GUZER AT, or GUJRAT, a large province in I Iindostan, situated principally between the 21st and 24th degrees of North Latitude, is about 320 miles in length, and 180 at its average breadth. Its south-west portion approaches the form of a peninsula, lying between the gulfs of Cutch and Cambay; but it stretches far inland towards the north east, having the province of Cutch on the west, Malwali and Khandesh on the east, Aurungabad on the south, and Agimere or Ajimeer on the north. It was one of the 11 soubahs,' into which Akbar divided Hindostan ; and is un derstood to have, at that time, extended southward as far as Damaun. It contained nine circars, namely, Guzerat proper or Ahmedabad ; Putten ; Nadowt ; Behrodeh, or Baroda ; Behroatch, or Baroche ; Chumpaneer ; Kodehra ; and Surat. These were subdivided into 198 pergunnas, of which thirteen contained sea ports. Tire whole Soubah furnished 67,375 cavalry, and 8900 infantry; and, in the reign of Aurungzebe, the amount of its revenue was equivalent to 1,800,0001. sterling.
Guzerat was subdued in 975 by the Afghans or Patans, a hardy race, from the mountainous regions between Per sia and Hindustan, who established the extensive empire of Ghizni, and maintained their authority till the end of the thirteenth century, when the Moguls commenced their ravages. In the fifteenth century, it was governed as an independent kingdom, by a dynasty of Rajpoot princes, who had adCpted the Mahommedan religion, and removed the scat of government from the ancient capital Nehrwal lah to Ahmedabad. In 1572, it was reduced by the em peror Akbar; and was, at that period, in a flourishing state as a maritime and commercial country. In the beginning of the 18th century, after the death of Aurungzebe, many of the more distant provinces renounced their allegiance to the Mogul emperor ; and the governor of Ahmedabad and Cambay, following these examples, assumed the sove reignty of that part of Guzerat. About the middle of the 18th century, it was conquered by the Mahrattas under Ragonauth Row ; and its nabob Mohman Khan, took re fuge in Cambay, where he held a small territory, subject to the payment of an annual tribute to the Mahrattas.
The capital was taken from the Mahrattas by general Goddard in 1779; but for political reasons was ceded to Putty Singh, a Hindoo chieftain, and at the end of the war in 1783 was restored to the Mahratta government. The more civilized and cultivated districts are at present pos sessed by the East India Company, the Guicowar and the Peishwa. The territories of the Company comprehend a considerable extent of country on both sides of the Gulf of Cambay; and include the populous cities of Surat, Ba roche, Cambay, and Gogo. The sea-coast, from the Gulf of Cambay to the river Indus, is occupied by different in dependent chiefs, who are generally addicted to piracy, and are kept only in awe by the naval superiority of the British. The northern, western, and even central quarters of the province, have been but recently explored, and are run, or rather occupied by numerous tribes of armed ban ditti, who are thieves not so much by profession as by na tion.
The province of Guzerat, in its general aspect, is flat and unvaried. in many places, not the smallest stone is to be seen; and there is scarcely a rising ground in the whole district to the west of Powagur, the name of the mountain by which it is separated from the interior of Hindostan. It is more hilly towards the eastern frontier, and much covered with jungle. Much of the more level tracts is either an arid sandy country, or a saline swamp of a singular description, which, even when dried up, remains in a great measure sterile and unproductive. In those places, also where the surface is apparently smooth to the eye, it is much intersected by ravines, of considerable ex tent and depth, which in the rainy season are filled with rapid torrents, and cannot be crossed without the assist ance of rafts or boats. It is, nevertheless, especially in its western districts, full of the richest prospects, and is infe rior to no part of Hindostan in beauty or fertility.