexing, fo many are the inducements thrown out on all fides of
him) a bed § is laid out for his repofe —a fmoaking pipe is brought,
and the utenfils cleaned, for preparing his repaft. The neceffary
* Keravanferah is a Perfee and Arabic compound of Kar, fignifying bufinefs, rawan
the participle of the verb rufteen, to go, move, proceed, he. and of ferab, an habita
tion. The Tucktravan, a vehicle ufed by travellers in many parts of Afia, is compofed
of the words, tuckt, a feat, or board, and the aforementioned participle. I have ven
tured to infert thefe etymologies for the ufe of thofe who are not converfant in the
Perfian Language.
f Shere Shah, who drove Humaim from the throne of Delhi, in 1542, is faid to
have been the firft Mahometan who eftabliflied Karavanferahs in India. This fa£>,
alfo recorded in Dow’s hiftory, is well known amongft the natives. —Shere Shah built
the fort of Rhotas, and' the maufoleum of SafTeram,
J The ferauces at this day are ufually given in rent.
§ This piece of furniture, of very fimple conftru&ion, has low feet, with the fides
and ends formed of banibop or common rough wood, and the bottom of laced cords.
fum