Personal Narrative of A Tour Through the Western States of Rajwara, in 1835; Comprising Bikaner, Jaisalmer and Jodhpur

Preface Before this work is finally dismissed from the press, it seems necessary to say a few words regarding two or three subjects which require at least some explanation, if not apology, particularly as to the great delay that has taken place in presenting it to the public, a delay which has arisen from causes over which the Author had no power of control.

The Tom... in Rajwara of which the narrative is here given, was not completed until the month of August 1835, and was literally undertaken at O1Le day's notice without the remotest idea of making public the results of the journey; when it was at length thought worthwhile to pass them through the press, the preparation of the very voluminous materials which are condensed in the following pages was found to occupy so much time that the final report was not ready to be submitted t~ Government until the month of October 1836.

This delay was chiefly occasioned by the Author's constant employment in the Trigonometrically Survey in the jungles north- westward of Midnapoor, and his subsequent dangerous illness brought on by long exposure to the climate j both of these causes have again operated during the present year to prevent that constant personal superintendence which the publication of a work of this kind imperiously demands, and the consequence is, that although nearly a year has elapsed since the printing of these papers was authorized by the Supreme Government, yet even now the errata have accumulated to a considerable extent, without any blame being attributable to the establishment from whose press these sheets have issued.

Nearly all the typographical errors have occurred ill oriental words, such as the names of native persons and places, the correct spelling of which can scarcely be guessed when the reading in the manuscript happens to be doubtful, or erroneous; "both of these are matters of frequent occurrence, five different writers, European and native, having been employed in copying the sheets originally com- posed in my own hand-writing; nor could I find spare time for revising even in a. rough manner the triplicate copy of the report containing more than 'eight hundred pages of foolscap.

A great part of the Personal Narrative has already appeared more than two years ~go in the Delhi Gazette, a rough journal of the Tour having been forwarded from time to time to the late lamented Martin Blake, Esq. of the Civil Service, who was part proprietor of that newspaper but though the whole of those sheets have been re-written and greatly extended yet little or no alteration was made in the original matter. Unfortunately too no alteration was' made in the orthography of oriental words, all of which were spelled nearly after Dr. Gilchrist's manner, whereas in other parts of the volume where the language and literature of Marwar, &c. have been discussed, and lists of cities, &c. are gavel, that system of spelling has been followed which is adopted by the Asiatic Society as well as by the Surveyor General of India.

Book's Contents and Sample Pages