twenty miles from the sea, on the bank of a fair
river, [the _Taptee_,] and is of considerable size, with many good
houses belonging to merchants. About three miles from the mouth of the
river, where on the south side is a small low island overflowed in the
rainy season, is the bar where ships load and unload, having three
fathoms water at spring tides;[230] and above this is a fair channel all
the way to the city, capable of receiving loaded vessels of fifty tons.
This river extends upwards to beyond _Bramport_, [Boorhanpoor;] and from
thence, as some say, all the way to _Mussel Patem_.[231] In coming up
the river, the castle of Surat is on the right hand or south side of the
river, being moderately large, handsome, well walled, and surrounded by
a ditch. The ramparts are provided with many good cannons, some of which
are of vast size. It has one gate on the inland side with a draw-bridge,
and a small postern to the river. The captain of this castle has a
garrison of 200 horse. In front of the castle is the Medon, [Meidan, or
esplanade,] being a pleasant green, having a may-pole in the middle, on
which they hang a light and other decorations on great festivals. On
this side, the city of Surat is open to the green, but is fenced on all
other sides by a ditch and thick hedges, having three gates, one of
which leads to _Variaw_, a small village at the ford of the Taptee
leading to Cambay. Near this village on the left hand is a small
_aldea_, pleasantly situated on the bank of the river, where is a great
pagoda much resorted to by the Indians. A second gate leads to
Boorbanpoor; and a third to _Nonsary_,[232] a town ten coss from Surat,
where much calico is manufactured, standing near a fine stream or small
river. About ten coss farther in the same direction is _Gondoree_,
[Gundavee,] and a little further _Belsaca_, [Bulsaur,] the frontier town
towards Damaun. Just without _Nunsary_ gate is a handsome tank of
sixteen sides, surrounded on all sides by stone steps, three quarters
of an English mile in circuit, and having a small house in the middle.
On the farther side of this tank are several fine tombs with a handsome
paved court, behind which is a small grove of Mango trees, to which the
citizens resort to banquet. About half a coss beyond this, is a great
tree much venerated by the Banians, who alledge that it is under the
protection of a _dew_, or guardian spirit, and that although often cut
down and grubbed up from the