MRS. POSTANS . CUTC H.

Tins is an agreeable volume ; livery, fresh, readable, and in- forming; and if not very profound, and in some cases rather cleverly hiding ignorance than imparting knowledge, yet a wel- come addition to our stoves, us pleasantly telling something about a region which is curious in itself, and just now derives an addi- tional interest from passing events. Cutch is the last province of India on the frontier towards R.rsia; or, more strictly, it lies just beyond Hindustan. It is bounded on the west by the most easterly mouth of the Indus ; on the north and north-cast by that singular desert of salt and water called the Rutin ; and on its other sides by the Gulf of Cutch and the Indian Ocean. Its institutions were, and indeed still are, strictly feudal ; the great chieftains holding their fiefs from the Rao, under military tenure, and their tenants holding under them in the same way, each being hereditary, but liable to forfeiture. In consequence of the disorganized state of the country, the " well-disposed" solicited the interference of the British; and in 1816, a subsidiary treaty was formed between the Rao and the Bombay Government, on the usual terms,—we fur- nishing troops, for which the Cutchee ruler paid, together with a Resident to advise upon affairs. Shortly after this connexion, it was found necessary to depose the Rao, on account of his private profligacy and public crimes. A regency was then formed, with the Resident for one of its members, which administered the government, in the name of the young Prince, till l S34 ; when the rightful heir, who has all the virtues and accomplishments of sovereigns de facto, was installed in his own seat, with the British viceroy over him and the British troops to support Lim on his throne—and drain his treasury.

The camp of this force is situated near Bhooj, the capital ; and thither Mrs. POSTANS went from Bombay, in a Cutch kotia or coasting-vessel, to the port of Mandavic, and thence journeyed by land to her destination. Arrived there, she seems to have tra- versed the country, and observed the character and manners of its people, as well as looked at their institutions and government. At all events, she describes its palaces, cities, castles, tombs, and ruins; paints the most striking natural features which distin- guish Cutch; sketches the inhabitants, their usages and pursuits, especially the military tribes ; talks about their religion, their music, their arts, and their literature, intermingling her notices of the last with specimens ; besides adding a few chapters on miscellaneous matters.

As a sample of her description — picturesque, rapid, and glancing, but something superficial and approaching to fine writing —we may take her account of

THE RUE,:.

Throughout Weetern India nothing could, perhaps, be friend more worthy the observution of the traveller than the great Northern Runn ; a desert molt plain, which bounds Cutch on the north and east, and exteude from the West- ern confines of Guzzerat to the Eastern branch of the river Indus; approach. ing Bhouj at its nearest point, at about the distance of sixteen miles. This tract is of large extent, and between the months of May and October is flooded with salt water. During other parts of the year it is passable; but the glace is eo great from the incrustation of salt, caused by the evaperation of the water, that it is seldom attempted, unless from the inducement, of trade or the necee- sities of military duty.

The distant aspect of the Rann resemble, that of the ocean at ebletide ; and as some water always remains on it, the refraction of light prodnces the mast beautiful and mysterious effects, decorating it with all the enchantments of the most lovely specimens of mirage, whose magic power, exerting itself on the morning mists, endues this desert tract with the most bewitching scenes; rock, and hill, and tower, paltny hillocks, clumps of rich flier, taiseted castles, and Gothic arches, alike appear in quick succession, to charm and beguile the was yeller ; and

• The wnyworn spirit bath a gleans Of sunny vales and woods,"

until, again slowly dissolving in the thin ether from which their fantastic forms emerged, they cheat him with their fair delusions, and pass away like a dream of fairy land.

There are several islands on the Runn, end a bright oasis of grassy land, known by the unromantic name of the Bunni. Thither, in patriarchal style, the shepherds take their flocks and lead a sunny pastoral life although sur- rounded by a desert marsh. • • ' • The Bunn abound* with wild animals; and the wolf, the boar, and the wild ass, claim it for their dwelling-place. The borders of the ituan being rocky and precipitous afford them perfect protection; and the ye:station on the marshy ground near the Bunui and is ochry parts affords them excellent pasture. It would not be uninteresting to a z 'alogist to cross this singular tract. hole. pendently of the peculiar and r.ue character of its sui! and general appearance, the natives have a custom of gathering together the whitened lotus of the ani- mals they find on it, with which they mark the road, to geide the tr0ve:ler

during either night or day.• • The most remarkable animal on this vast tract is the wild ass. It is singu- larly marked, and stands about thirtsen hands high. It is et a light fawn colour, with a broad dun stripe (loan the middle of the hack, eel is handsome and well shaped. Herodotus tells us, that the Moles used wild asses to draw their chariots of war ; but it is difficult to imagine the animal controlled suf- ficiently for this purpose, as its nature seems peculiarly will and untameable, and its fleetness enables it to distance the boldest riders. We had one captured on the Runn by means of a lasso, when very young : it was of small size, and a playful, pretty little creature—a sort of pet iu our camp, where it was buf- feted to trot about as it liked, never having betrayed any desire to return to its native wilds. In this case, civilization had been active., for the character of the animal is undeniably timid. However, as no one has ever succeeded in captur- Ingime of the species, when full grown, it is impossible to judge what degree of docility it might acquire by a long domestication with man ; but I an induced to believe that the nature of the wild ass is still the same as it was in the land of rz, when Job cried, " Who bath sent out the wild ass free? or who bath loosed the bands of the wild ass ; erliose house I have made the 'wilderness, and the barren land his dwelling. Ile reorneth the multitude of the city, neither regardeth be the crying of the driver. The range of the mountains is his pas- ture, and he searcheth after evesy green thing."

Cutch basing been overrun by the Mahometans, the frllowers of the Prophet are nominally as numerous there as in other parts of India ; but the people being out of the world, and not greatly addicted to theological quarrels, they have taken something from the superstitions of Mahometanism and Hinduism, so as to form a hybrid creed. Nevins, been educated by the English, Mrs. POSTANS hopes that the Rao is a Christain at heart ; outwardly Ile impartially complies with tie formalities of both sects of his subjects ; and of his two thousand Jharrejahs, or military tenants, he does not think three could tell " what their religion is." Vet, amid this mixture, one sect has monastic establishments, whose priests are vowed to celibacy, (these are melancholy-louking fel- lows,) and distribute their income in alms ; the tenets of another bear some resemblance to the philosophy of LUCRETIUS, and (what is worth noting) the dress of their priests is very like the Roman toga in its general effect.

The Jades ate not polytheists, and pay no respect to the Hindu gods ; but al- though they regard the Brahmins with great hatred, they have rnauy customs in common with them. The Jains burn their dead, pay great reverence to their Gurus, or spitted teachers, and believe that a life of solitary privation will entitle a devotee to an absorption into the Supreme Being. They profess to believe in one God, whom they endue with the attributes of wisdom, power, eternity, and intuition ; but affirm, that the government of the world is Mile. pendent of him, that matter is eternal, and that the harmony of the visible

world is dependent only on natural and organic laws, which must be ever- lasting.

Female infanticide extensively prevails amongst the Rajpoot Jharrejahs, arising from a pride of caste. These military plun- derers can only take a wife from a tribe below them, and give a wife to a tribe above them. To intermarry in a tribe is considered incest ; and as they acknowledge no tribe above them, they are compelled to make away with their female children, to avoid the disgrace of having them remain unmarried. The infants are despatched by smearing the mothers' breasts with opium. These feudal chieftains are not so particular in selecting their wives, but go to a shepherd tribe ; whose girls, like the milkmaid, may truly say, " My face is my fortune."

The Soodabs, although not a provincial tribe, may be mentioned here, as

being intimately connected with Catch, both by their predatory excursions and the intermarriages of their beautiful daughters with the Rajpoot Jharrejahe. This tribe reside in Wandhs, or grass huts, on the great desert of the Thurr, in a state of peculiar wretchedness and privation. Ignorant and barbarone, they pass their lives as shepherilie, frequently assembling in horde., and making forays across the Northern Runt), into the neighbouring provinces, and driving back the cattle of the villagers to their Wandhs, where they for a time subsist in peace on milk and the few vegetables of the jungle.

The Soodahs find their principal source of riche, in the beauty of their daughters, for one of whom rich Mahomedane will frequently pay teu thousand rupees. Rajahs and wealthy chieftains despatch their emissaries, as Abraham sent his servant to seek a wife fur Isaac of the daughters of Nahor ; and, like Bethud, the &aeb father offers no objection to a wealthy suitor, but, on the rontrarc, robs his son.in-law before his camels and servants depart. Beside tae well., and in the hovels of the Thurr, full many a flower of female loveli- ness would blush unseen but for the Lone of their surpassing beauty, which claims and maintains its ascendancy, and transplants the blossom of the desert to bloom amidst the gorgeous pomp of a royal harem. It is said, that the Soodali women are artful and cunning; and that by these qualities they gain a powerful influence over the minds of their liege lords, to whom they bear little affection. 'fire Sotelah wife of a Rajpoot cares only for her son; and, report avers, hesitates little to dispose of the father, to invest his heir with the estate. The Soodahs themselves never intermarry, but form alliances with the people of the neighbouring provinces. From this circumstance it is reasonable to in- fer that the daughters inherit their fairness from their paternal ancestry; as otherwise it would be less uncommon.

The short account of Persian literature is superficial ; nor does Mrs. POSTANS seems to have much reading in Oriental letters; for she quotes, as a specimen, an altered edition of the fable from PILPAY of the Man and the Snake,. Her sketch of the herdic literature of Cutch has more interest. Like most feudal chieftains, the Cutchees are delighted with hearing their praises and exploits ; and though gunpowder and bayonets have very much limited their own deeds, they have those of their ancestors to fall back upon, as well as the superstitions and legends of the country. Some of the bards appear to be retainers of the Jhar- rejah chiefs; others live by their wits and voices, having meme- ries that would retain more than tile Iliad and 0 lyssey,—though their productions are of a diffeent stamp. Here is one of the shortest.

" It is related that, Julio; the reign of a :sins; of Cuteli, named Lakeh, a who was 0 SI ke 1111:1, 311:1 wonderfully skilled in the limpet ties of

hobs. For years he had b 001 in se:tie:dog far a p.ucalial kiwi of grass. the roots of which sheiu:d ha intrat and t 111.1:1 be thrown iota the flames.

'lie body so Introt would g mat any of the members might be re- moved without the body sustaining any loss; as the parts so taken would al- ways be selfwestored. " It so occurred, that this J. gig, whilst following a flock of goats, observed one amongst them eating of the grass ha was sa anxious to tinware. Ile MI- mediately rooted it up; and desired the shepherd who was near to assist hint in

proeuring firewood. \when I had 11 I

.ue ALIt. (10..eetet. else wail awl kindled a flame, it to which the grass was thrown, the .1 ugie, wishing to render the shepherd the victim of his avarice, desired him, trader some pretence, to make a few circuits round the fire. 'flue man, bounce, eusta.cting fuel play, watched his oppor- tenity, and, seizing the Juigie hiinsall, he threw him into the fire mud left hint to be consumed. Next day, on returning CO the spot, great was his surprise to behold the got len fi sure of a man lying =angst the embers. Ile immediately clouped off one of the limb', :tad hid it. The next day he returned to another, when his astonishment was yet greater, to see that a fresh limb had replaced the one already taken. lit short, the shepherd soon became wealthy, aad revealed the secret of his riches to the king, Likell; who, by the same in cans, aecumus hued so much guild, that every day he was in time habit of giving one lac and twenty-five thousand rupees in alms to fakirs."

Besides her pen, Mrs. POSTANS wields an acenmplished pencil, and has illustrated her volume with several characteristic sketches of Cutchees and Cutch scenery,

• Fakir, or holy man.