home, and feasts are given for several days, as they are able.  When ten years of age, the marriage is consummated.  The reason they assign for these early marriages is, that they may not be left wifeless, in case their parents should die.  Their bramins are esteemed exceedingly holy, and have the charge of their pagodas or idol temples, having alms and tithes for their maintenance; yet they marry, and follow occupations, being good workmen and ready to learn any pattern.  They eat but once a day, washing their whole bodies before and after meat, and use ablutions after the natural evacuations.

The Baloches are Mahometans, who deal much in camels, and are mostly robbers by land or on the rivers, murdering all they rob; yet are there very honest men among them in Guzerat and about Agra.  While I was in Sinde, they took a boat with seven Italians and a Portuguese friar, all the rest being slain in fight.  This was ripped up by them in search of gold.[102]

[Footnote 102:  This is obscurely expressed, leaving it uncertain what was ripped up in search of gold:  The boat, the bodies of the slain, or the prisoners.—­E.]

John Mildnall, or Mildenhall, an Englishman, had been employed with three other young Englishmen, whom he poisoned in Persia, to make himself master of the goods.  He was himself also poisoned, yet, by means of preservatives, he lived many months afterwards, though exceedingly swelled, and so came to Agra with the value of 20,000 dollars.  On this occasion I went from Surat for Agra, on the 14th May, 1614.  I arrived first at Bramport, [Bushanpoor] where Sultan Parvis lives, situated in a plain on the river Taptee or of Surat, which is there of great breadth, and at this place there is a large castle.  Thence I went to Agra in twenty-six days, having travelled the whole way from Surat to Agra, which is 700 coss or 1010 English miles, in thirty-seven days of winter, during which time it rained almost continually.  From Surat to Burhanpoor is a pleasant champain country, well watered with rivers, brooks, and springs.  Between Burhanpoor and Agra the country is very mountainous, not passable with a coach, and scarcely to be travelled on camels.  The nearest way is by Mando, passing many towns and cities on every day’s journey, with many high hills and strong castles, the whole country being well inhabited, very peaceable, and clear of thieves.

Agra is a very large town, its wall being two coss in circuit, the fairest and highest I ever saw, and well replenished with ordnance; the rest of the city being ruinous, except the houses of the nobles, which are pleasantly situated on the river.  The ancient royal seat was Fatipoor, twelve coss from Agra, but is now fallen into decay.  Between these two is the sepulchre of the king’s father, to which nothing I ever saw is comparable:  yet the church or mosque of Fatipoor comes near it, both being built according to the rules of architecture.