It Was Every Where
So Bemired With Dirt And Water, That I Could Hardly Find A Place In
Which To Sit Or Lie Dry, And Was Forced To Be At Material Charges In
Having It Repaired.
Thus were we every way afflicted, by fires, smoke,
floods, storms, heats, dust, and flies, and had no season of temperate
air and quietness.
On the 27th, I received advice from Surat, that the Dutch had obtained
permission to land their goods, and to secure them in a warehouse at
that place, carrying on trade till the pleasure of the prince were
known, and under condition that they should depart at the first warning.
The king went to Havar Gemal on the 29th, whence he employed himself
in hunting. At that place, a resolution was taken, to remove the court
to Mundu, a castle near Burhanpoor, where there is no town. At this
time, Sultan Parvis came from the Deccan wars in disgrace, and arrived
with his train near Agimere; and the king commanded him to retire to
Bengal, refusing to admit him into his presence. Having thus dispatched
him, without the inconvenience dreaded from a meeting between the
brothers, he now proposed to settle Sultan Churrum in the Deccan wars,
although all the chief men of the court were averse from this measure;
on which account, the king feared to send him down, as was formerly
proposed, and had therefore delayed this measure until Prince Parvis was
withdrawn, and now meant to establish Churrum by means of his own
presence at Mundu, in the neighbourhood of the Deccan. If this
resolution is executed, it will put us to much trouble and expence, as
we must build a new house both for ourselves and goods, because that
castle stands on a hill, and has no buildings near it.
The king returned from hunting on the night of the 30th, and about
eleven o'clock sent me a very large and fat wild boar, desiring to have
the tusks back, and accompanied by a message, saying it was killed by
his own hand, and therefore desiring me to be merry, and to eat it with
good cheer. On this occasion, I desired Jaddow, who brought this message
from the king, to tell Asaph Khan, that I proposed to visit him next
day, when I hoped to receive from him a firmaun of the privileges
granted by the king. Asaph Khan sent me back word, that they would not
be then ready, but it should be sealed some days after, and that he did
not wish to see me till he had given me satisfaction.
Sec.3. Of the Celebration of the King's Birth Day, with other Occurrences
in September 1616.
The 2d of September was the birth-day of the Great Mogul, which was
solemnized with extraordinary festivities. He was then weighed against a
variety of articles, as jewels, gold, silver, stuffs of gold and silver,
silk, batter, rice, fruits, and many other things, of each a little, all
of which is given to the Bramins. On this occasion, the king ordered
Asaph Khan to send for me; who did so, and appointed me to come to the
place where the king held his durbar. But the messenger mistook, so that
I went not in time, and missed the sight. Being there before the king
came out, he sent for me as soon as he noticed me, and enquired why I
had not come to see the ceremony of weighing, for which he had given
order. I explained the reason, as it actually was, on which he chid
Asaph Khan publicly for the omission. He was at this time so richly
ornamented with jewels, that I must confess I never saw at any one time
such unspeakable wealth. He now amused himself in seeing his greatest
elephants brought in before him. Some of these were lord-elephants,
having their chains, bells, and furniture all of gold and silver, being
attended by many gilt flags and streamers, and each having eight or ten
inferior elephants to wait upon him, clothed in gold, silk, and silver.
In this way there passed about twelve troops, all very splendidly
furnished. The first lord-elephant had all the plates on his head and
breast set with rubies and emeralds, being a beast of most wonderful
stature and beauty. They all bowed down before the king, making their
reverences very orderly, and formed as fine a shew of beasts as I had
ever seen. The keepers of each chief elephant made a present to the
king. After this was over, the king made me some gracious speeches, and
went into the interior apartments.
About ten o'clock at night, after I was in bed, the king sent me a
message, saying he had heard I had a picture which I had not shewn him,
and desired I would come then to him, bringing the picture with me; and
if I would not part with it, that he might see it, and have copies taken
for his wives. I rose and carried the picture with me, and when I came
to the presence, I found him sitting cross-legged on a little throne,
his robes all covered over with diamonds, pearls, and rubies. Before him
stood a golden table, on which were above fifty pieces of gold plate,
all set with precious stones, some of them being large and of great
value. His nobles were all around him in their best attire, whom he
commanded to drink cheerfully of several kinds of wine, which stood
there in large flaggons.
On my approach he asked for the picture, on which I shewed him two. He
seemed astonished at one of these, and asked whose it was; to which I
replied, that it was the portrait of a friend who was dead. He asked if
I would give it him. I replied, that I valued it more than any thing I
had, as being the portrait of one I had loved dearly; but if his majesty
would pardon my attachment to that picture, and accept the other, which
was French and of excellent work, I would most willingly give it.
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