Land carriage is performed by oxen, buffaloes, and some times by horses; no carriages arc used, there being no roads adapted for them. The owners of the cattle are ge nerally the owners also of the merchandise they car ry, as tvell as the drivers. One driver is allowed to four oxen.
Their food is generally obtained without expense on the road side ; but where buffaloes are employed, it is neces sary to give them grain. The articles of merchandise which are thus transported are, grain, salt, cotton, sugar, tobacco, betel nut, &c. In the Decan there is a wander ing tribe of carriers, called Lomballies, or Burgarahs, who interchange the commodities of this part of Hindostan for those of Bengal and the adjacent provinces. They are said to be the descendants of those camp-followers who accom panied the emperors Shah Jehan and Allum Geer, in their wars in the Decan. There are also in the iNlahretta coun tries, and other parts of India, vanjaries, or itinerant grain dealers—a singular race of people. Formerly they were never molested in the most disturbed state of the country, being regarded as sacred ; this reverence for them, how ever, is now nearly at an end. They travel in large par ties, with their grain on bullocks, brought from a great distance ; but they do not depend entirely on their profits as grain dealers, nor on their returns of merchandise from the Dccan to Hindostan Proper ; for they occasionally be come stationary, and apply themselves to husbandry. This, however, seldom happens, except when they arc unable to dispose of their grain. They also employ their leisure in weaving a stuff from hemp, of great strength and good quality ; this is made into bags to carry grain in, and into large cloths to cover camels. The travelling merchants or banyans resemble the chapmen in Britain ; they come in great numbers from Guzerat to Bombay, selling mus lins, cotton cloths, &c. They are chiefly Hindoos; though some I\Iahomedans adopt the name and the profession ; they are distinguished by a red turban, shaped in front like the horn of a rhinoceros. The banyans are generally rich, and carry on a stationary as well as an itinerant business. When travelling they are attended by coolies, porters, to carry their merchandize. Besides these, there are the borahs, or petty chapmen, who are AIahomedans, very poor, and not distinguished by their honesty. They travel about the country with an almost infinite variety of small and cheap articles in their boxes.
There are weekly markets over most part of Hindostan Proper, but they are not common in other parts of India. At these there is a considerable interchange of commodi ties, but, of course, confined to the vicinity of the place the market is held. The fairs of Hindostan are of infinitely greater importance. The most celebrated are those of Cooloo, Hurd war, and Nolucky pant. The fair of Cooloo, in the province of Orissa, is attended by the traders of the inland parts of Hindostan, particularly those of Berar, and tire traders in salt and European commodi ties from the sea coast. During the months of January,
February, and March, the former arrange their caravans, and bring their merchandise, which consists chiefly of cot ton, on bullocks to Cooloo. Here they are met by the traders from the sea coast. Factors are employed to trans act the business among them ; and they also supply them with huts, food, and other necessaries, during their abode. The commission of the factors is one per cent. Nearly all the business is carried on by factors. The fair breaks up about a month before the commencement of the rainy sea son. The traders then depart ; but the factors are sta tionary.
The common fair at Hurdwar, th:. place where the Ganges enters Hindostan, is held annually ; but every twelve years there is a fair here, at which are assembled a much great er number of people than at any other fair in the world. Many of these, indeed, perhaps the largest portion of them, visit Hurdwar from motives of superstition, and as a place of pilgrimage, which will be afterwards noticed ; but great numbers are also led hither from commercial motives. At the annual fairs, it is computed that between 200,000 and 300,000 people are collected. At the fair every twelve years, there arc often a million ; and in April 1809, it is supposed there were assembled at Hurdwar, from every part of Ilindostan, from the confines of China to those of Persia, Hindoos of every description, amounting to two millions of persons. An immense variety of articles are sold at this fair. Cauhul, Candahar, Multan, and the Pun jab, supply horses, mules, camels, tobacco, antimony, as safcetida, and dried fruits of all kinds. Cashmere, and the country of the Seiks, send shawls, and other goods of that description. Spotted turbans, looking glasses, toys, with various manufactures in brass and ivory, arc supplied from .Teypoor. Shields from Rochilcund, Lucknow, and Silhit; bows and arrows from Multan and the Dooab ; rock salt from Lahore ; balms and piece goods from the Punjab ; and cotton and woollen goods, cocoanuts, &c. from the pro vinces of the East India Company. The most frequented place in the fair is the bed of the river, for at this season of the year it is almost dry. The bargains are conducted and settled without a single word being spoken : a cloth being thrown over the hands of the parties, they commu nicate with each other by touching the different joints of the fingers, and thus effectually prevent those near them from gaining any information. Before the British gained pos session of this part of Hindostan, heavy duties were levied on the cattle brought to this fair ; but these are now taken off; neither are there any of those scznes of tumult and bloodshed, which formerly always disgraced it. The fair at Nolucky Hant, in the pergunnah of Bowal, in the Dacca district of Bengal, is held annually for the space of nine days. Here the weavers assemble to purchase their an nual stock of trade ; and it is computed, that the business carried on there frequently amounts in value to three lacks of rupees.