of desertion and dismay, are beginning to assume an aspect of prosperity. Sir John Malcolm, in speaking of Soandwarrah, observes: "that country, instead of being desolate, presents this year [1820] an increase of as many ploughs as any part of the province; and of the twelve hundred mounted robbers, who in 1817 found shelter in its fortresses, from whence they plundered the adjoining districts, there is not one who now follows a predatory life."

In giving a general and cursory view of the several Rajpoot states, our principal object has been to contrast their late forlorn condition with the happy situation in which they are now placed by their treaties of alliance with the British Government. We have consequently omitted to notice any thing peculiarly characteristic of any one of them, where the cause of such peculiarity appeared to be contingent or temporary. We cannot, however, dismiss this portion of our sketch without adverting to one remarkable anomaly. The principality of Kotah, though equally exposed with its sister states to the arbitrary exactions of the Mahrattas, from the moment when the latter acquired an ascendancy in this quarter of India, had nevertheless obtained an exemption from plunder for many years immediately preceding the late arrangements. Zalim Singh, nominally the minister of the Rajah, but virtually the sovereign of Kotah, has long been remarkable as a man of extraordinary talent, and of equal prudence and address. By ingratiating himself with those Mahratta chiefs whose vicinity more immediately threatened his districts, by keeping on friendly terms with all, and even rendering himself essential to their interests by his pecuniary contracts with them, he actually raised the territories he governed from a state of deplorable wretchedness to one of vigour and prosperity. Such, however, was the sense he entertained of the instability of his power, situated as he was in the centre of a lawless

region, that he embraced with the utmost eagerness the proffered terms of British protection, and proved a most valuable ally in the progress of the campaign, which terminated in the suppression o' that power which next to the Pindarries had been most active in the desolation of Malwa.-It is time that we direct our attention to the state to which we are alluding.

The present possessions of HOLCAR are so mingled with those of Ameer Khan, Guffoor Khan, and many of the small governments of which we have been speaking, that it would be impossible to define them with any degree of accuracy without becoming tedious. We must therefore content ourselves with observing that they are principally bounded to the east by the territories of Scindia, to the north and west by the Rajpoot states and the province of Guzzerat, and to the south by the dominions of the Nizam and the British territories newly conquered from the Peishwah. Holcar was so completely subdued by the British arms, that there was no difficulty in obtaining the ratification of the treaty which has effectually deprived him of all future means of annoyance. He was compelled to make restitution to many of the Rajpoot states whose territories he had sequestered, and was of course debarred from all future interference. He is obliged also to subsidize a British force to be constantly stationed in his territories. The internal government of the State is left, however, to the Holcar Durbar. Holcar himself is in a state of derangement; a regency is therefore appointed consisting of certain members of his family. The rapacity exercised by this government has not so much been owing to the disposition of the Durbar itself, as to the lawless and turbulent spirit of the army and its chiefs, and the impossibility either of supporting or disbanding them. An unrestrained license of plunder has, of necessity, therefore, been granted by the government. In point of fact, the govern

ment is obliged to us for having restored order, and rendered it independent of those restless spirits who were necessarily a terror to it. The state is now improving rapidly in cultivation and every useful art; but the watchful attention of British superintendence will long be essential to subdue every tendency to disorder in a country, which, for many years, has been a constant scene of anarchy.

AMEER KHAN was persuaded at the very commencement of the contest, to come to terms with the British power. Such, however, was the turbulence of his own troops that he found it impossible to disband them. They were taken, therefore, into British pay; since which time our old enemy, Ameer Khan, has been peaceably residing in the district, or rather Jahgire, secured to him by his treaty. The capital of this district is Seronge

GUFFOOR KHAN, another Patan leader under the Holcar government, has been received on similar terms. The Jahgire of this chieftain is situated to the east of the Chumbul, in the neighbourhood of Mehudpore: it is a small district, but has greatly improved in resources since 1817. Guffoor Khan, instead of being a marauding chief, maintains, at the present time, a wellmounted corps of six hundred horse, which is placed, at the disposal of the British Government, to assist in the maintenance of peace and order in the province of Malwa.

Before we take leave of this interesting portion of our empire (for such it may be strictly termed), it is right that we should point out the principal military stations which have been established in it since 1817. They consist of three, viz., Nusserabad, Neemuch, and Mhow; which places have been selected as central spots in what have hitherto been the most disturbed quarters. A better fort than Nusserabad could not have been fixed upon for preserving order amongst the Rajpoot states, for it is situated in the very centre of them, and where, in

general language, they may be said to converge to a point. Nusserabad is in the immediate neighbourhood of Ajmeer, which was formerly a city of great consequence. In our treaties with the Rajpoots we obtained the cession in perpetuity of the city of Ajmeer, and a small district immedi ately round it. Neemuch, which is situated amongst the petty Rajpoot states of Banswarrah, &c. &c., is certainly a most important station, where there is almost an infinity of contending claims to be examined and adjusted. The situation of Mhow is equally important to check the restless temper of the Mahrattas, and effectually to prevent any fresh organization of the Pindarree system.

The only remaining state which demands our notice, as under the surveillance of the Presidency of Bengal, is the largest in point of extent that has yet been mentioned, though much contracted by the issue of the late war. The dominions of the BoOSLAH or Rajah of NAGPORE, form nearly an equilateral triangle. They are separated from the territories of the Nizam by the rivers Godavery and Wurdab, and from the British possessions on the South-East by a line drawn from a few miles North-West of Ruttunpore to the confluence of the Godavery and a tributary stream in latitude 17° 30′. Another line drawn a little to the South of Mandlah, separates it again from the British districts in Berar on the North.

This state has been rather peculiarly situated for several years, for after the deposition of Appah Saheb, the late Booslah, it was discovered that there was no individual of sufficient rank and influence that was capable of carrying on the government of the country under the new Rajah. As a temporary arrangement therefore, Mr. Jenkins, the British resident, was obliged to vest the most important offices in the hands of British agents. This system, is not to continue longer than is absolutely necessary, but extensive as are

the territories of this state, no danger is to be apprehended from the government of the country reverting to native rulers, for the Mahratta confederacy is now so completely broken, and the state of Nagpore itself (always deficient in population) is so greatly reduced in power, and at the same time so thoroughly insulated, that it can never be the interest of future Rajahs to destroy their connexion with the British Government, so long as our Indian

Empire remains in a state of internal tranquillity. Moreover, it must not be overlooked, that a British Resident and a large subsidiary force will always be stationed, as heretofore, at the capital of the Rajah's dominions.

We shall defer our view of the Native States attached to the Presidencies of Madras and Bombay to a future number.

(To be Continued.)

SINCE the establishment of the British power in this part of India (Ajmeer), Europeans have had an opportunity of visiting the Pokhur fair, an important mart for horses, bullocks, and woollens.

Pokhur literally signifies a piece of water, and this, from its celebrity as a place of Hindoo pilgrimage, requires no definition. Water in this part of India has every claim to superior veneration, from the excessive drought that always prevails; and this miserable puddle, situated just beyond a low range of hills to the westward of Ajmeer, has in all probability attained its present estimation from the simple circumstance that it is never known to dry up. The legend of the place states that the tank is bottomless; and good care is taken that no one shall sound its depth; it is, however, only in four places said to be so, and each place only the size of the circumference of a cow's foot: the policy of this arrangement of its mysteries is obvious enough; the priests, however, admit that the Emperor Akbar, when he made his famous pilgrimage to Ajmeer, visited Pokhur, and sounded for bottom; but it is only admitted for the purpose of declaring that he could find none, and that his line would have descended to Puetal had it been long enough.

The prevailing form of Siva at Pokhur is the Charmuckhi, which is very uncom mon; and I have some faint recollection of a question being lately made in the public prints, whether or not there was such a form of this god? If it is so un

usual, its existence here may be accounted for by supposing that at this congress of gods, Mahadeo has, through courtesy to the president, pocketted his fifth head, which he is perhaps entitled to wear from having on some occasion decapitated Brahma of one of his; however, as Mr. Moore says in his book, "to destroy is to create in another form, hence Siva and Brahma coalesce," and if they coalesce anywhere it is most likely to be at Pokpur. There is some room for speculation here; but for a newspaper article it would be tedious and jejune. But by far the most ancient temple here is one dedicated to Mahadeo Linga, and a pilgrimage to Pokhur is ineffectual without an offering at this shrine; it is possibly the ancient worship of the place, and the Creator of the World a mere interloper; but as this is heterodoxical muttering it had better be dropt. There is little else, on a superficial view, amongst the divinities worthy of notice, except that on the summit of a neighbouring hill there is a temple and image of Dabi, under the appellation of Pap Mochni; and it is amusing enough to observe the vast concourse of people scrambling up, both by day and night, to obtain a white-washing.

Here, too, remote as the place appears from Mahomedan intrusion, is to be seen the mosque, built on the scite of an old temple, and overhanging the principal ghaut, the most venerated spot at Pokhur; from a view of this, those feelings of disgust at the intrusion and intolerance of the Mahomedans rise on the mind, as they

do when we contemplate the Minarets of Benares, the Musjid at Mutthora, and the Saint Sophia of Constantinople.

I shall not dwell further on this generally uninteresting subject, but conclude with observing, that there is abundant room at Pokhur for the observation of such as are interested in Hinduism and its antiquities, and turn to that of the fair, which most people will consider far more useful and interesting, as it includes where a good and cheap horse is to be procured.

The full moon of the month Kartick is the height of the fair; at the moment of full moon, whether it happens at midnight or mid-day, every Hindoo at the place rushes to the ghauts; the ablution then effected, there remains nothing to be done, and the fair breaks up suddenly. Five or six days previous to the full moon the fair gradually fills, and the shew of horned cattle is perhaps the finest in India. They, however, sell extremely dear, one hundred rupees being about the average price of a pair of fine young bullocks; few of the real Nagore bullocks are to be met with, those offered for sale being a cross, I am told, of the Nagore and Muhwar.

The shew of horses this year was much inferior to the last and other years: the reason for which is unsatisfactorily attempted to be accounted for; the reverse should certainly be the case, since the greatest encouragement has been given to the horse dealers by the superintendent of Ajmeer; more within his province could not be effected; it then rests with the Government of the country to arrest this sad deterioration, by encouraging to the utmost both the vender and the purchaser. Horse-racing has at all times been found

a great encouragement; and a Company's plate of fifty gold mohurs for the horses of the season, or previous season, would perhaps be of more use than the abolition of taxes, &c., drawbacks, if they may be termed such, upon which more stress is laid than they deserve in India. I am almost persuaded the horse-dealers at these remote fairs would rather be subject to a trifling taxation than not; they have ever been used to one, it is the custom of the country, it is the price of protection from all aggressions within the influence of the authority that receives it, and the act of aggression is considered as an attack on the revenue of the state to which the fair belongs.

When it is considered what difficulties exist in obtaining proper remounts for our army, the first direction of our thoughts is to the encouragement. of the horse-fairs, and much will be due to him who can strike out something effectual on this head.

The horses are principally of the Kattyawar breed, and are generally spirited, active, and handsome; there is more, perhaps, a want of bone than could be wished for, but there is a great indication of universal blood for country horses, and now a-days blood is allowed to make up for bone.

The shew of young horses between two and three years old is the most striking feature of the horse fair, and a good judge of a colt may here, for much less than two hundred rupees a-head, purchase this description of cattle, which the Government would be happy to purchase a year or so after for double that sum.[John Bull.

SIR: I formerly addressed you, in a few papers on the Variation of the Magnetic needle, as intimately connected with the recently-discovered North-West Magnetic Pole. Before the discovery-ships sailed with a view of penetrating into the Hyperborean Sea, through Repulse Bay, I stated the impossibility of success, from a close

examination of former attempts in that direction, Too much, however, cannot be said in praise of the intrepidity and perseverance with which the enterprizing commanders, and their officers and crew, forced, and overcame dangers and difficulties of the most appalling description....

We are, demi-officially, given to

understand, that the first object of the present voyage, will be to attempt to attain to the North Coast of America, through Prince Regent's Channel, the first on the left, after entering Lancaster's Sound, now termed Barrow's Straits. In the former voyage, in the height of summer, in those regions, the ice was found to extend from side to side at the bottom of this channel. Should the present summer prove unusually warm, there may be a probability that this passage into the Hyperborean Sea will be practicable, though experience militates against the supposition.

Should this attempt prove abortive, ulterior objects are not stated in the public print's.

In the charts there appear four unexplored channels, leading, probably, into the Polar Basin. Should the discovery-ships get into an open sea, through one of these, the difference of longitude to the meridian of Behring's Straits, would in reduced degrees, be soon run over; thus proving that the north-west passage can, or cannot be effected in this direction, to these straits.

There can be no question as to the actual existence of á north-west passage, while, at the same time, there can be no hesitation in saying, that decidedly, its utility would be reduced to nothing, by the perpetual difficulty and danger of a dreadful navigation. The Indian nations, or tribes who occupy the habitable parts of the Hyperborean continent, have no maritime habits; and their exertions appear to be confined to furnishing the northwest Companies with furs and pelts; a lucrative commerce which a communication with the west coast of America and Asia, would tend to diminish and injure considerably.

The actual brilliant discovery of a north-west magnetic pole, has confirmed the conjectures of various celebrated philosophers; and great as will be the expenditure occasioned by these voyages of discovery, it would be amply

compensated, were this grand scientific fact rendered complete, by ascertaining the two leading points constituting its real value to philosophy and nautical research. The first of these is, the furnishing by latitude and longitude, the precise scite where the magnetic needle would stand perpendicular, readily to be found by continued trial on the line of no variation, lying under the meridian of the New Pole, which alone attracts in the northern hemisphere, while the North Pole of the earth can now be deemed but a mere point of calculating reference.

In former papers, sufficient reasons were stated for supposing the earth not solid; and the discovery of this magnetic pole goes greatly to the confirmation of a fact strengthened by philosophy, and what is better, by

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proofs from Holy Writ." There can now be little doubt of the movement of the magnetic pole, or power, round the North Pole, and at an unknown depth within the earth. That the compassneedle on the surface, follows this. movement, admits of nearly positive proof. The anomalies in the increase and decrease of the variation, I ́endeavoured to account for in various papers: but farther accurate observations of the variation in both hemispheres are requisite for forming a rationale of this inequality of movement.

In what month of the year 1657, the needle pointed due north, in London, is not exactly recorded; and the variation at that period was nothing, because the moving magnetic pole was then under the meridian of London, and on the north, or other side of the North Pole of the earth. It has been, since that period, moving gradually eastward, till it attained its maximum of westing, in 1817. This includes a period of 160 years. Whether it moves in a circular, or elliptic orbit, in such a period, it manifestly goes through one-fourth part of that orbit; and consequently the magnetic pole takes 640 years to effect a complete