dant: 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, fituated within them, were deftined to be the feats of defpotism: for that the climate creating few wants, and the foil being productive without any great exertion; the inhabitants of it do not poffefs those energies, that in a cooler climate prompt mankind to investigate their natural rights, and to affert them. This, however, is a point that I fhall not venture to decide on; although I believe it is a fact not to be difputed, that throughout the known parts of the world, defpotism prevails most in the warm climates. The Patan, Mogul, and Tartarian conquerors, in Hindooftan and China, however hardy at first, have in a course of ages, funk into the fame state of effeminacy with their subjects: and, in their turn, have, with them, received a new mafter. Let those who are in the habit of complaining of the feverity of northern climates, reflect, that whatever phyfical evils it may produce, it matures the great qualities of the mind; and renders its inhabitants pre-eminent among their fpecies: while a flowery poet, or a more flowery hiftorian, is the most emi nent production of the tropical regions.

While the Kings of Delhi were profecuting their conquefts in the east and south of Hindooftan, the provinces on the weft of the Indus, were, of course, neglected; although not avowedly relinquifhed. It might have been expected, that fo excellent a barrier as the upper part of the Indus, and the deferts beyond Agimere, would have induced an Emperor of Hindooftan, to give up, of choice, all the provinces that lay on the weft of this frontier: and the neglect of so prudent a conduct, occafioned the peace of the empire to be often difturbed; and ended in their being forcibly taken away at laft, by the Moguls: who, not contented with their new acquifitions on the weft of the Indus, croffed that river and

invaded

invaded the Panjab: and fo formidable did they appear to Ferofe II. that fome tribes of them were permitted to fettle in that country (A. D. 1292.) The reader will not forget the similar conduct of the Roman Emperor Valens, with refpect to the Goths, who were permitted to cross the Danube, and fettle in Thrace: and the fimilitude is the more ftriking, in that the Hindooftan empire was afterwards conquered by the affiftance of the defcendants of thofe Moguls. This Ferofe II. was of the tribe of Chilligi or Killigi (from Killige, near the mountains of Gaur) but 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, Perfia, and the province of Balk: that is, the ancient province of Paropamifus.

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 fouth of the Nerbudda and Mahanada. (or Cattack) rivers: a tract nearly equal in extent to what he already poffeffed in Hindooftan; and which extended from the thores 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 independant.. The riches of the King of Deogire (now Dowlatabad) one of the. principalities or ftates of the Deccan, gave birth to this project; and the projector was Alla, Governor of Gurrah, which nearly bordered on the devoted country. The covetoufness of the Emperor made him embrace a propofal, which eventually involved in it, his own ruin; for Alla afterwards depofed 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 depofed and murdered the Emperor. We cannot help acknowledging the juftice of this punishment; when we recollect the motives, 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 Bilfah.

When Alla (who was the first of the name) had poffeffion of the throne, in 1295, he began his plan of conqueft, by the reduction of Guzerat; which, while it continued independant, was, by its local fituation, a strong obstacle to his defigns 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; and comprehending nearly the prefent country of Golconda. This, as well as Cheitore, was a city and fortrefs of vaft extent, and population. But in the midft of thefe conquefts, and probably the effect of them, the watchful and restless Moguls, from the oppofite quarter, penetrated even to Delhi; and plundered the fuburbs 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 the Mahrattas. Cafoor not only carried his arms into Deogur (Dowlatabad) and from thence into Tellingana, but into the Carnatic likewife, in 1310. By the Carnatic, is here meant the peninfula in general, lying on the fouth of the Kistna river. It is not known, how far he penetrated, fouthward, but he was directed by Alla, to reduce MABER, which we understand to comprehend the fouthern part of the peninfula. His expedition appears to be rather predatory, than otherwife; agreeable to the genius of his mafter, Alla. The quantity of treasure

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

amaffed

amaffed, exceeds all belief. It was faid that filver was found too cumbersome for the foldiery; gold being in fuch plenty. The hiftorian obferves on this occafion, as well as on the taking of Deogur, that the Princes of the Deccan had been for a great number of ages, amaffing this treasure: fo that their country had pro→ bably 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 conqueft of those countries was not effected until about three centuries afterwards, under the latter Princes of the house of Timur. Alla died in 1346. At this period all Hindoostan proper was comprehended in the Patan empire (fo called from the dynasty in poffeffion of the throne): and the interior policy is faid to be fo well regulated, that ftrangers might travel throughout the empire, in perfect fecurity.

Rebellions breaking out in Tellingana, in 1322, and 1326, it was again fubjected: and the whole Carnatic ravaged from fea to fea. But under a fucceeding Emperor, Mahomed III. the Princes of the Deccan affumed courage, and headed by Belaldeo, King of the Carnatic, they drove the Mahomedans entirely out of those countries; nothing remaining to them, fave the fortrefs of Dowlatabad (or Deogur). About the fame time (1344) the city of Bijinagur, corruptly called Bifnagar, was founded by the fame Belaldeo. Mahomed, who appears to have been a weak Prince, loft. much territory, alfo, by rebellions in Bengal, Guzerat, and the Panjab mean while, he was occupied in attempting the conqueft of China, but was repulfed on the frontier. It is probable, from circumstances, that he went by way of Affam. This Emperor alfo planned the abfurd. scheme of transferring the feat of government, from Delhi to Dowlatabad: and attempted it twice, but without fuccefs.

Ferofe III. who fucceeded in 1351, appeared more defirous 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, page 72.) 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 Ferofe, in 1388, rebellion and civil war, during a course of several years, prepared the empire for foreign subjection : and a minority, in the perfon of Mahmood III. who fucceeded in 1393, brought matters to a crifis. During the confufions attendant on the state of a minority, in an empire which could with difficulty be held together, by a veteran defpot, the hiftorian remarks an unusual circumftance: two Emperors in arms against each other, refiding within the fame capital. In this ftate of things, Timur, who had already extended his empire over all the western Afia and Tartary, turned his arms towards Hindooftan in 1398. In the preceding year, he had fent his grandfon Peer Mahomed, to reduce the Panjab, and Moultan; and in October, croffed the Indus himself; and joining his grandfon near Moultan, his army proceeded in different divifions to Delhi, which fubmitted, without what may be properly termed, a battle. This inhuman monfter, who had credit enough with a poet of the prefent century, to be brought on the ftage, as a hero, poffeffing great and amiable qualities, obtained in Hindooftan, the title of "the deftroying Prince" and was truely worthy of it, from the numerous maffacres 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 feat of his empire, when, hearing of a fortrefs in the Dooab, that had refifted the arms of a former Mogul invader (Turmecherin Khan) he marched towards it and took it. From thence he proceeded to the place where the Ganges iffues out of the mountains, and where the Hindoos refort at certain feafons, in vaft numbers, to pay their adorations to, and to purify them felves in that

facred