DELHI, an extensive province of Hindustan, situated principally between the twenty-eighth and thirty-first degrees of north latitude. To the north it is bounded by Lahore and Northern Hindustan west of the Goggra, to the south by Agra and Ajmeer, on the east it has Oude and Northern Hindustan, and on the west Ajmeer and Lahore. It may be estimated at 240 miles in length by 180 in average breadth.
The principal modern geographical and political subdivisions are,
The greater part of this province, especially the western portion of it, named the Hurrianah, suffers greatly during the hot season from the want of water, which can only be procured from wells dug in many cases to the depth of from 120 to 150 feet. The country is an extensive plain, free from jungle; but owing to the depth to which the ground must be penetrated for water, it has no artificial means of irrigation, and farther west this difficulty increases. The best cultivated part of this portion of the province is the country on the banks of the Cauggar or Goggar river, which being overflowed during the rainy season, yields good pasture, and produces wheat, barley, and sugar cane. It unfortunately happens that the Jumna, which runs through the province, and regularly overflows its banks, is in the lower part of its course so impregnated with natron that it confers no fertility on the adjacent country between its high banks, which is covered with a loose and perfectly barren sand like that of the sea-shore. In ancient times a celebrated aqueduct, constructed in the first instance by a Persian nobleman, and further enlarged and improved with branches and water-courses by Feroze III. in 1308, was conducted from the Jumna immediately on its leaving the mountains, and whilst its stream is yet pure and wholesome, for a distance of 120 miles through the country. It was a noble work, which gave fertility to a large district along its banks, and was the sole source of vege-
tation in the gardens of Delhi, besides furnishing the inhabitants with the only drinkable water within their reach. This aqueduct, which, from indolence, neglect, and the devastations of intestine war to which this province was long exposed, had been allowed to go entirely into disrepair, was re-opened by the British government in 1820, to the great joy of the inhabitants of Delhi, who went out in jubilee to meet its stream, throwing flowers, ghee, and other things into the water, and calling down all manner of blessings on the British government, "who," says Heber, "have indeed gone far, by this measure, to redeem themselves from the weight of, I fear, a good deal of impolicy." The supply of water derived from this aqueduct enables the inhabitants in a large tract of country to have recourse to irrigation, and thus to render the soil productive. In 1822 Zabeta Khan's or the Great Doab Canal, which passes through Saharanpore, Rampoor, Shamlee, and other towns of note, was surveyed. This canal is connected with the Jumna a few miles below where it issues from the mountains, and after a course of 150 miles again joins that river nearly opposite to Delhi, fertilizing an extensive tract of country formerly rich and populous, but latterly sterile and waste. The eastern parts of Delhi, namely, Rohilcund, including the districts of Moradabad and Bareilly, are better watered and more fertile. The principal rivers are the Ganges and the Ramgunga; the latter traversing Rohilcund in nearly its whole extent, and uniting with the Ganges near Kanoje. The Gogra or Sarjou passes the north-east corner; and there are, besides, many smaller rivers issuing from the northern mountains, which conduce to the fertility of the soil, being distributed by means of canals and reservoirs: water is also found here by digging a few feet into the ground. Throughout the whole extent of this country the surface is flat, being part of the great plain reaching from the northern hills to the sea, through which flow the Ganges and its innumerable tributary streams. Several of the mountain streams, as the Sarda, the Kurnal, and the Couriallah, roll down gold, which is found in their sands, and is collected by a particular caste of people. The Kosilu river, in Bareilly, is navigable during the rains, and serves to float down large timber. Sugar, cotton, and grain are the chief products of the eastern parts of Delhi. Prior to 1809 these districts were annoyed by formidable bands of gang-robbers, who were in such force that they kept at bay the ordinary police establishments of the country. These depredators had acquired such a perfect knowledge of the intricate jungles and numerous fords of the Ganges, that they were enabled to cross and return as often as they pleased, and so intimidated the inhabitants that the latter could not be brought to act against them. By the great exertions of the British magistrates, however, these bands, with their leaders, have been nearly exterminated. Many of those who formerly subsisted by gang-robbery have been induced to cultivate the ground, and to live peaceably, whilst the force stationed along the frontier prevents the Bhurtpoor marauders from renewing their depredations so often as they formerly used to do. Highway robberies do sometimes still occur, however, and are generally attended with murder; but on the whole the amendment has been great and visible; so that a European under ordinary circumstances may travel in safety through any part of the province.
Many parts of this province have been the scene of civil strife and of foreign war, and have been exposed to general devastation and misery. In 1774 the Rohillas were entirely defeated by the British, and their country given up to waste and plunder. Tracts formerly under cultivation are now converted into extensive wastes covered with long grass, which in the hot season is easily inflamed, and
abounds with foxes, jackals, hogs, hares, and every sort of game, which ranges over these plains unmolested. The country was afterwards exposed to the exactions of the nabob of Oude's servants; and from this period may be dated the decline of agriculture, commerce, and manufactures. In 1782 and 1785 it was again plundered by the Sikks, which gave the finishing blow to its prosperity. The country has made advances under the administration of the British, having enjoyed domestic tranquillity, but it has by no means attained to its ancient prosperity; and the policy of the East India Company, which increases the land assessment with the progress of cultivation, tends to repress the spirit of improvement. The staple commercial articles in Rohilcund are cotton cloths and sugar, to which the raw material of cotton has recently been added. In the district of Bareilly a species of rice is cultivated of an excellent flavour, and superior to the finest sort of what is called Patna rice; the sugar produced is reckoned superior to that of any other part of Hindustan; and in remote times the sugar-cane was cultivated to a great extent. The articles of trade brought from the hills consist of borax, bees-wax, musk, gums, drugs of various kinds, cow-tails, copper and iron, and small quantities of unrefined gold. The returns are made in white cloths, tobacco, and sugar. There are extensive forests at the foot of the hills, which abound with the tree which yields the kat, an article of general consumption along with the betel, and which is also used in dyeing. These hills contain also copper and iron, which the natives collect either on the surface or after very slight excavations. Salt is imported into Rohilcund in great quantities. Many labourers find employment in cutting down the wood of the forests. Bamboos and various other sorts of trees abound; also large pine trees ninety feet in height, which are floated down the rivers for sale. Elephants are caught below the hills, and form an article of trade. The soil here is fertile, and produces grain, sugar, cotton, indigo, and tobacco. In summer, notwithstanding the northern latitude of this province, the heat is intense; whilst in the winter the wind that blows from the northern mountains causes the thermometer to fall during the winter months to thirty degrees, and water freezes in the tents.
The country to the north-west of the Jumna and south of the Suttledge is occupied by a number of petty Sikh chiefs and other native princes in dependence on the British. This country was formerly a scene of constant strife, but is now maintained in tolerable order by a British detachment stationed at Ludcena on the Suttledge.
The principal towns in the province are Delhi, Sirhind, Saharanpore, Bareilly, Anopshehr, Meerut, Hissar, Seerdhuna, Patealah, and Budayoon. The inhabitants are a handsome and robust race of men, and are a mixture of Hindus, Mahomedans, and Sikks, the religion of the latter being very prevalent in the northern districts. The population of the province may be estimated at five millions.