loses his life, unless pardoned by the king.  All the beasts thus taken, if man’s meat, are sold, and the money given to the poor:  If men, they become the king’s slaves, and are sent yearly to Cabul, to be bartered for horses and dogs; these being poor miserable and thievish people, who live in the woods and deserts, differing little from beasts.  One day while the king was hunting, about the 6th January, 1611, he was assaulted by a lion[244] which he had wounded with his matchlock.  The ferocious animal came upon him with such sudden violence, that he had in all probability been destroyed, had not a Rajaput captain interposed, just as the enraged animal had ramped against the king, thrusting his arm into the lion’s mouth.  In this struggle, Sultan Chorem, Rajah Ranidas, and others, came up and slew the lion, the Rajaput captain, who was tutor to the lately baptized princes, having first received thirty-two wounds in defence of the king; who took him into his own palanquin, and with his own hands wiped away the blood and bound up his wounds, making him an omrah of 3000 horse, in recompence of his valorous loyalty.

[Footnote 244:  The lion of these early travellers in India was almost certainly the tyger.—­E.]

This month of January 1611, the king was providing more forces for the Deccan war, although the king of that country offered to restore all his conquests as the price of peace.  Azam Khan was appointed general, who went off at the head of 20,000 horse, with whom went Mohabet Khan, another great captain, together with a vast treasure.  With these forces went John Frenchman and Charles Charke[245], engaged in the king’s service for these wars.

[Footnote 245:  This Charles Charke I have spoken with since in London, after having served several years in India.—­Purch.]

The 9th January, 1611, I departed from Agra for Lahore, to recover some debts, and carried with me twelve carts laden with indigo, in hopes of a good price.[246] In seven days journey, I arrived at Delhi, eighty-one coss from Agra.  On the left hand is seen the ruins of old Delhi,[247] called the Seven Castles and Fifty-two Gates, now only inhabited by Gogars, or cattle herds.  A short way from Delhi is a stone bridge of eleven arches, over a branch of the Jumna, whence a broad way, shaded on each side with great trees, leads to the tomb of Humaion, grandfather of the present king.  In a large room spread with rich carpets, this tomb is covered by a pure white sheet, and has over it a rich semiane, or canopy.  In front are certain books on small tressels, beside which stand his sword, turban, and shoes; and at the entrance are the tombs of his wives and daughters.  Beyond this, under a similar shaded road, you come to the king’s house and moholl, now ruinous.  The city is two coss in extent, between gate and gate, being surrounded by a wall which has been strong, but is now ruinous, as are many goodly houses.