'Collections of travels through Turky into Persia, and the East Indies. Giving an account of the present state of those countries, as also a full relation of the five years wars, between Aureng-Zebe and his brothers in their father's life time, about the succession. And a voyage made by the Great Mogul (Aureng-Zebe) with his Army from Dehli to Lahor, from Lahor to Bember, and from thence to the Kingdom of Kachemire, by the Mogols, call'd, the Paradise of the Indies. Together with a relation of the Kingdom of Japan and Tunkin, and of their particular manners and trade. To which is added a new description of the Grand Seignior's Seraglio, and also of all the Kingdoms that encompass the Euxine and Caspian Seas, being the travels of Monsieur TavernierBernier, and other great men.' [‎187] (516/1024)

Book III. Travels in I n d i a.
'I chap. xvir.
I V > , ■ •- ‘ • ‘ * < ‘ >.• . - V#., U\ ... . ,. r , ^ «
.. ' i ?, 3
Of the Kingdom of Afem.
I T was never known what the Kingdom of u 4 /enz was, till MrrimoU had
fetPd Mreng-z,eb in the Empire. For he confidering that he Ihould be no
longer valu’d at Court,after the War was at an end, being then General of Au-
r^-^’s Array and powerful in the Kingdom where he had great Hereof
Creatures, to preferve the Authority he had, refolv’d to undertake the Con-
queft of the Kingdom of j 4 fem ^ where he knew he fhould find little or nd-re-
fiftance, that Kingdom having been at peace above 500 years before. ’Tis
thought thefe were the people that formerly invented Guns and Powder -/ which
fpread it felf from u 4 fem to P^,and from Pegu to China from whence the inventi
on has been attributed to the Chinefes. However certain it is, that Mirgimola
brought from thence feveral pieces of Canon, which were all Iron Guns, and
Hore of excellent Powder, both made in that Country. The Powder is round
and filial], like ours, and very ftrong.*
Mirgimola embark’d his Army in one of the mouths of Ganges, and failing
Up one of the Rivers that comes from the Lake Chunsay, to the twenty-ninth
or thirtieth Degree, he landed his Army, and came into a Country abounding
in all humane necedaries, Hill finding the lefs refinance becaufe the people were
fiirp-iizU Being a Mahametan, he fparM not the very Pagods, but burn’d and
Pack’d all where-ever he came to the thirty-fifth Degree. There he under-
ftood that the King of Afem was in the field with a more powerful! Army
than he expeded^and that he had feveral pieces of Canon, and great ftore of
fire-works withall. Thereupon APirgimola xhoxaghx. it not convenient to march
any farther; tqough the chief reafon of his return was the drawing on of
Winter} which the Indians are fo fenfible of, that it is impoflible to make
them ftir beyond the thirti’th or thirty-fifth Degree, efpecially to hazard their
lives.
Mirgimola therefore turns to the South-well, and befieges a City call’d Axoo,
which he took in a fmall time,and found good plunder therein. In this City of
wfcoo, are the Tombs of the Kings oi Afem, and of all the Royal Family. For
though they are Idolaters, they never burn their dead bodies, but bury them.
They believe that the dead go into another world, where they that have liv’d
well in this, have plenty of all things j but that they who have been ill livers,
fuffer the want of all things, being in a more elpecial manner afflided with
hunger and drowth ^ and that therefore it is good,to bury fomething with them
to ferve them in their neceflides. This was the reafon that Mirgimola found
fo much wealth in the City of Az.00. For many ages, together, feveral King
had built them Chappels in the great Pagod to be buried in,and in their life
times had fiord up in the Vaults of their particular Chappels, great Turns of
Gold and Silver, and other moveables of value. Belides, that when they bury
the deceas’d King, they bury with him likewife whatever he efteem’d mofi
precious in his life-time, whether it were an Idol of Gold or Silver, or what
ever dfe, that being needful in this, might be necefiary for him in the w r orld
to come. But that which favours moft of Barbarifin is, that when he dies,
all his belt beloved Wives,and the principal Officers of his Houfe poyfon them^
felves, to be bun d with him, and to wait upon him in the other world. Be-
fides this, they bury one Elephant, twelve Camels, fix Horfes, and a good num
ber of Hounds, believing that all thofe Creatures rife again to ferve their
King. ^ , v \
The Kingdom of Afem is one of the belt Countries of all Afia, for it pro
duces all things necefiary for humane fubfiftence, without any need of foreign
JW- There are in it Mines of Gold, Silver, Steel, Lead, Iron, and great
ifore of Silk, but coarfe. There is a fort of Silk that is found under the
Irees, which is fpun by a Creature like to our Silk-worms, but rounder*
* B b 2 and