Some add[262] that Agra has no walls, and is only surrounded by a dry ditch, beyond which are extensive suburbs, the city and suburbs being seven miles long and three broad.  The houses of the nobility and merchants are built of brick and stone, with flat roofs, but those of the common people have only mud walls and thatched roofs, owing to which there are often terrible fires.  The city has six gates.  The river Jumna is broader than the Thames at London, and has many boats and barges, some of them of 100 tons burden; but these cannot return against the stream.  From Agra to Lahore, a distance of 600 miles, the road is set on both sides with mulberry trees.

[Footnote 262:  At this place, Purchas remarks, “that this addition is from a written book, entitled, A Discourse of Agra and the Four principal Ways to it.  I know not by what author, unless it be Nicholas Ufflet.”—­Purch.]

The tomb of the late emperor Akbar is three coss from Agra, on the road to Lahore, in the middle of a large and beautiful garden, surrounded with brick walls, near two miles in circuit.  It is to have four gates, only one of which is yet in hand, each of which, if answerable to their foundations, will be able to receive a great prince with a reasonable train.  On the way-side is a spacious moholl, intended by the king for his father’s women to remain and end their days, deploring for their deceased lord, each enjoying the lands they formerly held, the chief having the pay or rents of 5000 horse.  In the centre of this garden is the tomb, a square of about three quarters of a mile in circuit.  The first inclosure is a curious rail, to which you ascend by six steps into a small square garden, divided into quarters, having fine tanks; the whole garden being planted with a variety of sweet-smelling flowers and shrubs.  Adjoining to this is the tomb, likewise square, all of hewn stone, with spacious galleries on each side, having a small beautiful turret at each corner, arched over head, and covered with fine marble.  Between corner and corner are four other turrets at equal distances.  Here, within a golden coffin, reposes the body of the late monarch, who sometimes thought the world too small for him.  It is nothing near finished, after ten years labour, although there are continually employed on the mausoleum and other buildings, as the moholl and gates, more than 3000 men.  The stone is brought from an excellent quarry near Futtipoor, formerly mentioned, and may be cut like timber by means of saws, so that planks for ceilings are made from it, almost of any size.

SECTION VII.

Voyage of Captain David Middleton, in 1607, to Bantam and the Moluccas.[263]

INTRODUCTION.