Page:The Indian Antiquary Vol 2.djvu/87

 March, 1873.] EMBASSY TO CHINA. 77 bazars, each of which is 50 statute cubits broad, regularly swept, and sprinkled with water. In most of the houses tame pigs are kept, but in the butchers’ shops sheep and hogs hang side by side. There are many bazars and thoroughfares, the latter being covered by extremely handsome pavilions with Khatdy-Muqranus.0 Along the ramparts of the town there is a covered tower at every twenty steps. The four gates in the four walls of the town face each other, and although the road from one to the other through the town is long, it appeared to be short on account of the extreme straightness of the street ; over each gate a story is built with a pavilion. In this town there were numerous idol-houses, each of them occupying an area of nearly ten jarib. They -were all built of burnt bricks, and provided with very fine and clean carpets on the floors. At the doors of the idol-houses beautiful boys were standing proffering invitations of amusement and entrance. From this place to Kh&n-B&lygh [Peking] which is the capital of the Emperor of Khati, there were ninety-nine Y&m, each of which was in good condition. Every Ydm contained a town and a Qusbah [district]. Between every two Y4m there were several Q a r & w, and Qaraw means a build¬ ing sixty cubits high, always guarded by two men and so placed that the next Qar&w is visible from it, bo that in cases of emergency, e. g., the appearance of an enemy’s army, they may immediately light a bonfire ; and thus information from a distance, which requires a three months’ journey, is conveyed to Khrin-Balygh in 24 hours. In connection with the arrangement just de¬ scribed, the Kydy-Qu may be mentioned, who carry letters and relieve each other. The Kydy-Qfi are horse-couriers established at various distances; their orders are that, whenever they receive any written despatches, they must immediately carry them to the next Kydy-Qti, so as to bring them to the notice of the Emperor without delay. The dis¬ tance from one Kydy-Qd to the other is ten Qarah, sixteen of which make one statute farsang [a league of about 18,000 feet]. The Qardw is so garrisoned that ten men take the watch by turns [of two] ; whilst the Kydy-Qu men are compelled to dwell constantly at their station, where they possess houses and cultivate fields. The distance from Bykjd to Qamjd, which is another district, and larger than Bykjd, amount¬ ed to nine Ydm, and there Ankjy, who is the highest Wdjy of those regions, was the governor. Each Ydm contains four hundred and fifty horses and carts, with boys to take care of the horses ; these boys are so numerous that they take the waggon ropes upon their shoulders and pull them. To each cart twelve persons are appointed, and no matter how great the rain or the cold may be, they do not slack¬ en their pace in drawing these vehicles; all these boys are of pleasant conversation and of very fair com¬ plexion ; the horses kept in readiness for envoys are saddled and bridled ; they have also whips. In every Ydm, sheep, ducks, fowls, rice, honey, flour, and all kinds of vegetables were kept ready. In the towns banquets were prepared for the ambassa¬ dors in the Dusuns, by which name they call their reception-halls. In every Dusun in which a ban¬ quet was prepared, a dais was placed in front of the royal buffet, and curtains suspended ; then a man used to stand by the side of the dais and spread out a very clean and nice felt cloth beneath it, on the upper portion whereof the ambassadors took their station, all the other people standing behind them in lines, as is customary with Musalmans when they hold prayers. Then the individual posted at the left uttered an invitation thrice in the Khatdy lan¬ guage, when all the people sat down at the table and began to eat. On the day Ankjy made the banquet for tho ambassadors it was the 12th of Ramazan (Sept. 20th). At Qamjd there was an idol-house 500 cubits long and as many broad, containing an idol 50 cubits high ; the length of its foot alone was 5, and its circumference 21 cubits ; on the head and back of this idol others were placed, and the temple was adorned with pictures and figures that moved, so that the beholder imagined they were alive. Around that idol-house there were buildings like the apartments of a caravansera ; all of them, how¬ ever, contained gold-embroidered curtains, gilded chairs, sofas, chandeliers, and pitchers, to be used in banquets. In this city was also another building which Moslems call “ a sky-wheel.” It is an octagonal kiosk which consists of 15 stories, each of which contains verandas with a Khatdy-Muqranus, and small as well as large chambers ; around the veran¬ das there are all kinds of pictures ; among these there is one representing a prince sitting on his throne, surrounded on tho left and right by attend¬ ants, slaves, and girls. Beneath this kiosk there were some statues which supported on their back this structure, which is 20 cubits in circumference and 12 high, the whole being made of wood, but so gilded as to appear a mass of solid gold. From a subterranean apartment, an iron axis, stand¬ ing in a socket of iron, rises and passes through the kiosk, in the top of which its upper extremity is fixed, in such a manner that at the least touch the whole of that large kiosk turns around this axis. In this city all the presents brought by the am¬ bassadors for the emperor were taken away from them, except a lion, which Pehlvdn Ssulhih, tho lion-keeper, was allowed himself to take to tho court of the emperor. The nearer the ambassadors approached K h & n - B&lyghtho more careful did the governors and Daroghahs of the various Ydm become in their atten¬ tions and hospitalities ; they arrived every day in
 * Domes.