:

for certain parts of Sumatra, or for fome of the islands that lie extended along the western fide of it, are alfo branded with the fame character and we find by Mr. Marsden, that it is generally belived, that man-eaters exift in Sumatra, even at this day. I refer the Bona Fortune ifland to the Great Andaman; and the 10 Maniola, to the northern Nicobars; being just the number of them: the 5 Barala, and 3 Sindre islands, together with the 3 Saba-diba; are the islands I allude to, as being either parts of Sumatra, or iflands near it.

SKETCHES of the Hiftory of HINDOOSTAN, fince the Commencement of the MAHOMEDAN CONQUESTS.

THERE is no known hiftory of Hindooftan (that refts on the foundation of Hindoo materials or records) extant, before the period of the Mahomedan conquests: for either the Hindoos kept no regular histories; or they were all deftroyed, or fecluded from common eyes by the Pundits. We may judge of their traditions, by that exifting, concerning Alexander's expedition: which is, that he fought a great battle with the Emperor of Hindoostan, near Delhi: and though victorious, retired to Perfia, across the northern mountains: fo that the remarkable circumftance of his failing down the Indus, in which he employed many months, is funk altogether. And yet, perhaps, few events of ancient times, reft on better foundations, than this part of the history of Alexander (fee Section III. of the Memoir) as appears by its being fo highly celebrated, not only by his cotemporaries, but by feveral of the moft celebrated authors, for fome centuries following. As for the notices above referred to, in Herodotus, Pliny, and Arrian, &c.

*

they

they are rather tranfient views of the then state of Hindoostan, with a general account of manners and customs; than a history. Not but that these accounts are infinitely more pleasing and fatisfactory, than a hiftory would have been, if it contained nothing more than that of the Mahomedan conquefts: that is, an account of battles and maffacres: an account of the fubverfion of (apparently) one of the mildeft, and most regular governments in the world, by the vilest and most unworthy of all conquerors: for fuch the Mahomedans undoubtedly were, confidered either in respect to their intolerant principles; contempt of learning, and science; habitual floth; or their imperious treatment of women: to whose lot, in civilised focieties, it chiefly falls, to form the minds of the rifing generation of both fexes; as far as early leffons of virtue and morality may be fuppofed to influence them.

The travels of Cofmas in the 6th century, and of the two Mahomedan travellers in the 9th, afford fe materials for history: and but little can be gleaned from Marco Paulo, who croffed the peninsula, and went up the western fide of it, to Guzerat, in the 13th century. Indeed, it is exceeding difficult to refer any incident related in this laft author, to any particular country'; as the geography of his travels is an enigma, for the most part.

It is chiefly to Perfian pens that we are indebted for that portion of Indian hiftory, which we poffefs. The celebrated Mahomed Ferishta, early in the 17th century, compiled a hiftory of Hindoostan, from various materials; most of which, in the idea of Col. Dow (who gave a tranflation of this hiftory to the world, about 20 years ago) were collected from Perfian authors. The Mahabarut, an historical poem of high antiquity, and which I understand, Mr. Wilkins is now translating from the original 'Sanferit (as he has already done an episode of it, under the title of Bhagvat Geeta) is supposed to contain a large portion of interefting hiftorical matter: but if the father of Grecian poetry made fo total a change in the story of Helen, in order to give a full fcope to his imagina

tion; what fecurity have we that another poet may not mislead us in matters of fact; that is, in all that is valuable in hiftory, confidered as fuch? Mr. Dow was far from fuppofing that the Hindoos were deftitute of genuine hiftories of their own.country: he was not indeed acquainted with the Sanfcrit language, in which they must be written, if at all: but founded his belief on the information of people on the fpot. If the fpecimens of early Hindoo history given in the Ayin Acbaree, are akin to thofe which Mr. Dow had in contemplation, I confefs I can place no dependance on them. The most valuable part of Ferishta's history, he allows to be that, pofterior to the firft Mahomedan conquefts, about the year 1000 and the following abstract of it is offered to the reader's notice, in order to fix in his mind, an idea of the fucceffive changes in the state of the empire of Hindooftan; which from a pure Hindoo government, became a Mahomedan one; and continued to be fo, under various dynafties of Monarchs, from Perfia, Afghanistan, and Tartary; until the beginning of the prefent century these Princes, moreover, adding to the original country of Hindooftan, all the other provinces fituated within the Ganges. This unweildy state then dropping to pieces, anarchy fucceeded; which in most parts of it, is fcarcely compofed at prefent: and which had nearly given rife to a new Hindoo empire, under the Mahrattas: but the intervention of foreign powers, prevented it. Laftly, one of thofe foreign powers feizing on the faireft provinces, and taking the lead in the empire, although removed from it, the distance of an actual route of fifteen thousand miles * !

Even after the commencement of the Mahomedan conquefts, we find little more in Ferifhta, fave the hiftories of the empire of Ghizni (or Gazna) and Delhi; until the fubjection of all Hindooftan, by the Patan Emperors in the beginning of the 13th century: for Hindooftan continued to be divided into a number of feparate

No part of the Roman empire, was diftant from its capital, by the most circuitous route, more than 2800 miles.

The

kingdoms, each of which, required a particular history: and of which we know only fuch parts of it, as were interwoven with the hiftory of the conquering country. Many of thefe old Hindoo kingdoms, bore the fame names as the prefent foubahs (or viceroyalties) do; and had, probably, nearly the fame limits. history of the Deccan, is yet more obfcure than that of Hindooftan being brought into view later, as the Mahomedan conquests extended thither and which began to encroach on it about the year 1300, although the entire conqueft of it, was not made until late in the 17th century.

It may be observed that the firft Mahomedan conqueror who made any establishments; that is, Mahmood, found little less difficulty in fubduing the country, than the latter conquerors did'; when fo many kingdoms were united under the Patan Emperors: for thefe kingdoms, now become provinces, were too extenfive, and composed of materials too discordant to unite properly: not to mention, that they were never long enough united, to produce the happy effects resulting from a long period of intercourse under one common head, and which affimilates the whole into one mafs,' like the French or British provinces. And this must ever be the cafe, in very extenfive empires, where a delegation of great powers, and distant fituation, prepares the provinces for independency, whenever the fupreme government happens to be placed in weak hands. Hence, Hindooftan, even under the Moguls, may be confidered only as a collection of tributary kingdoms; each accustomed to look no farther than to its own particular Viceroy; and, of course, ever in a state to rebel, when the imbecility of the Emperor, and the ambition of the Viceroy, formed a favourable conjuncture. To this must be attributed the little refiftance that was made to the arms of Tamerlane, Baber, Humaioon, and Nadir Shah; although fo many provinces were at thofe times united, under one Prince.

;

The firft Mahomedan conquefts that led to permanent establishments in Hindooftan, were thofe of the beforementioned Mahmood, Emperor of Ghizni: for I make a distinction between these, and the first irruptions of the Mahomedans; which left fuch flight traces behind them, as to be scarcely apparent. Among others, was that of the Caliph Valid in the first century of Mahomedanism. The empire of Ghizni was founded by Abiftagi, Governor of Korafan (A. D. 960) who revolted from the King of Bucharia whose ancestor, in his turn, had arisen to power, on the ruins of the Caliphat empire, about 87 years before. Ghizni confifted chiefly of the tract, which compofed the kingdom of Bactria, after the divifion of Alexander's empire: that is, the countries lying between Parthia and the Indus; and fouth of the Oxus *. Ghizni (or Gazna) a city placed among the western fources of the Indus, and not far from the Indian Caucafus, was the reputed capital; though Balk or Balich claimed this honour, likewise.

Mahmood (commonly ftyled Sultan) was the third in fucceffion from Abistagi: and was himself the son of Subuctagi, who appears to have meditated the conqueft of the western part of India; and, like Philip, left his projects, as well as his kingdom, to his fon. Subuctagi had carried his arms across the Indus, and ravaged the Panjab; but made no establishments: for we find, that at the time of his fon Mahmood's invafion, a Prince of the Bramin race, or religion, named Jeipal, poffeffed the whole country, along the east fide of the Indus, to Cashmere; and that he had the Kings of Delhi, Agimere, Canoge, and Callinger, for allies: fo that it may be concluded, from the circumftance of the frontier provinces being under a Hindoo government; and from the state of the Hindoo religion, throughout the scene of Mahmood's conquests; that the Mahomedans, whatever ravages they might have committed, previous to this time, had not, as we have before observed,

The reader is requested to confult the map at page 02, for the countries lying between the Indus and the Caspian sea.

formed