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pendent: and indeed, had it brought them nearer to the point of having a regular, permanent government, this might be true; but, in fact, it only subjected them to a new conqueror; or to the punishment of rebellion from the former one. It would appear as if the warm climates, and more especially the open countries, situated within them, were destined to be the seats of despotism: for that the climate creating few wants, and the soil being productive without any great exertion; the inhabitants of it do not possess those energies that, in a cooler climate, prompt mankind to investigate their natural rights, and to assert them. This, however, is a point that I shall not venture to decide on; although I believe it is a fact not to be disputed, that throughout the known parts of the world, despotism prevails most in the warm climates. The Patan, Mogul, and Tartarian conquerors in Hindoostan and China, however hardy at first, have, in a course of ages, sunk into the same state of effeminacy with their subjects: and, in their turn, have, with them, received a new master. Let those who are in the habit of complaining of the severity of a northern climate, reflect, that whatever physical evils it may produce, it matures the great qualities of the mind; and renders its inhabitants pre-eminent among their species: while a flowery poet, or a more flowery historian, is the most eminent production of the tropical regions.

While the kings of Delhi were prosecuting their conquests in the east and south of Hindoostan, the provinces on the west of the Indus, were, of course, neglected; although not avowedly relinquished. It might have been expected, that so excellent a barrier as the upper part of the Indus, and the deserts beyond Agimere, would have induced an emperor of Hindoostan to give up, of choice, all the provinces that lay on the west of this line: and the neglect of so prudent a conduct, occasioned the peace of the empire to be often disturbed; and ended in their being forcibly taken away at last by the Moguls: who, not contented with their new acquisitions on the west of the Indus, crofsed that river, and

invaded the Panjab: and so formidable did they appear to Ferose II. that some tribes of them were permitted to settle in that country (A. D. 1292). The reader will not forget the similar conduct of the Roman emperor Valens, with respect to the Goths, who were permitted to cross the Danube, and settle in Thrace: and the similitude is the more striking, in that the Hindoostan empire was afterwards conquered by the afsistance of the descendants of those Moguls. This Ferose II. although of the tribe of Chilligi or Killigi (from Killige, near the mountains of Gaur), is, nevertheless, included in the Patan dynasty: the name Patan, or Pitan, being applied rather in a loose manner, to all the tribes bordering on the common frontiers of India, Persia, and the province of Balk; that is to say, the ancient province of Paropamisus.

In 1293 this emperor gave into the scheme of attacking the DECCAN; which, at this period, must be understood to mean the country lying generally to the south of the Nerbuddah and Mahanada (or Cattack) rivers: a tract nearly equal in extent to what he already pofsefsed in Hindoostan; and which extended from the shores of the Indus, to the mouth of the Ganges; and from the northern mountains, to Cattack, Sirong, and Agimere: the greatest part of Malwa, with Guzerat, and Sindi, being then independent. The riches of the King of Deogire (now Dowlatabad), one of the principalities or states of the Deccan, gave birth to this project; and the projector was Alla, governor of Gurrah, which nearly bordered on the devoted country. The covetousness of the emperor made him embrace a proposal, which eventually involved in it his own ruin, for Alla afterwards deposed him by means of that very plunder.

Alla's first expedition was attended with the capture of Deogire (or Deogur), and with it an incredible quantity of treasure and jewels; with which, having increased his army, he deposed and murdered the emperor. We cannot help acknowledging the justice of this punishment, when we recollect the unworthy motives. h

on which the expedition to the Deccan was undertaken; and that, moreover, the emperor had been bribed by Alla, with part of the plunder taken in a former predatory expedition to Bilsah.

When Alla (who was the first of the name) had possession of the throne, in 1295, he began his plan of conquest, by the reduction of Guzerat; which, while it continued independent, was, by its local situation, a strong obstacle to his designs on the Deccan. Next, he reduced Rantampour, and Cheitore, two of the strongest holds of the Rajpoots, in Agimere. This was the first time that Cheitore had fallen to the Mahomedans. In 1303, he also reduced Warangole, the capital of Tellingana, another principality of the Deccan, comprehending nearly the present country of Golconda. This, as well as Cheitore, was a city and fortrefs of vast extent and population. But in the midst of these conquests, and probably the effect of them, the watchful and restless Moguls, from the opposite quarter, penetrated even to Delhi; and plundered the suburbs of it.

In the following year, the remainder of Malwa was conquered; and in 1306, the conquest of the Deccan was resumed, under Cafoor, the general of Alla; who proceeded to the Deogur country, by the route of Baglana, which he reduced in his way; and which Ferishta* calls the country of MARHAT. Cafoor not only carried his arms into Deogur (Dowlatabad), and from thence into Tellingana, but into the Carnatic likewise, in 1310. By the Carnatic, is here meant the peninsula in general, lying on the south of the Kistnah river. It is not known how far he penetrated southward, but he was directed by Alla to reduce MABER, which we understand to comprehend the southern part of the peninsula. His expedition appears to be rather predatory, than otherwise; agreeable to the genius of his master, Alla. The quantity of treasure

It is to be regretted that Col. Dow did not give a literal translation of Ferishta, as a text, and add his own matter, or explanations, in the form of notes. We should then have been able to distinguish the one from the other.

amassed, exceeds all belief. It was said that silver was found too cumbersome for the soldiery; gold being in such plenty. The historian observes on this occasion, as well as on the taking of Deogur, that the princes of the Deccan had been for a great number of ages, amafsing this treasure: so that their country had probably continued undisturbed all that time.

In 1312 Cafoor ravaged the northern part of the Deccan again, and laid Tellingana and the Carnatic under a tribute: but the entire conquest of those countries was not effected until about three centuries afterwards, under the latter princes of the house of Timur. Alla died in 1816. At this period all Hindoostan proper was comprehended in the Patan empire (so called from the dynasty in possession of the throne): and the interior policy is said to be so well regulated, that strangers might travel throughout the empire, in perfect security.

Rebellions breaking out in Tellingana in 1322, and 1326, it was again subjected: and the whole Carnatic ravaged from sea to sea. But under a succeeding emperor, Mahomed III. the princes of the Deccan afsumed courage, and headed by Belaldeo, King of the Carnatic, they drove the Mahomedans entirely out of those countries; nothing remaining to them, save the fortrefs of Dowlatabad (or Deogur). About the same time (1344) the city of Bijinagur, corruptly called Bisnagar, was founded by the same Belaldeo. Mahomed, who appears to have been a weak prince, lost much territory also, by rebellions in Bengal, Guzerat, and the Panjab: mean while, he was occupied in attempting the conquest of China, but was repulsed on the frontier. It is probable, from circumstances, that he went by way of Afsam. This emperor also planned the absurd scheme of transferring the seat of government from Delhi to Dowlatabad: and attempted it twice, but without success.

Ferose III. who succeeded in 1351, appeared more desirous of improving the remains of the empire, after the defection of Bengal

and the Deccan, &c. than of extending it, by arms. Canals, and public works, for the improvement of agriculture, and of the inland navigation, were his favourite objects, during a reign of 37 years. (See the Memoir, Section III.) The Moguls made another irruption in 1357, and the time now approached, when a more serious one was to take place under Timur, or Tamerlane. After the death of Ferose, in 1388, rebellion and civil war, during a course of several years, prepared the empire for foreign subjection: and a minority, in the person of Mahmood III. who succeeded in 1393, brought matters to a crisis. During the confusions attendant on the state of a minority, in an empire which could with difficulty be held together by a veteran despot, the historian remarks an unusual circumstance: two emperors in arms against each other, residing within the same capital. In this state of things, Timur, who had already extended his empire over all the western Asia and Tartary, turned his arms towards Hindoostan in 1398. In the preceding year, he had sent his grandson Peer Mahomed, to reduce the Panjab, and Moultan; and in October, crossed the Indus himself; and joining his grandson near Moultan, his army proceeded in different divisions to Delhi, which submitted, without what may be properly termed, a battle. This inhuman monster, who had credit enough with a poet of the present century, to be introduced on the stage, as a hero, possessing great and amiable qualities, obtained in Hindoostan the title of "the destroying Prince:" and was truly worthy of it, from the numerous massacres and exterminations, executed under his immediate direction. Timur staid in Delhi only 15 days: and then appears to have been on his return to the seat of his empire, when, hearing of a fortrefs in the Dooab, that had resisted the arms of a former Mogul invader (Turmesherin Khan), he marched towards it and took it. From thence he proceeded to the place where the Ganges ifsues out of the mountains, and where the Hindoos resort at certain seasons, in vast numbers, to pay their adorations to, and to purify themselves in that

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