'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. II.' [‎49] (62/314)

49
> int\i
■he town
^niCan,
^ become
to bear,
I arrived
^ fpacious
delired, If
ceremonj,
prevented
looking at
j to pray,
jerceived a
dclotbes,
mg voice,
/peecli, I
f prater,
ro, if they
ie and tie
chtkfdo
'ne fence
to
FORSTER’S TRAVELS,
to violate the laws of juftice. This opinion is not formed on the
moment, but has arifen from long experience and the intimate in-
tercourfe, which my various occupations in India have produced ^
and is now fo firmly fubftantiated by undeviating teftimony, that
it fhapes my general fentiments of the Mahometan chara6ter.
When they daringly commit thefe a£ts on each other, even am id ft
the rites of their religion, what is to withold their attacks on thofe
of a different faith ?
This day a body of Afghan cavalry encamped in the environs
cf Akorah, and overfpread the country like a fwarm of locufts,
devouring and deftroying wherever they went. It feemed as if the
land was invaded, they entered in a violent manner, every vil
lage within their fcope, and fed themfelves and horfes at the
expenfe of the inhabitants. Such expeditions afford thefe hun
gry creatures almoft the only public means of fubfiftance; for
when inaftive, they are often reduced to fuch diftrefs, by the
blind parfimony of their prince, that their horfes, arms, and
cloths are fold for a livelihood.
On the 12th, at the village of Peer Pyah, ten coffes.
On the 13th, at the village of Kalalah, eight coffes, the
refidence of Mohubullah’s family, where I was treated with
much hofpitality. The male inhabitants of this village,
are all proprietors of mules, and employed in conveying mer
chandize, and from the name of their abode, denominated
Kalals.
Vql. II, , G
On