The _guz-soudah_, 24⅔ of a finger, as measured by Haroon Resheed from the hand of one of his slaves. This was the basis of the nilometer, and of the yard for measuring cloths. The _guz-me-sahet_ measured twenty-eight fingers, and that of Humaion thirty-two: the latter was used by order of Sheer Khan, and Selim Khan, for the measurement of cultivated lands. Akber also allowed a _guz_ of forty-six fingers to be used for cloth only, and one measuring forty-two _isecunderees_, (small coins of base silver,) to be used for other purposes. This is called the _secundry-guz_. A _coss_ is generally accepted at two English miles, and will, for the most part, be found to come within a mere trifle of that measurement. In some places, they reckon by the _puckah_, or long coss; in others, by the _ghow-coss_, which alludes to that distance the lowing of cattle may be heard: this is also called the _cutcha-coss_; meaning imperfect, or short. The fact is, that the length of a coss is perfectly undefined by any proper standard, or explanation. What else, indeed, can be expected in a country where there are neither public roads, nor inns, public conveyances, nor even mile stones, or directing posts, on the most practised routes. Among other salutary and useful, but unfortunately temporary, regulations, the Emperor Akber fixed the coss at 5000 guz, equal to 4757 yards, or two miles, five furlongs, of our standard. Shah Jehan afterwards encreased it, by the addition of one furlong; but both their measurements gradually fell into disuse, and the old nominal coss of Hindostan again came into vogue. Including all the variations, however, in what are called puckah-cosses there appear less anomalies than might be expected in a range of 1700 miles, throughout which no determinate law, on that subject, obtains. Computing by horizontal measurements, between places whose distances are accurately known, it appears that the coss may be taken at a mile and nine-tenths: in this, one mile in seven is thrown into the computation, to account against the winding of roads. In the Malwa country, the cosses are about an eighth longer than in the Company’s dominions towards that quarter; while, in the vicinity of Masulipatam they are in the same proportion shorter. The goondy coss of the Nagpore district, is about three miles. Perhaps the most absurd mode of ascertaining the length of a coss, which, by the by, must be a very short one, and, according to the statement of Abu Fazil, was practised among the Hindus, depended on ‘One thousand steps taken by a woman bearing a child’ (of what age is not specified) ‘in her arms, and a jar of water’, (also indefinite as to bulk,) ‘on her head!’ Again, ‘the distance a man could go, at a quick pace, without being out of breath’, was accounted a coss! Others determined that measurement by ‘plucking a green leaf, and bearing it on their heads until it became dry!’