fand inhabited villages, with a confiderable decrease of population. The fouthern, southeaftern, and eastern frontiers of Joudpoor are abundantly fertile. The land is well watered by ftreams, which, as in Mewar, flow from the mountains. It yields wheat, barley, and other kinds of grain common in India. Exclufive of thefe advantages, lead mines are found, which confiderably add to the revenues of the ftate. The imports into Joudpoor confift of cloths, fhawls, fpices, opium, rice, fugar, steel, and iron. They export falt, camels, bullocks, and horfes: the latter are ftrong, boney, and of high ftature. The bullocks are of a very large fize, as are likewife the camels. In fhort, the breed of cattle in general is fuperior to that of the neighbouring states.

The inhabitants of Joudpoor are Rhatore Rajepoots. They are not only a more comely race of men as to perfon, but are braver, pofsess a higher fense of honour, and are more independant than their furrounding neighbours. Mr. Thomas afcribes thefe diftinguishing characteristics to phyfical caufes, to the influence of climate, and to their intermarrying with the

pureft caft of the Rajepoot tribes. These are the Seefodyah, the Kutchwah, the Adda, and the Bawtee. To these caufes may be added the good examples fet them, both as to manners and morals, by a fucceffion of wife and prudent princes, who, firft by their achievements in war abroad, and afterwards by the care they took of their affairs at home, in the internal regulations of their country, have contributed in a very high degree to ameliorate the character and difpofitions of their subjects.

The Rhatore Rajepoots are mild in their manners, and are poffeffed of a natural politenefs which renders their fociety extremely agreeable. When a Rhatore has paffed his word for protection, it may ftrictly be relied on. They are averfe to litigious controversy. In their focial converfations they carefully avoid disputes, and pay the greatest attention to the perfon who is fpeaking. In their hospitality they exceed the bounds of more civilifed nations: for fo attentive are they to the performance of this duty, that, in the interior parts of the country, the head of a village will not fit

down to eat his own meal until he has been fatisfied that travellers and ftrangers have received every accommodation which his village affords. A rare and fingular inftance of primeval fimplicity of manners!

They delight in warlike exercife, are fond of the chase, and firing their matchlocks. Retired after the fatigues of hunting, they are accustomed to hold focial affemblies. They liften with great earneftnefs and eagerness to the bauhtee, or poets, who, like the bards of of old, recite in heroic numbers the warlike deeds of their ancestors.

In the administration of justice they are alike fingular. Murder, the fouleft of crimes, is feldom punished with death; and for this reafon, that it fcarcely ever occurs, except when occafioned by a fpirit of revenge for perfonal injuries: and for this they have the fanction of custom from time immemorial.

Theft is punished by banishment; smaller crimes by a reprimand, which, from the spirit of the Rhatore Rajepoot, generally terminates

in a voluntary exile from his native country, where he cannot endure to live after being fubjected to reproach. In this, likewife, the fpirit of this extraordinary race is confpicuous: a man who goes into voluntary exile may if he pleases, after a stated period, return to his native place; whereas the poffibility of return is rigidly precluded to him who is banished for the degrading vice of theft. Although the Rajepoot chiefs, in their respective districts, asfume to themselves an exclufive and arbitrary right over the lives and property of their fubjects, yet it is not confidered by the natives as a hardship, as their mild, conciliating sway renders eafy the condition of the peasantry.

Fugitives of all descriptions from the neighbouring countries are received without diftinction; and, except in cafes of theft and murder, are fure of protection and support. So high a sense do they entertain of the laws and rights of hofpitality, that they not only refufe to deliver up the delinquents, but are even accustomed to affift in forwarding them through the country to the confines of the neighbouring state.

It does not appear that a custom so fingular obtains in any other part of Hindooftan. In the management of their domestic concerns, the Rhatore Rajepoots are no lefs remarkable for their attention to the female part of the family.

A plurality of wives, though admitted by the laws of the country, is feldom practifed, except among the princes and great men, who on these occafions are actuated by motives of policy and ambition. Among this tribe of Rajepoots, the mother of the eldest son is held in most respect.

Females, on the death of their husbands, often refign themselves to the flames with the moft heroic fortitude.

This act is however voluntary. But, in the opinion of the Rajepoots themselves, thofe females would be difhonoured in the estimation of their country women who preferred dragging on a reproachful exiftence. They would be fhunned in fociety; and at the house of their father, or that of their father-in-law,