3. Volume 4 — part 3

' [The past tense is used because the MS. is now missing.]

of Timur's memoirs. Three short Extracts have been printed as specimens. The Extracts relating to the author's Embassy to India were translated by an English gentleman,^ and have been revised and annotated by Sir H. M. Elliot. J

P" A fragment of the Matla'u-s Sa'dain relating to the Embassy to China, in the time of Shah Rukh, and translated by Galland, was printed in Thevenofs collection of voyages ; this fragment re-appeared in Prevost's Histoire Generale des Voyages, and was again translated into Dutch, and inserted in Witsen's great work, Noord en Oost Tartaryen. The account of the embassies and letters that passed between the Emperor of China and Shah Rukh was published at Calcutta, in Persian an English, by W. Chambers,^ and was afterwards translated into French by M. Langles.* The latter Orientalist also gave an account of the work in the Notices et Extraits des MSS.,^ and introduced a version of 'Abdu-r Eazzak's description of India into the second volume of his Recueil portatif des Voyages. M. Oharmoy has given a short notice of the Matla'u-s Bddain, together with the text and translation of an extract from it relating to Timur's expedition against Tuktamish Khdn, in the Memoires de I'Academie des Sciences de St. Petershourg.^ The most satisfactory description of the work will be found, however, in the elaborate article by M. Quatremere, in the fourteenth volume of the Notices et Extraits des MSS.'' The learned Academician has given a French translation of a great portion of the life of Shah Rukh ; and the text, accompanied by a version in French, of two other extracts from 'Abdu-r Razzdk's history.

' Asiatick Miscellany, toI. i. p. 71, Calcutta, 1785.

• Ambassades reciproques d'un Eoi des Indes, de la Perse, etc., et d'un Empereur de la Chiue. 8vo. Paris, 1788.

' Notices et Extraits, vol. xiv., prem. partie, p. 1. "Langl^s does not translate, but abstracts, and is not so literal and exact as Quatremere." — Note by Sir H. M. Elliot.

relating respectively to the voyage of the ambassadors of Shah Rukh to China, and to that of 'Abdu-r Razzak himself to India. M. Quatrem^re passes the most favourable judgment as to the merits of the work, saying, that it is incontestably one of the most curious and veracious histories that have been written in any of the Eastern languages.] '

The " Sahib Kiran " Timur havinff exterminated the Aughani forces, on the 1st of the month Muharram returned to the fort of Naghz, and appointed Shah 'Ah Fardhi with a force of 700 cavalry and a company of foot soldiers, as guard of that place, so that if the royal array should go any distance, the ambas- sadors and servants of the princes might have easy ingress and egress, and be fearless of the Aughdni robbers. On the 8th of the same month, Timur pitched his camp on the banks of the river Sindh, in the same place that Sultan Jal41u-d din Khwarizm Shah crossed the river in his flight from Ohanglz Khdn, and where the latter rested without crossing the river. Timur ordered that boats should be collected and a bridge be made for crossing the river. Saiyid Muhammad, of Medina, who had been to Mecca and Medina, said that " the nobles of these coun- tries having humiliated themselves, are anxiously awaiting your presence." The ambassador of Shah Sikandar, King of Kash- mir, according to orders, appeared before the king, and offered the service and submission of his master. Timur having honoured Saiyid Muhammad, dismissed him, and also havino' conferred royal favoui's on the ambassador, sent word for Sikandar Shah to join the royal army at the city of Dipalptir, in Hind.

^ See also Jahrbilcher, No. 71, p. 32. Dorn, GescMchte Taharistans, 142. Journ. Afiiatique, 3me serie, vol. ii., and 4me serie. vol. iv. Ouseley's Travels, vol i., app. 2. Dom's Afghans, part ii., p. 62. Eeinaud's Aboulfeda, vol. i., p. 163. Biog. Univer. vii., 621; Calcutta Eeview, xxi. Asiatic Annual Eegister for 1800.

The king on the 12th day of the month, having crossed the river Sindh, pitched his camp near the Chol-Jarad, which jungle is now known as the "Ohol-i JaUli." The cause of this fame is, that Sultan Jaldlu-d din, when he fled from Changiz Khdn, crossed the river and came to this chol, and so escaped. All the chiefs of the hills of Jud came and professed their subjection to Timur. Before this Amir Rustam Taghai Eukai Birlas, according to the royal order, had gone in the direction of Multdn, and on account of the rain, had proceeded by the way of the mountains of Jud. The nobles of this place then supplied him with provisions, and rendered acceptable services to him. Timur having approved their services, showed them kindness, and con- ferred honours upon them.

Shahabu-d din Mubarak was prince of an island on the side of the river Jamd ; he had in his service a large number of fighting men. When Prince Pir Muhammad appeared on the frontier of Multan, Shahdbu-d din paid homage to him, and was treated with great consideration, but on his return to the island, seeing the strength of his island and the security aiForded by the river, the thought of rebellion entered into his head. Timtir havins: left the Chol-i Jaldli, came and encamped on the banks of the Jamd, and being aware of the rebellion of Shahabu-d din, on the 14th day of the month, he sent Mir Shaikh Nuru-d din with a large army against him.

At this Court the princes and amirs represented to His Majesty, that between the time of his crossing the river Sindh and of his reaching this place, 100,000 infidels had been made prisoners, and it was to be feared that in the day of battle they would incline to the people of Dehli, and would join them. On that day, Mallu Khan had come as far as the Jahan-numa. The

intelligence of this movement having spread through the camp, had reached the prisoners, and they communicated the good news to each other. Timur listened to this considerate and wise ad- vice, and gave orders for putting the prisoners to death. Every one who failed in the execution of this order was to be killed, and his property was to become the possession of the man who reported his dereliction of duty. In execution of this order, 100,000 Hindus were slain with the sword of holy war. Maulana Nasiru-d din, one of the chief ecclesiastics, who in all his life had never slaughtered a sheep, put fifteen Hindus to the sword.

During the course of the year 845 h. (21st May, 1441), the author of this history, 'Abdu-r Razzak, the son of Is'hak, under the orders of the sovereign of the world, prepared to set out for the province of Hormiiz, and the shores of the ocean. * * * *

On the 18th of Eamazan I arrived at the pure abode of Kirman, a place of importance, as well a;S of delight and rapture. * * *

On the .5th of Shawwdl, I departed from Kirmdn, and on my road had an interview with the Amir Hdji Muhammad, who was on his return from plundering the province of Banpur,' and in the middle of the month I arrived on the shore of the sea of 'Uman and the port of Hormuz, the governor of which place, Malik Fakhru-d-din Turan Shdh, sent me a boat, in which I arrived at the city of Hormuz. He assigned me a house and all necessary appurtenances, and I was admitted to an interview with the king.

This Hormuz, which is also called Jerun, is a seaport, which has not its parallel on the face of the earth. The merchants of the seven climates resort to it, such as those of Egypt, Syria,

1 M. Quatremere reads Ben-boiil. Pottinger describes Banpiir as a fort containing about one hundred -wretched inhabitants, and situated in an extensiye plain in- differently cultivated.

Rum, i^Lzarbdijdn, the two 'Irdks Fars, Khurdsdn, Mdwardu-n- nahr, Turldstan, Dasht-i-Kipchak, the Kalmak country, and all the kingdoms of the East, Chin, M4chin, and Khdnbalik. Hither also those who dwell on the shores of the sea bring commodities from Chin, Java, Bengal, Ceylon, the cities of Zirbad, Tanasiri,'^ Sacotra, and the ninety cities of the islands of Diwah-Mahall,^ the countries of Malabar, Abyssinia, Zangebar, the ports of Bijdnagar, Kulbarga, Gujarat, Kanbd (Cambay), the coasts of Arabia as far as Aden, Jiddah, and Jambo (?). All these are the bearers of such merchandize, precious and rare, as the sun and thp moon and the rains contribute to embellish. Travellers come hither from all parts of the world, and without difficulty replace what they bring by articles which they require of equiva- lent value. They transact their business for cash or by barter. They pay on every article a custom-duty of a tenth, with the exception of gold and silver. Professors of various religions, and even infidels, abound in that city, and no measure of injustice is permitted to any one in it ; hence the city is " called the abode of security {ddru-l dmdn)." The inhabitants combine the courtesy of the 'Irakis with the subtlety of the Hindus.

I remained there two months, the rulers of it having searched

^ This is the way Tenasserim is usually written by our old Toyagei-s. The dififer- ences are thus marked hy a Dutch voyager : — " Tanassery .... by einigen, als J. de Barros, Od. Barbosa, Willem Metold, en Barthema, ' Ternasseri,' or ' Tarnassari ' ; by Linschooten ' Tanasserin,' en by Jurrich 'Tanassery,' geheeten." — Vervaarli/Jce Schip-breuch vant Oost Indischt Jacht ter SeheUingk, p. 90 (Amstd., 1675), — usually bound up with J. Jansen Struys' Voyagien door Moseovien, etc. (Amstd., 1677). fialph Fitch and J. Lancaster have " Tanaseri." — Hakluyt's Voyages, Ncmiga- tions, etc., vol. ii., pp. 396, 592. Navarette has " Tanassary." — Vick Churchill's Collec- tion of Voyages and Travels, vol. vi., p. 763. Baldseus, "Tanasseri."— 74t¥, vol. ii., p. 521. Gemelli Careri, "Tanasserri." — Ibid.,yo. iv., p. 235, He also uses "Tena- zarim." — IHd, p. 269. " Tanaoerim," in Antonie Galvano's Discoveries of the World, in Hakluyt's Voyages, Navigations, etc., vol. iv., p. 423. And earlier than all these, Nicolo Conti, at the beginning of the fifteenth century, visited " Tarnassari." — Eamusio, Saccolta di Nav. et Viaggi, torn. i. Sir Thomas Herbert has " Tarnassari," "Tanassery," and " Tarnesseri." — Some Tears' Travels into Asia the Great, pp. 336, 346.

^ M. Langlfes (note 13) considers this to be Diu, but the expression of " the islands," shows that the " Maldive '' islands must be meant, being a corruption from the Arabic name. [The words of the text are ^J.s:'* iyO jjijs>- J«j .j_i) ,]

for all kinds of excuses to detain me ; insomuch, that the time favourable for proceeding to sea, viz., the beginning and middle of the monsoon, elapsed, and it was not till the end of it, when storms and tempests are to be feared, that they allowed me to depart. As men and horses could not go in one ship, they were separated and placed in different ships. So we hoisted sail and departed.

When the stink of the vessel affected my senses, and the dread of the sea was experienced, I fell into such a swoon that, for three days, my breathing alone indicated that I was alive. When I came a little to myself, the merchants, who were my intimate friends, exclaiuied with one accord that the season of navigation was already past, and whoever exposed himself to the perils of the sea at such a time would alone be responsible for his own death, since he voluntarily sought it. All of them accordingly having sacrificed the sums which they had paid as freight, relinquished their design, and after some difiiculties, dis- embarked at the port of Maskat.

As for me, attended by my intimate friends, I went from Maskat to a place called Kariat, and there I took up my abode. The merchants of the sea, when the objects of your voyage are not accomplished, and you are compelled to sojourn in a place other than that of your destination, say you are reduced to a state of tabdhi. In consequence of the revolutions of a merciless heaven, and the ill-luck of a treacherous destiny, my heart was shattered lik6 glass. I was tired of life, and reduced to great extremities. * * * *

While I was, against my will, detained at Kariat, and on the sea- shore, the moon of the Muharram of 846 h. (12th May, 1442), developed the beauty of her crescent in that abode of grief. Although it was the season of the vernal equinox, the heat of the sun was so intense, that the rubies were dissolved in their mines, and the marrow was dried up in the bones. * * * My eldest brother, myself, and companions fell ill through the excessive heat, [_and in this situation we remained for four months.^ * * *

Having learnt that in the neighbourhood of Kalahdt there was a place called Saur, which possessed an equable temperature, and was supplied with good water, I embarked on a vessel to go to that place, notwithstanding my weakness ; but when I arrived there, my illness increased. '^ * * *

At length I departed for Hindustan, and after a voyage of eighteen days and nights, l^during which the freshness of the sea- breeze restored my health,] we cast anchor, by the aid of God, in the port of Kdlikot ; and now I proceed to recount naturally, and without any effort, the marvels of that country, and my travels in it.

Jfy arrival in JSindustdn, and an account of the Condition, Customs, and Marvels of that Country.

Kalikot is a perfectly safe harbour, and like that of Hormuz brings together merchants of every city and every country. Here also one finds in abundance rarities brousrht from maritime countries, especially from Abyssinia, Zirbdd, and Zangebdr. From time to time ships arrive from the direction of the House of God (Mecca), and other parts of Hijjaz, and remain at will for some time in this port. It is a city inhabited by infidels, and therefore a legitimate object of conquest to us. Several Musulmans reside in it, and they have built two cathedral mosques there, where they assemble on Fridays to pray. They have a kdzi, a religious man, and for the most part they belong to the sect of Shdfi'i. Such security and justice reign in that city that rich merchants bring to it from maritime countries large cargoes of merchandize, which they disembark and deposit in the streets and market-places, and for a length of time leave it without consigning it to any one's charge, or placing it under a guard. The officers of the custom-house have it under their protection,

■ His brother, MaulEinJi 'Afifu-d-din 'Abdu-l waliib, died during the sojourn at this place.

and night and day keep guard round it.^ If it is sold, they take a custom duty of two and a half per cent., otherwise they offer no kind of interference. It is a practice at other ports, that if any vessel be consigned to any particular mart, and unfortunately by the decree of the Almighty it be driven to any other than that to which it is destined, under the plea that it is sent by the winds, the people plunder it ; but at K^likot every vessel, where- ever it comes from, and whichever way it arrives, is treated like any other, and no sort of trouble is experienced by it.^

His Majesty, the Khakan-i Sa'id, had sent to the ruler of Kdlikot horses and pelisses, robes of golden tissue, and caps, such as are presented at the festival of the new year. The reason of this was that the ambassadors of that emperor, on their return from Bengal, had been forced to put in at Kalikot, and the report which they made of the greatness and power of His Majesty reached the ear of the ruler of that place. He learnt from trustworthy authorities that the Sultans of the fourth inhabited quarter of the globe, both of the east and of the west, of the land and of the sea, despatched embassies to that monarch, and regarded his Court as the hibla of their necessities, and the ka'ba of their thoughts.

Shortly after this, the King of Bengal having complained of the hostilities he was suffering from Sultan Ibrahim of Jaunpur, sought protection from the Court, which is the asylum of Sultans ; upon which His Majesty despatched to Jaunpur Shaikhu-1 islam Khwdja Karimu-d din Abu-al makarim Jami, as the bearer of an imperial rescript, directing the ruler of Jaunpur to abstain from attacking the King of Bengal, or to take the consequences upon himself. To which intimation the ruler of Jaunpur was obedient, and desisted from his attacks upon Bengal. When the ruler of Kalikot heard this intelligence, he collected all kinds of presents and rarities, and sent them by the hand of an envoy,

' The Arabian merchants were struck with a somewhat similar practice on their voyage to China. '^ See Marsden's Marco JPolo, p. 685.

representing that in Ms port prayers and the Muhammadan khutha were read on Fridays and on festivals ; and that if His Majesty sanctioned the measure, they should be embellished and honoured by his august name and titles.

His messenger, in the company of the ambassadors who were coming from Bengal, arrived at the august Court, and the nobles made known his representation and displayed his presents. The envoy was a MusulmS.n, endowed with eloquence, who repre- sented in his address that if His Majesty would enter into relations with his master, and send special ambassadors to him, who, following the sacred ordinance,— " by your wisdom and excellent advice persuade them to enter into the ways of your Lord," — should invite him to embrace the Muhammadan re- ligion, should open the bolt of darkness and infidelity from his unenlightened mind, and should kindle in the window of his heart the flame of the beam of faith, and the splendour of the light of knowledge, it would certainly be a holy and meritorious act. His Majesty, acceding to this request, ordered his ministers to despatch an ambassador, and the lot fell upon this humble in- dividual. Some laboured to persuade me that I should not re- turn from this voyage; but, dangerous as it was, I did return from it in good health after three years, when my opponents were themselves no longer alive.

In short, when I disembarked at Kalikot, I saw a tribe of people, the like of which had never even entered my dreams. " A strange kind of tribe, neither man nor demon, " At the sight of which one's senses were startled ; " If I had seen anything like them in my dreams, " My heart would have been disturbed for years. " I have loved a moon-faced beauty, " But I cannot fall in love with every black woman." The blacks of this country go about with nearly naked bodies, wearing only pieces of cloth called langots, extending from their

navels ta above their knees.^ In one hand they bear a Hindi dagger (bright) as a drop of water, and in the other a shield made of cow's hide, large as a portion of cloud. The king and the beggar both go about in this way, but the Musulmans clothe themselves in costly garments, like the Arabs, and display various kinds of luxuries.

I had interviews with several Musulmans and a crowd of infidels, and a convenient lodging was assigned me, and after three days they took me to see the king, I saw a man with his body naked, like the other Hindus.^ They call the king of that place Samuri, and when he dies, they place on the throne his sister's son, and do not bestow it upon his son, his brother, or his other relatives. No one becomes king by force of arms. The infidels are of vario;t(s tribes, Brahmans, yogis, and others, who all alike participate in plural- worship and idol-worship. Every tribe has its peculiar customs.

Among them is a tribe in which one woman has several husbands, of which each one engages in a separate occupation. They divide the hours of the night and day amongst themselves, and as long as any one of them remains in the house during his appointed time, no other one can enter. The S^muri is of that tribe.

When I had my audience with the Samuri, the assembly con- sisted of 2,000 or 3,000 Hindus, clad in the manner above mentioned, and the chief Musulmdns were also there. After

1 The nakedness of the people of these parts struck also our earlier voyagers. Thomas Stevens, writing in 1579, says : " They that be not of reputation, or at least the most part, goe naked, saving an apron of a span long and as much in breadth before them, and a lace two fingers broad before them, girded about with a string, and no more ; and thus they thinke them as well as we do with all our trimming." — Hakluyt's Voyages, Navigations, Trafiques, and Discoveries, vol. ii., p. 685.

' De Earia y Sousa gives a very different account of the SS,muri's appearance, when Vasco de Gama and Pedro Cabral were received. His whole dress and person were then covered with gold, pearls, and diamonds, though he was still somewhat deficient in garments. — Sistory of Discoveries in Asia, vol. ii,, pp. 47, 59, and Astley's Collection of Voyages and Travels, vol. i., p. 32, 43. See also Ludovico Barthema, fol, 169. Kenaudot's Aneiennea Melations, p. 123. [See suprd, vol. i., p. 4.]

they had made me sit down, they read the letter of credentials sent by His Majesty, the Khdk4n-i Sa'id, and the presents which I had brought were displayed. The Sdmuri paid but little respect to my embassy, so leaving the Court I returned home. The party of men whom the King of Hormuz had despatched on a separate ship, with several horses and other goods collected from various quarters, were taken on their voyage by hard- hearted corsairs, robbed of all their goods, and with difficulty escaped with their lives. On their arrival at K^likot, I was rejoiced at the sight of my old friend.

From the close of Jumada-1 dkhir to the beginning of Zi-hijja, I remained in that wretched place, a comrade of trouble and a companion of sorrow. In the middle of it, during one night of profound darkness and weary length, in which sleep, as an imperious tyrant, captivated my senses and closed the door of my eyelids, after all kinds of troubles, I was sleeping on my bed of repose, when I saw in a dream His Majesty the Khdkan, who advanced towards me, with all the pomp of sovereignty, and arriving near me, said, " cease to trouble yourself."

In the morning, after saying my prayers, the dream recurred to my mind and made me happy. Although ordinarily dreams are purely reveries of the imagination, which are rarely realized in a waking state, nevertheless, sometimes they turn out exactly true, and are considered revelations of God. No one is ignorant of the dream of Joseph, God's peace on him ! or of that of the monarch of Egypt.

I reflected within myself that probably a morning of good fortune would arise, from the day-spring of the mercy of God, and that the night of vexation and sorrow would come to an end. Having communicated my dream to some clever men, I was demanding from them the interpretation of it, when suddenly some one arrived, and brought intelligence that the King of Bijinagar, who possesised a large kingdom and an important sovereignty, had sent a herald with a letter addressed to the Sdmuri, desiring that the ambassador of His Majesty the

Khdkan-i Sa'id should be instantly sent to him. Although the S4muri is not under his authority, nevertheless, he is in great alarm and apprehension from him, for it is said, that the King of Bij6,nagar has 300 seaports, every one of which is equal to K&likot, and that inland his cities and provinces extend over a journey of three months.

Kdlikot, and certain other ports along the coast as far as Kdil, which is opposite Sarandib, also called Silan, are situated in a province called Mallbdr. Ships which depart from Kalikot to the blessed Mecca (God preserve it in honour and power !) are generally laden with pepper. The men of Kalikot are bold navigators, and are known by the name of "sons of China." ^ The pirates of the sea do not molest the ships of Kalikot, and everything is procurable in that port, with this sole exception, that you cannot kill cows and eat their flesh. Should any one be known to have killed a cow, his life would infallibly be sacrificed. The cow is held in such respect, that they rub the ashes of its dung upon their forehead, — the curse of God upon them !

This humble individual having taken his leave, departed from Kalikot, and passing by the seaport of Banddna, which is on the Malibdr coast, arrived at the port of Mangalur, which is on the borders of the kingdom of Bijdnagar. Having remained there two or three days, he departed by dry land, and at the distance of three parasangs from Mangalur, he saw a temple which has not its like upon the earth. It is a perfect square of about ten yards by ten, and five in height. The whole is made of molten brass. There are four platforms or ascents, and on the highest of them there is an idol, of the figure and stature of a man, made all of

• Apparently a compliment to Chinese uayigation. In former day^ many Chinese resorted to these parts, and established even their permanent residence in them. P. Baldaeus speaks of " the Chinesea inhabiting Cochin, being very dextrous at catching fish." — Churchill's Collection, vol. iii., p. 671. When John Deza destroyed the Zamorin's fleet, it was commanded by Cutiale, a Chinese admiral. — Marsden's Marco Foh, note 1372.

gold. Its eyes are composed of two red rubies, which are so admirably set that you would say that they gazed upon you. The whole is made with the greatest delicacy and the perfection of art.

Passing on from that place, I arrived each day at a town or village well populated, until a mountain rose before me, the base of which cast a shadow on the sun, and whose sword (peak) sheathed itself in the neck of Mars : its waist was encircled with the bright stars of Orion, as with a ring, and its head was crowned with a blazing chaplet. Its foot was covered with such numbers of trees and thorny bushes that the rays of the world- enlightening sun were never able to penetrate its obscurity, and the genial clouds could never moisten its soil with their rain. On leaving this mountain and forest, I arrived at the city of Bidrur,! of which the houses were like palaces and its beauties like houris. In Bidrur there is a temple so high that you can see it at a distance of several parasangs. It is impossible to describe it without fear of being charged with exaggeration. In brief, in the middle of the city, there is an open space extending for about ten jaribs, charming as the garden of Iram. In it there are flowers of every kind, like leaves. In the middle of the garden there is a terrace {kursi), composed of stones, raised to the height of a man ; so exquisitely cut are they, and joined together with so much nicety, that you would say it was one slab of stone, or a piece of the blue firmament which had fallen upon the earth. In the middle of this terrace there is a lofty building comprising a cupola of blue stone, on which are cut figures, arranged in three rows, tier above tier.

Such reliefs and pictures could not have been represented upon it by the sharp style and deceptive pencil.

' M. Langlfes reads "BSglour," in which he is followed by Murray, Sist. of Disc, in Asia, vol. ii., p. 22. M. Quatrfemere, " Bilor" [which is the spelling of the MS. of the E. I. Library]. No doubt Bednore is indicated, which is the capital of a pro- vince of the same name, and a place favourable for trade, as the pass leading through it from Mangalore is one of the best roads in the Western Ghats, which comprise the terrific mountain mentioned by our author.

From the top to the bottom there was not a space of the palm of a hand on that lofty building which was not adorned with paintings of Europe and Khatd (China). The building was con- structed on four terraces of the length of thirty yards, and of the breadth of twenty yards, and its height was about fifty yards.

All the other edifices, small and great, are carved and painted with exceeding delicacy. In that temple, night and day, after prayers unaccepted by God, they sing and play musical instru- ments, enjoy concerts, and give feasts. All the people of the village enjoy pensions and allowances from that building; for offerings are presented to it from distant cities. In the opinion of those irreligious men, it is the ka'ha of the infidels (gahrdn). After remaining here two or three days, I continued my journey, and at the close of the month Zi-hijja arrived at the city of Bijanagar. The king sent out a party to escort us, and we were brought to a pleasant and suitable abode.

Account of the city of Bijanagar and its seven surrounding fortifications}

From our former relation, and well-adjusted narrative, well- informed readers will have ascertained that the writer 'Abdu-r- razzdk had arrived at the city of Bijdnagar. There he saw a city exceedingly large and populous, and a king of great power and dominion, whose kingdom extended from the borders of Sarandip to those of Kulbarga, and from Bengal tO' Malib^r, a space of more than \fiOO parasangs. The country is for the most part well cultivated and fertile, and about three hundred good seaports belong to it. There are more than 1,000 elephants, lofty as the hills and gigantic as demons. The army consists of eleven lacs of men (1,100,000). In the whole of Hindustan there is no rdi more absolute than himself, under which denomi- nation the kings of that country are known. The Brahmans are held by him in higher estimation than all other men. The book

of Kalila and Dimna, than which there is no other more excellent in the Persian language, and which relaites to a Eai and a Brahman, is probably the composition of the wise men of this country.

The city of BIjanagar is such that eye has not seen nor ear heard of any place resembling it upon the whole earth. It is so built that it has seven fortified walls, one within the other. Beyond the circuit of the outer wall there is an esplanade ex- tending for about fifty yards, in which stones are fixed near one another to the height of a man ; one half buried firmly in the earth, and the other half rises above it, so that neither foot nor horse, however bold, can advance with facility near the outer wall. If any one wishes to learn how this resembles the city of Hir4t, let him understand that the outer fortification answers to that which extends from the hill of Mukht^r and the pass of "the Two Brothers" to the banks of the river, and the bridge of Mdlan, which lies to the east of the village of Ghizar, and to the west of the village of Sibdn.^

The fortress is in the form of a circle, situated on the summit of a hill, and is made of stone and mortar, with strong gates, where guards are always posted, who are very diligent in the collection of taxes {jizydt). The second fortress represents the space which extends from the bridge of the New River to the bridge of the pass of Kard,,^ to the east of the bridge of Eangina^ and Jakan, and to the west of the garden of Zibanda, and the village of Jas4n. The third fortress would contain the space which lies between the tomb of the Imam Fakhr-u-din-Eazi, to the vaulted tomb of Muhammad Sultan Shdh. The fourth would represent the space which lies between the bridge of Anjil and the bridge of Karad. The fifth may be reckoned equivalent to the space which lies between the garden of Zaghan and the bridge of the river Jdkan. The sixth fortification would comprehend the

' [From the bridge of Jonau to the bridge in Earih. ^^ ; jtS Jj ti jj »>- Jj jl]

distance between the gate of the king and that of Firoz4bad. The seventh fortress is placed in the centre of the others, and occupies ground ten times greater than the chief market of Hirat. In that is situated the palace of the king. From the northern gate of the outer fortress to the southern is a distance of two statute parasangs, and the same with respect to the distance between th« eastern and western gates. Between the first, second, and third walls, there are cultivated fields, gardens, and houses. From the third to the seventh fortress, shops and bazars are «losely crowded together. By the palace of the king there are four bazars, situated opposite to one another. That which lies to the north is the imperial palace or abode of the Rai. At the head of each bazar, there is a lofty arcade and magnificent gallery, but the palace of the king is loftier than all of them. The bazars are very broad and long, so that the sellers of flowers, notwithstanding that they place high stands before their shops, are yet able to sell flowers from both sides. Sweet-scented flowers are always procurable fresh in that city, and they are considered as «ven necessary sustenance, seeing that without them they could not exist. The tradesmen of each separate guild or craft have their shops close to one another. The jewellers sell their rubies and pearls and diamonds and emeralds openly in the bazar. [Eulogy of the gems.']

In this charming area, in which the palace of the king is con- tained, there are many rivulets and streams flowing through channels of cut stone, polished and even. On the right hand of the palace of the Sultdn there is the diwdn-khdna, or minister's office, which is extremely large, and presents the appearance of a chihal-sutim, or forty-pillared hall; and in front of it there runs a raised gallery, higher than the stature of a man, thirty yards long and six broad, where the records are kept and the scribes are seated. These people have two kinds of writing, one upon a leaf of the Hindi nut (cocoa-nut), which is two yards long, and two digits broad, on which they scratch with an iron style. These characters present no colour, and endure but for

a little while.i In the second kind they blacken a white surface, on which they write with a soft stone cut into the shape of a pen, so that the characters are white on a black surface, and are durable. This kind of writing is highly esteemed.

In the middle of the pillared hall, a eunuch, called a Bandik^ sits alone upon a raised platform, and presides over the adminis- tration ; and below it the mace-bearers stand, drawn up in a row on each side. Whoever has any business to transact advances between the lines of mace-bearers, oifers some trifling present, places his face upon the ground, and standing upon his legs again, represents his grievance. Upon this, the Dandik issues orders founded upon the rules of justice prevalent in that country, and no other person has any power of remonstrance. When the Dandik leaves the chamber, several coloured umbrellas are borne before him, and trumpets are sounded, and on both sides of his way panegyrists pronounce benedictions upon him. Before he reaches the king he has to pass through seven gates, at which porters are seated, and as the Dandik arrives at each door an umbrella is left behind, so that on reaching the seventh gate the Dandik enters alone. He reports upon the affairs of the State to the king, and, after remaining some time, returns. His resi- dence lies behind the palace of the king.

^ This mode of writing on the leaves of the Borassus flabelliformis and the cocoa- nut is still practised in Canara and Southern India. It is thus described hy A. Hamilton on his -visit to Calicut, ch. xxv. :■ — " They make use of no pens, ink, and paper ; write on leaves of flags or reeds that grow in morasses by the sides of rivers. They are generally about eighteen inches long and one and a half broad, tapering at both ends, and a small hole at one end for a string to pass through. It is thicker than our royal paper, and very tough. They write with the point of a bodkin made for that purpose, holding the leaf athwart their left thumb and over the foremost finger, and what they have to write is indented, or rather engraven, into the leaf, but it does not pierce the leaf above half way through. And on two or three of these leaves they wiU write as much as we can on a. sheet of small paper. All their records are written so on leaves, and they are strung and rolled up in a scroll, and hung some time in smoke and then locked up in their cabinets. And I have seen some such leaves smoke-dried, that they told me were above 1000 years old." — Pinkerton's Collection of Voyages, vol. viil., p. 410.

'' [This is the spelling of the MS. of the East India Library. The MS. from which the translation was made seems to have had "Saidng."'^

On the left of the palace there is the mint, where they stamp three different kinds of gold coins, mixed with alloy. One is called vardha, and weighs ahout one miskdl, equal to two kopald dinars. The second kind is called partdb, and is equal to half of the first. The third is called fanam, and is equal to the tenth of a partdb. The last is the most current. Of pure silver they make a coin equal to a sixth of a fanam, which they call tar, which is also in great use. The third of a tar is a copper coin, called Jital. The usage of the country is that, at a stated period, every one throughout the whole empire carries to the mint the revenue (zar) which is due from him, and whoever has money due to him from the Exchequer receives an order upon the mint. The sipdMs receive their pay every four months, and no one has an assignment granted to him upon the revenues of the provinces.

This country is so well populated that it is impossible in a reasonable space to convey an idea of it. In the king's treasury there are chambers, with excavations in them, filled with molten gold, forming one mass. All the inhabitants of the country, whether high or low, even down to the artificers of the bazar, wear jewels and gilt ornaments in their ears and around their necks, arms, wrists, and fingers.

The Elephants, and mode of catching them.

Opposite the minister's office are the elephant sheds. The king has many elephants in the country, but the large ones are specially reserved for the palace. Between the first and second enceinte of the city, and between the northern and western faces, the breeding of elephants takes place, and it is there the young ones are produced. The king has a white elephant, exceedingly large, with here and there as many as thirty spots of colour.

Every morning this animal is brought into the presence of the monarch ; for to cast eye upon him is thought a favourable omen. The palace elephants are fed on hichu, which, after being cooked,

is turned out from the cauldron before the elephant, and after being sprinkled with salt and moist sugar, is made into a mass, and then balls of about two mans each are dipped in butter, and are then placed by the keepers in the mouths of the animals. If any of these ingredients is forgotten, the elephant is ready to kill his keeper, and the king also severely punishes his negligence. They are fed twice a day in this way. Each has a separate stall ; the walls are very strong and high, and are covered with sti'ong wood. The chains on the necks and backs of the elephants are firmly attached to the beams above ; if the chains were bound any other way, the elephants would easily detach themselves. Chains are also bound upon the fore-legs.

The manner in which they catch elephants is this : they dig a pit in the way by which the animal usually goes to drink, which they cover over lightly. When an elephant falls into it, no man is allowed to go near the animal for two or three days ; at the end of that period, a man comes up and strikes him several hard blows with a bludgeon, when suddenly another man appears who drives off the striker, and seizing the bludgeon, throws it away. He then retires, after placing some forage before the elephant. This practice is repeated for several days ; the first lays on the blows, and the second drives him away, until the animal begins to have a liking for his protector, who by degrees approaches the animal, and places before it the fruits which elephants are partial to, and scratches and rubs the animal, until by this kind of treatment he becomes tame, and submits his neck to the chain.

They tell the following story of an elephant that fled from his bondage, and absconded to the deserts and the jungles. His keeper, in pursuit of him, dug pits in the paths which he was likely to frequent. The elephant, apprehensive of his artifices, seizing a club, and holding it like a staff in his trunk, kept feeling and sounding the earth with great caution as he advanced ; and so arrived at the drinking ford. The elephant-drivers despaired of taking him ; but as the king was very anxious to have him caught, one of the keepers mounted a tree under which

the elephant was likely to go, and there lay hid, till, at the moment of his passing underneath, he threw himself down on the back of the animal, and seizing the strong cord which they strap over the back and chest of those animals, and which had not yet been detached, he held it fast within his grasp. In spite of all the turnings and motions which the elephant made to escape, and in spite of his lashing with his trunk, it was all of no avail. When he began rolling upon his side, the keeper leapt upon the flank which remained uppermost, and meanwhile struck the animal several sharp blows upon the head, so that, being at last exhausted, the beast gave in, and submitted his body to the bonds, and his neck to the fetters. The keeper broaght the elephant into the presence of the king, who bestowed a hand- some reward upon him.

The kings of Hindustan go out hunting elephants, and re- main a month or more in the jungles, and when they capture elephants, they rejoice at their success. Sometimes they order criminals to be cast down before the feet of an elephant, that they may be killed by its knees, trunk, and tusks. Merchants carry elephants from Silan to different countries, and sell them according to their height, so much more being demanded for each additional yard.

Opposite the mint is the office of the Prefect of the City, to which it is said 12,000 policemen are attached ; and their pay, which equals each day 12,000 fanams, is derived from the pro- ceeds of the brothels. The splendour of those houses, the beauty of the heart-ravishers, their blandishments and ogles, are beyond all description. It is best to be brief on the matter.

One thing worth mentioning is this, behind the mint there is a sort of bazar, which is more than 300 yards long and 20 broad. On two sides of it there are houses [khdnahd) and fore-courts {safhahd), and in front of the houses, instead of benches [kursi), lofty seats are built of excellent stone, and on

each side of the avenue formed by the houses there are figures of lions, panthers, tigers, and other animals, so well painted as to seem alive. After the time of mid-day prayers, they place at the doors of these houses, which are beautifully decorated, chairs and settees, on which the courtezans seat themselves. Every one is covered with pearls, precious stones, and costly garments. They are all exceedingly young and beautiful. Each has one or two slave girls standing before her, who invite and allure to indulgence and pleasure. Any man who passes through this place makes choice of whom he will. The servants of these brothels take care of whatever is taken into them, and if anything is lost they are dismissed. There are several brothels within these seven fortresses, and the revenues of them, which, as stated before, amount to 12,000 /awams, go to pay the wages of the policemen. The business of these men is to acquaint themselves with all the events and accidents that happen within the seven walls, and to recover everything that is lost, or that may be abstracted by theft ; otherwise they are fined. Thus, certain slaves which my companion had bought took to flight, and when the circumstance was reported to the Prefect, he ordered the watchmen of that quarter where the poorest people dwelt to produce them or pay the penalty; which last they did, on ascertaining the amount. Such are the details relating to the city of Bijanagar and the condition of its sovereign.

The author of this history, who arrived at Bijanagar at the close of Zi-hijja, took up his abode in a lofty mansion which had been assigned to him, resembling that which one sees in Hirat on the high ground at the King's Gate. Here he reposed himself after the fatigues of the journey for several days, and passed under happy auspices the first day of the new moon of Muharram in that splendid city and beautiful abode.

One day messengers came from the king to summon me, and towards the evening I went to the Court, and presented five

beautiful horses and two trays,'^ each containing nine pieces of damask and satin. The king was seated in great state in the forty-pillared hall, and a great crowd of Brahmans and others stood on the right and left of him. He was clothed in a robe of zaitim'^ satin, and he had round his neck a collar composed of pure pearls of regal excellence, the value of which a jeweller would find it difficult to calculate. He was of an olive colour, of a spare body, and rather tall. He was exceedingly young, for there was only some slight down upon his cheeks, and none upon his chin. His whole appearance was very prepossessing. On being presented to him, I bowed down my head. He re- ceived me kindly, and seated me near him, and, taking the august letter of the emperor,^ made it over (to the interpreters), and said, " My heart is exceedingly glad that the great king has sent an ambassador to me." As I was in a profuse perspiration from the excessive heat and the quantity of clothes which I had on me, the monarch took compassion on me, and favoured me with a fan of Khatdi which he held in his hand. They then brought a tray, and gave me two packets of betel, a purse con- taining 500 fanams, and about 20 miskdk of camphor, and, ob- taining leave to depart, I returned to my lodging. The daily provision forwarded to me comprised two sheep, four couple of fowls, five mans of rice, one man of butter, one man of sugar, and two varahas in gold. This occurred every day. Twice a week I was summoned to the presence towards the evening, when the king asked me several questions respecting theKh4k4n-i Sa'id, and each time I received a packet of betel, a purse ai fanams, and some miskdls of camphor.

• On the tuleui, or presents, comprising nine pieces of any article, see a note by M. Quatremfere in the Notices et Bxtraits des MSS., torn, xiv., pp. 32-35.

3 As the author's embassy was to Calicut, and not to Efj^nagar, it does not appear how he became possessed of this letter, specially addressed to a place which was not the object of his destination. We shall see subsequently that his enemies, while they deny that he was accredited by the Eh&k&n, nevertheless do not dispute that he was the bearer of a letter from that monarch.

The monarch addressed us through his interpreter, and said, " Your kings feast ambassadors and place dishes before them, but as I and you cannot eat together,

" This purse of gold represents the repast of an ambassador."

This betel is a leaf which resembles that of an orange, but is longer. It is held in great esteem in Hindustan, in the many- parts of Arabia, and the kingdom of Hormtiz ; and indeed it deserves its reputation. It is eaten in this way : they bruise a piece of areca nut, which they also call supdri, and place it in the mouth ; and moistening a leaf of betel or pan together with a grain of quick-lime, they rub one on the other ; roll them up together, and place them in the mouth. Thus they place as many as four leaves together in their mouths, and chew them. Sometimes they mix camphor with it, and from time to time discharge their spittle, which becomes red from the use of the betel.

This masticatory lightens up the countenance and excites an intoxication like that caused by wine. It relieves hunger, stimu- lates the organs of digestion, disinfects the breath, and strengthens the teeth. It is impossible to describe, and delicacy forbids me to expatiate on its invigorating and aphrodisiac virtues. The following verses display and confirm only some of its valuable

It is probably owing to the stimulating properties of this leaf, and to the aid of this plant, that the king of that country is enabled to entertain so large a seraglio ; for it is said that it contains as many as 700 princesses and concubines. With respect to all these establishments no male child is permitted to remain in them after attaining the age of ten years. Two women do not dwell together in the same apartment, each one having her concerns separate. When any beautiful girl is found throughout the whole kingdom, after the consent of her father

and mother has been purchased, she is brought in great state to the harem, after which no one can see her ; but she is treated with great consideration.

An attempt upon the life of the King of Bijanagar.

At the time that the writer of this history was detained at the city of K41ikot an extraordinary circumstance and singular transaction occurred in the city of Bijanagar. The details are these. The brother of the king had constructed a new house, and invited the king and the nobles of state to an entertain- ment. The custom of the infidels is, not to eat in the presence of one another. The guests were seated in a large hall, and, from time to time, the host, or some one that he sent, invited one of the nobles to come forward and partake of the viands prepared for him. He had taken care to collect together all the drums, tymbals, trumpets, and horns in the city, which were beaten and blown together with great force and dissonance. As each guest was summoned and conducted to the proper apart- ment, two assassins advanced from the place of their concealment behind the door, and, wounding him with a dagger, cut him to pieces. When his remains were carried off, another one was summoned and treated in like manner, and whoever entered that slaughter-house was never heard of more, for he became like a traveller on the road of eternity ; and the tongue of fortune ■addressed the murdered man in these words —

" You will never return ; having gone, you have gone for ever." From the noise of the drums and the clangour and the tumult, not a soul knew what had occurred, except a few who were in the secret : and in this manner every one who had a name and position in the State was murdered. While the assembly was yet reeking with the blood of its victims, the murderer went to the palace of the king, and, addressing the guards with flattering language, invited them also to the entertainment, and sent them to follow the others ; and thus, having denuded the palace of the guards, he advanced to the king, bearing in his hand a tray

of betel, in which there was a brilliant dagger concealed beneath the leaves, and thus addressed the monarch : " The entertain- ment is prepared, and only waits your august presence." The monarch, according to the saying, powerful princes are divinely inspired, said that he was indisposed, and begged that his at- tendance might be excused.

When this unnatural brother despaired of the king's atten- dance, he drew forth the poignard, and wounded him several times severely, so that the monarch fell down behind the throne ; and the perfidious wretch, believing that he was dead, left one of his myrmidons behind to cut off the king's head. He himself rushed out to the portico of the palace, and exclaimed, " I have killed the king, his brothers, the nobles, the ministers, and the other chiefs, and I am now your king." But when the bravo advanced to fulfil his murderous orders, the king, seizing the seat behind which he had fallen, dealt with it such a blow upon the breast of the villain, that he felled him to the ground, and, assisted by one of his guards, who in alarm had concealed himself in a corner, put him to death, and ran out of the chamber by the way of the female apartments. While his brother, seated at the head of the tribunal of justice, was inviting the people to recognize him as their sovereign, the king himself came forward and exclaimed, " Behold, I am alive and safe, seize the assassin." The multi- tude immediately bore him down, and slew him. The king then summoned to his presence his other brothers, and all the nobles ;' but every one had been slain except the minister, the Dandik, who, previous to this dreadful tragedy, had gone to Silan. A courier was despatched to summon him, and inform him of what . had transpired. All those who had been concerned in that plot, were either fl.ayed alive, or burnt to death, or destroyed in some other fashion, and their families were altogether exterminated. The person who had brought the invitation ^ was also put to

^ J»i ^iii«T Lu\jkp- C-J«£ii S ^^ "The person who had brought the

iavitation of coagulated milk ; " apparently meaning that it was usual to send coagu- lated milk with an invitation.

death. When the Dandik had returned from his tour, and had become acquainted with all that had transpired, he was as- tounded, and after being admitted to the honour of kissing the royal feet, he offered up his thanks for the safety of the king's person, and made more than usual preparations to celebrate the festival of Mahandwi?-

The infidels of this country, who are endowed with power, are fond of displaying their pride, pomp, power, and glory, in holding every year a stately and magnificent festival, which they call Mahandwi. The manner of it is this : The King of Bljana- gar directed that his nobles and chiefs should assemble at the royal abode from all the proyinces of his country, which extends for the distance of three or four months' journey. They brought with them a thousand elephants, tumultuous as the sea, and thundering as the clouds, arrayed in armour, and adorned with howdahs, on which jugglers and throwers of naphtha were seated ; and on the foreheads, trunks, and ears of the elephants extra- ordinary forms and pictures were traced with cinnabar and other

The chiefs of the army and the powerful men of each province, and the wise Brahmans and the demon-like elephants, were as- sembled at the Court of the ruler of the world at the appointed time, which was at the full moon of Bajab (September, 1446), on a broad plain. This wonderful expanse of ground, from the numbers of people and the huge elephants, resembled the waves of the green sea, and the myriads which will appear on the Plains

1 [Quatremfere read this Mahanddi, and so did the translator of this Extract ; but in the fine MS. of the East India Library the name is always distinctly written Mahandwi, Eeinaud pointed out Quatremdre's error, and showed that the festival must be that called Mahd-navami, the ninth and last day of the Surgd-piy'd. See Eeinaud's Aboulfeda, vol. i., p. 163, no'te.]

On that beautiful plain were raised enchanting pavilions of from two to five stages high, on which from top to bottom were painted all kinds of figures that the imagination can conceive, of men, wild animals, birds, and all kinds of beasts, down to flies and gnats. All these were painted with exceeding delicacy and taste. Some of these pavilions were so constructed, that they revolved, and every moment offered a different face to the view. Every iiistant each stage and each chamber presented a new and charming sight.

In the front of that plain,. a pillared edifice was constructed of nine stories in height, ornamented with exceeding beauty. The throne of the king was placed on the ninth story. The place assigned to me was the seventh story, from which every one was excluded except my own friends. Between this palace and the pavilions there was an open space beautifully laid out, in which singers and story-tellers exercised their respective arts. The singers were for the most part young girls, with cheeks like the moon, and faces more blooming than the spring, adorned with beautiful garments, and displaying figures which ravished the heart like fresh roses. They were seated behind a beautiful curtain, opposite the king. On a sudden the curtain was removed on both sides, and the girls began to move their feet with such grace, that wisdom lost its senses, and the soul was intoxicated with delight.

The jugglers performed astonishing feats ; they set up three beams joined one to the other ; each was a yard long and half a yard broad, and about three or four high. Two other beams were placed on the top of the first two beams, which are of about the same length and breadth. They placed another beam a little smaller on the top of the second beams, which were already sup- ported by the lower beams, so that the first and second series formed two stages supporting the third beam, which was placed

on the top of them all. A large elephant had been so trained by them, that it mounted the first and second stages, and finally to the top of the third, the width of which was less than the sole of the elephant's foot. When the elephant had secured all four feet on this beam, they removed the remaining beams fi-om the rear.i Mounted thus on the top of the third beam, the elephant beat time with his trunk to every song or tune that the minstrels performed, raising his trunk and lowering it gently in accord with the music.

They raised a pillar ten yards high, through a hole at the top of the pillar they passed a beam of wood, like the beam of a balance ; to one end of this they attached a stone about the weight of an elephant, and to the other they attached a broad plank about one yard in length, which they fastened with strong cords. The elephant mounted this plank, and his keeper by degrees let go the cord, so that the two ends of the beam stood evenly balanced at the height of ten yards ; at one end the elephant, and at the other his weight in stone, equal as two halves of a circle. In this way it went (up and down) before the king. The elephant in that high position, where no one could reach him, listened to the strains of the musicians, and marked the tune with motions of his trunk.

All the readers and story-tellers, musicians and jugglers, were rewarded by the king with gold and garments. For three con- tinuous days, from the time that the world-enlightening sun began to glow like a peacock in the heavens, until that when the crow of evening's obscurity displayed its wings and feathers, this royal fete continued with the most gorgeous display. One cannot, without entering into great detail, mention all the various kinds of pyrotechny and squibs, and various other amusements which were exhibited.

Audience of the King of Bijanagar. On the third day, when the king was about to leave the scene

of the festival, I was carried before the throne of His Majesty. It was of a prodigious size, made of gold inlaid with beautiful jewels, and ornamented with exceeding delicacy and art ; seeing that this kind of manufacture is nowhere excelled in the other kingdoms of the earth. Before the throne there was placed a cushion of zaitiini satin, round which three rows of the most exquisite pearls were sewn. During the three days the king sat on the throne upon this cushion, and when the celebration of the Mahandwi was over, he sent for this humble individual one evening at the time of prayer. On arriving at the palace, I saw four stages laid out about ten yards square. The whole roof and walls of the apartment were covered with plates of gold inlaid with jewels. Each of these plates was about the thickness of the back of a sword, and was firmly fixed with nails of gold. On the first stage, the king's royal seat was placed. This was formed of gold, and was of great size. The king sat upon it in state. He asked after His Majesty the Khak4n-i Sa'id, his nobles, his armies, the number of his horses, and the peculi- arities of the cities, such as Samarkand, Hirat, and Shiraz. He treated me with a kindness which exceeded all bounds, and observed, " I am about to send a certain number of elephants and two tuhkz of eunuchs, besides other rarities, accompanied by a prudent ambassador, whom I shall despatch to your Sovereign.

In that assembly one of the courtiers asked me, by means of an interpreter, what I thought of the beauty of the four em- broidered sofas, implying that such could not be made in our country. I replied, that perhaps they might be made equally well there, but that it is not the custom to manufacture such articles. The king approved highly of my reply, and ordered that I should receive several bags oifanams and betel, and some fruits reserved for his special use.

Malice of the Hormiizians. A set of people from Hormuz, who were residing in the

country, when they lieard of the kindness of the monarch, and of his intention of sending an ambassador to the Court of the asylum of Sultans, were extremely vexed, and did what they could to destroy this edifice of friendship. From their exceeding turpitude and malevolence they spread abroad the report that this poor individual was not really accredited by His Majesty, the Khakan-i Sa'Id. This assertion reached the ears, not only of the nobles and ministers, but of the king himself, as will be hereafter mentioned. Please God !

About this time the Dandik, or minister, who had treated me with the greatest consideration, departed on an expedition to the kingdom of Kulbarga, of which the cause was, that the king of Kulbarga, Sultdn 'Alau-d din Ahmad Shah, upon learning the attempted assassination of Deo Rai, and the murder of the principal officers of State, was exceedingly rejoiced, and sent an eloquent deputy to. deliver this message : " Pay me 700,000 vardhas, or I will send a world-subduing army into your country, and will extirpate idolatry from its lowest foundations." Deo Kai, the King of Bijanagar, was troubled and angered at this demand, and said, " Since I am alive, what occasion for alarm is there if some servants have been slain ?

' If a thousand of my servants die, what should I be afraid of?' In one or two days I can collect a hundred thousand more such as they.

' When the sun is resplendent, innumerable atoms are visible.' If my enemies have conceived that weakness, loss, insecurity, and calamity have fallen upon me, they are mistaken. I am shielded by a powerful and auspicious star, and fortune is favour- able to me. Now let all that my enemy can seize from out my dominions be considered as booty, and made over to his saiyids and professors ; as for me, all that I can take from his kingdom I will make over to my falconers and brahmans." So on both

sides armies were sent into the other's country, and committed great devastations.'^

The king had appointed as a temporary substitute of the Brahman Dandik a person named Hambah Nurir, who considered himself equal to the wazir. He was diminutive in stature, malignant, low-born, vile, savage, and reprobate. All the most odious qualities were united in him, and he had not a single estimable trait in his composition. When the seat of the ad- ministration was polluted by that wretch, he stopped my daily allowance without any cause. The Hormuzians having found an opportunity of showing their malice, displayed the devilry which forms the leaven of their disposition ; and conformity of vice having ingratiated them with Hambah Nurir, they declared that I was not accredited by His Majesty the Khakan-i Sa'id, but that I was a mere merchant, who had carried in my hand the diploma of His Majesty. They spread several other lies in the hearing of the infidels, which produced such an impression upon them, that for some time, in the middle of this unholy country, I was reduced to a state of misery and uncertainty. But while labouring under this anxiety, I met the king several times on the road, who treated me with great condescension, and asked how I was going on. In very truth, he possessed excellent qualities.

The Dandik, after ravaging the territory of Kulbarga, and bringing some wretched people away with him as captives, re- turned to Bljdnagar. He reproached Hambah Nurir for having stopped my daily rations, and gave me an assignment for 7,000 fanams on the mint the very day of his arrival. Khwaja

' Firishta also mentions these expeditions under the year 847 h. — 1443-4 a.d., but assigns a different cause for them. He says that three actions took place in the space of three months, and that the advantage rested generally with the Hindus. — Briggs, Tol. ii., pp. 430-4.

" [The translator transcribes this name " Nima Pazlr," but in the MS. of the East India Library the name is very carefully written and pointed " Hambah Nurir."]

Mas'ud and Khwaja Muhammad of Khurasdn, who were also residing in Bijanagar, were appointed to go upon the embassy, carrying with them presents and stuffs. Fath Kh4n, one of the descendants of Sultan Firoz Shah, who had been King of Delhi, also sent a deputy, named Khwaja Jamalu-d din, with presents and a petition.

On the day of my audience of leave, the monarch said to this poor individual, " They have represented that you are not really the envoy of His Majesty Mirza Shd,h Rukh; otherwise we would have paid you greater respect. If you should come again into this country, and I should ascertain that you are really sent on a mission by His Majesty, I will pay you such attention as becomes the dignity of ray empire."

In the letter addressed to His Majesty, the monarch com- municated the malicious aspersions which had been spread by the Hormuzians, and observed, " It was our intention to com- mend myself to His Sacred Majesty by royal presents and gifts, but certain parties represented that 'Abdu-r Razz^k is not His Majesty's servant." * * *

The humble author, having completed his preparations, took his departure for the shore of the sea of 'Umdn.

The return from Hindustan, and an account of a storm.

The sun of Divine Benevolence arose from the horizon of pro- sperity, and the star of fortune ascended from the Orient of hope, and the brilliant lights of joy and content showed themselves in the midst of the dark night, conformably to the saying, " Grod is the friend of those who trust in Him. He will bring them forth from darkness into light." The nights of trouble and affliction in that abode of idolatry and error vanished at the rising of the morning of good fortune and the appearance of the sun of pro- sperity; and the evening of sorrow and helplessness was changed into days of festivity and rejoicing.

" The duration of night that was longer than the day is now reversed.

" The latter has grown longer, the former has decreased."

Bijanagar is a city in the most remote territory of Hindustan, and the whole 'country is idolatrous ; the resources which I had accumulated for my travels were consumed during the misfor- tunes to which I had been exposed. But why should I speak of that which is not worthy of mention ? But in consequence of my wretched condition, I had no hope of getting provision for my journey — all I could do was to throw myself on the mercy of God.

With a stout heart and expanded hopes, I set out on my road ; I confided myself to the kindness and mercy of God. On the 12th of Sha'ban, accompanied by the ambassadors, I took my flight on the wings of travel for the city of Bijanagar, and after being eighteen days on the road, we arrived, on the 1st of Eamazan (January, 1444), at the port of Mangahur,i and there I was honoured with being admitted to an interview with Amir Saiyid-'A14u-d din Mashhadi, who was 120 years old. For several years he had been venerated by the faithful, as well as the infidels, and in that country his sayings were regarded as oracles, for no one dared to refuse obedience to his precepts. One of the ambassadors of Bijanagar, Khwdja Mas'tid, unfortu- nately died while we were in this place.

" On this sinful earth, over which the vault of heaven extends. Who knows in what place his head will rest beneath the tomb?"

After having celebrated in the port of Mangahtir the feast which follows the fast of Eamazdn, I went to the port of Hanur, to arrange about fitting out a vessel, and I laid in provisions for twenty people for a voyage of forty days. One day, near the time when I was about to embark, I consulted the book of presages compiled by Imdm Ja'far Sddik, which comprises verses

taken from tlie Kuran, when I opened it at a passage of fortunate omen, containing this verse, "Be not afraid, you have been saved from the tribe of wicked men." I was exceedingly struck with a passage so appropriate to my situation, the anxiety which beset my heart from fear of the sea vanished altogether, and all at once trusting in a happy deliverance, I embarked on the 25th of the month Zi-1 kaMa.

Sometimes we engaged in conversation on the extraordinary names and wonderful appearances which had come under our observation, and our hearts enjoyed peace and contentment. Sometimes, from the effect of contrary winds, which resembled drunkards, the cup of vicissitude found its way into the vessel, and its planks, which were so joined as to resemble a continuous line, were on the point of becoming separate like isolated letters of the alphabet.

The raging storm was changed into a favourable wind, the foaming tempest ceased, and the sea became as calm as my heart desired. The passengers, after having celebrated on the sea the festival of a%M, at the end of Zi-hijja, sighted the mountain of Kalaliat,^ and rested in security from the dangers of the ocean. At that time, the new moon of the Muharram of the year 848 (of April, 1444), showed itself in the sea like the image of a friend's eyebrow. * * *

Concluding events of the voyage, and the arrival at Hormiiz by God's favour.

The narrative of my voyage has reached that point, when the new moon of the blessed Muharram showed its beautiful image in the sea. The ship remained out at sea for several days more, but on arriving at Maskat we cast anchor; where, after the damages sustained at sea by the storm were repaired, we re- embarked, and continued our route.

' This ridge extends from Jibal JallJin to Jibal Fallah, and attains a heiglit of 4,400 feet. The Jibal Fallah are about forty miles inland from Maskat, and rise to 6,000 feet.

The vessel, after leaving Maskat, arrived at the port of Khur- fakan,^ where she remained for two days, during which the night was so hot, that when it was dawn, yon might have said that the sky had set the earth on fire ; for the strong-winged hird at the summit of the air, and the fish at the bottom of the sea, were equally consumed by the heat. * * * *

After re-embarking, we left the port of Khurfakdn, and arrived at the city of Hormiiz on the forenoon of Friday, the 12th of the month of Safar. From the port of Hanur to that of Hormiiz, our voyage lasted seventy-five days.

1 See Eeinaud's Atoulfeda, vol. i., page 163, note.

The full title of this work is Rauzatu-s 8afdfi Siratu-l Amhid wau-l Muluk wau-l Khulafd, "The Garden of Purity, containing the History of Prophets, Kings, and Khalifs." It was composed by Mirkhond, or more correctly Mir Khdwand, whose true name at length is Muhammad bin Khawand Shah bin Mahmud. He was born towards the close of the year 836 h., or the beginning of 837— A.D. 1433.

We gather some few particulars of him and of his family from the account of his patron, the minister, 'All Shir, and of his son, Khondamlr. The father of Mirkhond was Saiyid Burhdnu-din Khawand Shah, a native of Mawarau-n nahr, who traced his pedigree to Hasan, the son of 'All. When his father died, Khawand Shdh was young, and being compelled by circumstances to abandon his country, he fixed his residence in the town of Baikh, where he indulged himself in the study of literature and science, and after an intermediate residence at Hirat, returned to Balkh, and died there.

Of Mirkhond himself very little is 'known. When he was only thirteen years of age he accompanied his father on a poli- tical embassy, which was not only entirely unsuccessful, but the negociators were unfortunately pillaged by the Turks and de- prived of every thing they took with them. On another occasion, he tells us, that he was on a hunting expedition, when, for leaving his post to join in mid-day prayer, he was reprimanded by some of the royal servants, and was so much alarmed at the reproaches and at the extortions to which he was exposed in consequence,

that he fell ill and remauied in a bad state for seven days. "Frightful dreams troubled him during the night, and before his departure the humble author of this history took God to witness, and vowed that on no account would he ever be in- duced to join another hunting expedition."

These luckless adventures seemed to have indisposed him to- wards an active and public life, and he devoted himself early to literature. His son tells us that Mirkhond having employed his early life in acquiring all that was attainable in Eastern science, in which he soon outstripped all his contemporaries, he applied himself with equal assiduity and success to the study of history. " Through the seductions of a convivial disposition, however, and too unrestrained an intercourse with the votaries of pleasure, it never occurred to him to engage in the labours of composition, until, by the goodness of Providence and the influence of his better destiny, he found means to be introduced to the excellent ""Ali Shir, from whom he immediately experienced every mark of kindness and encouragement." He assigned to Mirkhond apart- ments in the Khdnkah Akhlasia, a building erected by him " to serve as a retreat and asylum to men of merit distinguished by their attainments," and cheered him with intellectual converse when exhausted with the labours of composition.

'All Shir himself, in the biographical article which he devotes to Mirkhond, vaunts in pompous terms the distinguished talents of the historian, and greatly applauds himself for having by his counsels and urgent remonstrances overcome the modesty of this honourable man, and for having thus contributed to enrich Persian literature with a production so remarkable as the JRaitsatu-s Safd.

A great portion of this work was composed on a bed of sick- ness, and the author has himself given an account of the painful circumstances under which he was compelled to write. It is fortunate that writing was found rather to relieve than aggravate his disease. " I wrote all, chapter by chapter, lying on my right side ; and because of the violent pains I felt iu my loins, I was

not able to write a single page sitting down. Clever phy- sicians assured me that this occupation would relieve me of the malady, or at least prevent its becoming worse. If on any night I happened to neglect my usual labour, and wished to abandon myself to repose, I had troublesome dreams, woke up in affright, or an excessive heat came over me which prevented my sleeping. If, on the contrary, I set myself to write as usual, I had a good sleep and agreeable dreams."

For a whole twelvemonth before his death he gave himself up entirely to religious duties, while his malady increased upon him every day, and after a lingering illness he expired in the month Zi-1 ka'da, 903, corresponding with June, 1498 — aged sixty-six years.i

There is no Oriental work that stands higher in public estima- tion than the Rauzatu-s 8a/d. The author has availed himself of no less than nineteen Arabic and twenty-two Persian histories, besides others which he occasionally quotes. His work forms the basis of many other compilations, and the greater portion of Haji Khalfa's History may be considered to be founded upon it. It must be confessed, however, that the JRauzatu-s Safd is very unequal in its execution, some portions being composed in great detail, and others more compendiously. It is most copious in what concerns the kings of Persia.

Introduction. — On the study of History in general, and its advantages, especially to Rulers.

Book I. — Gives an account of the Creation of the World, and of the Deluge ; details the lives of the Patriarchs and Prophets ; and contains the ancient History of Persia, to the conquest of that country by the Muhammadans, a.d. 636 ; the Life of Alex- ander, and several Gfrecian Philosophers. — 339 pages.

1 Quatremfere has given some notices of Mirkhond and of Ms son Khondamir in the Journal des Savants.

Book II. — Details the History of Muhammad and the four first Khalifs, Abu Bakr, 'Umar, 'TJsm4n and 'Ali, with a particular account of their conquests to A.D. 664. — 368 pages.

Book III. — Contains the lives of the twelve Imdms. This section comprises also the History of the Ummayide and Abba- side Khalifs. — 232 pages.

Book IV. — Includes Memoirs of the Dynasties of Tahirides, Saffarides, Samdnides, Buwaihides, Saljukides, Crhaznivides, Grhorians, At^baks, etc., who reigned over Persia, Transoxiana, 'Irdk, etc., from about the year 800 to 1263 A.D. — pages 293.

Book V. — Presents the History of the celebrated conqueror Ohangiz Khdn, who was born A.D. 1154, and died at the age of 73 ; also Memoirs of his descendants, who reigned over Iran and Tur^n till a.d. 1335.— pages 253.

Book VI. — Exhibits the History of Timur ; also of his sons and successors to the year 1426. — pages 408.

Book VII. — In this section are preserved the Memoirs of Sultan Husain Mirza Abu-1 Grhazi Bahadur, fourth in descent from Timur, who reigned with great repute over Khurasdn for thirty-four years, and died a.d. 1505 — pages 166.

Conclusion. — Contains a description of the city of Hirat (then the capital of Khurds^n), and of several other places of that kingdom. — pages 75.

Size. — Folio, 2 vols., containing respectively 939 and 1195 pages, of 29 lines each.

This accords with the Table of Contents given by the author himself, and copied by Stewart in his " Catalogue of Tippu Sultd.n's Library," but differs from the Latin Catalogue of the MSS. of Erpenius, at page 27 of the Appendix to Hottingeri Promptuarium.

A very full list of Contents will be found in ths Vienna Jahrbucher, Nos. Ixix. and Ixx. Anzeige-Blatt, where the Rubrics of the entire work are given. Baron Hamraer-Purgstall has also given a detailed account of its contents in Handschriften JSammer- Purgstalls, Wien, 1840.

M. Jourdain, in his elaborate article in the ninth volume of Notices et Extraits des MSS. observes that additions were subsequently made to the seventh book by the author's son, Khondamir, because the author died a.h. 903, and events are recorded in it of a.h. 911. He consequently is disposed to ascribe the whole book to another hand. Major Price concurs in this opinion,! but SirW. Ouseley^ is of opinion that Mirkhond wrote at least the first part of that book. His son Khondamir distinctly observes, that of his father's work the seventh book remained incomplete for want of materials, or, as has been suggested, more probably through the delicacy of engaging in a narrative of the passing events of the reign of Abu-l Ghdzi. This omission he pledged himself at a future period to supply, should the requisite materials be procurable, and heaven be propitious to his hopes. This he accordingly did, and the seventh book is composed of ex- tracts taken from the Hahibu-s Siyar, and contains the biography of Mirkhond. The preface leaves it very doubtful whether any portion of the seventh book was written by Mirkhond, for the names of both father and son occur in it in a very strange com- bination.

The Conclusion, or Geographical Appendix, is more rarely to be found than the other portions. In this also there are several interpolations by Khondamir. There is an excellent copy of it in the Asiatic Society's Library.

The entire text of MIrkhond's history was published in litho- graphy at Bombay in the year 1848, and the first part of a Turkish translation was issued at Constantinople in 1842.

We have no entire translation of this work, but at dififerent times, and in different languages, several portions of the History have been made available to the European reader.^ The early volumes of the Modern Universal History derive the history of Persia from the Rauzatu-s Safd, — a portion of the work which has been attributed by some to Dr. Hunt, by others to George

1 " Ketrospect of Mah. Hist.," vol. iii., p. 656. ' » " Travels," ii., p. 397.

3 Vide " Ancient TJniversal History," iy., pp. 248, 288.

Psalmanazar.'^ It is alluded to in the Bictionnaire Sisforique of Moreri, under the name of Tarik Mirkon.

Major Price has used the Rauzatu-s Safd more copiously than any other work in his Retrospect of Mahommedan History, and in his History of Arabia. The substance of a great por- tion of the history has been presented by Pedro Texeira, a learned Portuguese, in his Relacion de las Reyes de Persia, and more accurately in a French work, entitled Les Mats, Umpires, et Principautes du Monde, Paris, 1662. A translation was pub- lished at Paris subsequently by Cotolendi, in 1681, which is characterised in the Biographie Universelle as " assez maiwaise." It was translated into Italian by Alfonso Laser, and into English by Captain J. Stevens, in 1715.

The following is a list of the publications drawn from this History : —

Historia priorum regum Persarum, post firmatum in regno Islamismum Pers. et Lat. cum notis geographicis et litterariis. Auct. M. Jenisch. Viennse, 1782.

Memoires sur diverses antiquit^s de la Perse, et sur les medailles des rois de la dynastie des Sassanides, suivis de Thistoire de cette dynastie, trad, du persan de Mirchond. Silvestre de Sacy. Paris, 1793.

Historia Samanidarum, Pers. et Lat. F. Wilken. Gottingen. 1808.

Notice de I'histoire universelle de Mirchond, suivie de I'histoire de la dynastie des Ismaeliens de Perse extrait du meme ouvrage, en persan et en frangais, par M. A. Jourdain. Paris, 1812.

Mirchondi historia Taheridarum, Pers. et Lat. E. Mitscher- lich. Gottingen, 1814; Berlin, 1819.

Mirchondi historia Ghuridarum, regiae, Persia Indiseque atque Carachitajorum imperatorum Tatarise, Pers. et Lat., ed. et anno- tavit Dr. B. Mitscherlich. Frankfort, 1818.

' Dr. Hunt's portion would seem to be the Arabic ratber tbau tbe Persian. Both do considerable credit to tbe work, and sbame many more modern competitors. In the Arab portion Khondamir is more quoted than Mirkhond, and perhaps at second- hand from D'Herbelot.

The Peshdadians and Early Kings of Persia, with the Intro- duction. David Shea. London, 1832.

Historia Ghasnavidarum, Pers. et Lat., annotationibus historicis illustravit. F. Wilken. Berlin, 1832.

Greschichte der Sultane aus dem Geschleohte Bujeh, Pers. und Deutsch. F. Wilken. Berlin, 1835.

Erlauterung und Erganzung einiger Stellen der von Mirchond verfassten Geschichte des Stammes Buweih durch Franz von Erdmann. Kasan, 1836.

Historia Seldschukidarum, Persice. Dr. J. A.Vullers, Giessen, 1837.

Historia Seldschukidarum, translated into German. VuUers. Giessen, 1838.

Vie de Djenghiz Khan, Texte Persan. M. Am. Jaubert. Paris, 1841.

Histoire des Sultans de Kharezm, Texte. Defr^mery. Paris, 1842.

Histoire des Samanides, Texte et Traduction. Defr^mery. Paris, 1845.

History of the Atabeks of Syria and Persia from Mirkhond. H. Morley. London, 1850.

Histoire des Soultans Ghourides, Texte et Trad. Defr^mery. Paris, 1843. (Journal Asiatique.)

Sur le Kiptchak et les Ohirwanchahs. Journal Asiatique, iv. s^rie, tome xvii.

Besides these, some extracts will be found in the Notices et Extraits, vol. vii., 1799, by Langles ; in Wilken's Auctarium ad Chrestomathiam-, Leipsic, 1805 ; in the Appendix to Stewart's " Catalogue ;" in Extraits des MSS. ; in Sur les Origines Busses, by Hammer-Purgstall, St. Petersburg, 1825 ; in Dorn's History of the Afghans, London, 1829 ; and in the Mem. de I' Acad. Imp. de St. Pitersbourg, tome iii., by M. Oharmoy.^

• Compare Silvestre de Saoy, Mem. sw div. Antiq., etc. ; Wilken, Instit. ad fund, ling. Fers. ; Chrestomath. Notices et Hxtr. des MSS., torn, v., pp. 192-229, ix., pp. 117-274; Price, Setrosp. of Mahom. Sistory, vol. It., p. 666; Jown. d. Savants,

The names of the numerous authors used by Mirkhond in the compilation of his history, are not 'given by him, but two are named in the Habihu-s Siyar and Firishta. One of them is the famous Abu Eihan al Biruni. Briggs (Firishta, i., 113) has strangely perverted the name, transcribing it as Anvury Khan, but the Persian original, lithographed at Bombay, gives it correctly.

There are several manuscripts of the Rauzatu-s Safd in India and in Europe, but few are perfect. M. Jourdain, in his article in tome ix. of Notices et Extraits des MSS., quotes no less than eight diiferent copies ; and the prefaces to the several translations noticed above give an account of several valuable MSS. which contain portions of the Rauzatu-s Safd in the diflferent Libraries of Europe. The one lithographed at Bombay in 1848, in two folio volumes, is the most perfect copy known to me. It contains the Seventh Book and the Conclusion. The execution of so laborious and expensive an undertaking, reflects great credit on the Native Press of Bombay, but it is to be regretted that the work was not critically edited, with notices of the variants.