CHAP. IX. Moghul Viceroy of Guzerat; troubled by Kolis, Mahrattas, and Rajputs. Bigotry of 60 and pilots. Some of their ships carried thirty or forty pieces of cannon, but it was more for show than service. Besides merchantmen, there were three or four men of war as big as English third rates. There were also frigates fit to row or sail, made with prows instead of beaks, but they were more useful in creeks and rivers than on the open sea. Aurangzeb had also four great ships in constant pay to carry pilgrims to Mecca passage free. 61 The port of Surat was included in the province of Guzerat. Muhammad Amin Khan was Viceroy of the province. He was the son of Amír Jumla, who established Aurangzeb on the throne. His metropolis was not at Surat, but at Ahmadabad. He had vast forces, wealth, and territories, but he could not prevent the Kolis from pilfering, nor Sivají from plundering, nor the Rajpút outlaws from harassing the country. He could have beaten them all in a pitched battle, but they thwarted him by surprise and thievery; not a kafila or convoy was safe without a guard of soldiers. But for these dangers Surat might have been the greatest emporium in the world. The religious bigotry of Aurangzeb was abundantly manifested at Surat. He interfered in the Muharram, when the Shíahs mourned over the slaughter of Ali, and his two sons Hasan and Husain. He did not suppress the ceremonial, but he sought to reduce it to a form of pious respect, so that unbelievers should not think that Muhammadans were inclined to hea 60 Dr. Fryer says that the Moghuls found it necessary to carry European passes. Portuguese, Dutch, and English all sold passes, under which the Moghul ships were secured from the attacks of all ships belonging to the respective nations. Unfortunately these passes would not secure the Moghul ships from the attacks of pirates. 61 The Kolis, or Coolies, have already been described by Thevenot. then rites. At the same time he strove to bring the Hindus over to the worship of the Koran. He had already begun to raise two severe poll-taxes, compelling the Brahmans to pay a gold rupee a head, and lower castes the same in proportion.62 Some Rajas had already begun to revolt, and the Hindus at Surat were beginning to fly to the English town of Bombay, or to one or other of the Portuguese settlements. This timidity of the Hindus was surprising, for they outnumbered the Moghul troops a thousand to one; and had they only united to resist the Moghul authority they might have set Aurangzeb at defiance. In 1675 Dr. Fryer left Surat for Bombay. Here he paid the visit to Joonere which has been noticed in a previous chapter.63 A few personal details may be added, which throw farther light upon Moghul and Mahratta times. CHAP. IX. Return to Bombay. tends the Nawab public audience. The Nawab of the city of Joonere required the ser- Dr. Fryer at. vices of Dr. Fryer for one of the ladies of his harem. of Joonere: the Dr. Fryer journeyed to the fortress, and was received with great state. The Nawab was seated on a kind of throne, bolstered up with embroidered cushions. All his chief officers were standing on his right hand. He was smoking a silver hookah with much pomp and circumstance, whilst his sword and buckler lay before him, and a page carried his bow and arrows. The floor was spread with a soft bed supported by silver pedestals. Dr. Fryer took off his shoes, made his salam, presented his credentials, and was received at the left hand of the Nawab. Dr. Fryer expected to be ushered into the presence of his patient, but he 62 A gold rupee or mohur was equal to about sixteen rupees. page 374. 63 See ante, page 371. See ante, CHAP. IX. Weak defences against Sivaji. Visit to the Nawab's harem. Unexpected disclosures. was told that he must wait for a lucky day. Two singing men then chanted the praises of the Nawab, and the assembly was dismissed by the presentation of pán. Dr. Fryer had a poor opinion of the defences of Joonere. It appeared to him that the Moghuls at Joonere were encamped rather than fortified. If Sivaji advanced against them in any force, they either took to flight or joined the army under the Moghul general, Bahadur Khan, who commanded the Moghul army in that quarter. At last a fortunate day arrived for seeing the patient. Dr. Fryer was conducted into the women's quarters. He was led through a long dark entry into an open court, where he saw a bed hung round with curtains. He was told to put his hand under the curtains and feel the wrist of his patient. He did as he was told, but found a pulse healthy and regular, and accordingly declared that there was nothing the matter with the patient. It turned out that the attendants had tested his medical skill by placing a healthy female slave in the bed. The matter was explained, and Dr. Fryer was then permitted to feel the pulse of the sick lady. He found her weak and languid, and relieved her by bleeding. Next day another lady wanted to be bled. Dr Fryer was again conducted to the open court, but instead of a bed there was a curtain drawn across the whole court, as if to hide a distinguished audience. Presently a female arm was thrust through a hole in the curtain, but the curtain gave way and fell to the ground, and a large bevy of ladies appeared before the eyes of the English doctor. No one ran away, but the ladies veiled their faces with their hands, and peeped at Dr. Fryer between their fingers. Parings CHAP. IX. of fruit were lying about, as well as pieces of needlework, and Dr. Fryer inferred that the ladies had been engaged in ordinary household occupations. Mahratta wars, Dr. Fryer soon grew intimate with the Nawab of Cause of the long Joonere, and discussed questions of trade and politics. The Nawab cared nothing for trade; his only anxiety was that there should be no peace with the Mahrattas, and all the Moghul generals shared this feeling. So long as the war lasted a Moghul army would be maintained in the Dekhan, and every Moghul general would draw pay for troops that only existed on paper, and would receive rich presents from the Sultans of Bíjápur and Golkonda. Peace with Sivaji would put a stop to all these gains, and thus it was that Aurangzeb never came to terms with the Mahrattas. vert. Subsequently Dr. Fryer left the town of Joonere, Brahman conand paid a visit to the Nawab of the fortress. This man was a converted Brahman who had been promoted by Aurangzeb, and was notorious for his grasping avarice. Sivaji was anxious to recover the fortress from the Moghuls, because he had been born there, and he offered an enormous bribe to the ex-Brahman to deliver up the place. The terms were accepted, the money was paid, and seven thousand of Sivaji's men marched up the hill to take possession. But Sivaji was deceived; the ex-Brahman was faithless to his engagement, and the seven thousand Mahrattas were cut off by an ambuscade. The garrison of the fortress of Joonere was com- Indian armies. posed indifferently of Hindus as well as Moghuls; and such was the case with all Indian armies, Mahratta as well as Moghul. The only question was that of salt or pay; and one and all were expected to be CHAP. IX. Desolations of Mahrattas. Karwar: Mahratta oppression. Voyage to Goa. true to their salt. Pay might be many months in arrears, and the officers had many pickings before it reached the common soldiers, but loyalty to the salt was the ruling sentiment in Indian armies. The whole country between Joonere and Bombay was desolate in the extreme. The people were so harassed by Moghuls and Mahrattas that they were afraid to sow their grain, not knowing who would reap the harvest. They were so exposed to attacks from marauding parties that they frequently deserted their houses and fled to caves and jungles. The coolies who carried Dr. Fryer's luggage were much struck with the wretchedness and misery of the inhabitants, and compared it with the happiness which they enjoyed under British rule. Soon after Dr. Fryer's return to Bombay, he made a voyage to Karwar, to the southward of Goa. The country had formerly belonged to the Muhammadan Sultan of Bíjápur, but had been recently conquered by Sivaji. The English had built a fortified factory at Karwar, and kept all parties in awe by reason of their cannon. The cruel exactions of Mahratta rule were patent on all sides. The Brahman officials tortured the revenue farmers, and the farmers tortured the cultivators. But these extortionate practices were universal throughout India. The great fish preyed upon the little ones, until the poorer classes were brought into eternal bondage. Freebooters and outlaws plundered the villagers of all that remained; and there was no protection whatever for the hapless inhabitants of Karwar excepting under cover of the English guns. Whilst at Karwar Dr. Fryer made a voyage to Goa. On entering Goa river, there were many stately |