Within This Outer Wall, There Is Another Exactly A Mile Distant, Each
Side Of The Square Which It Forms Being Six Miles; And In The Space Between
These Two Walls The Soldiers Attend And Perform Their Exercises And
Evolutions.
This inner square has three gates on its south side, and the
same number on the north; the middle
Gate of both these sides being greater
and more magnificent than the others, and is appropriated to the sole use
of the khan, the others being open to all who have a right to pass. In each
corner of this second wall, and in the middle of each side, there are very
large and magnificent buildings, eight in all, which are appropriated as
storehouses or arsenals for keeping the warlike weapons and furniture
belonging to the khan: as horse trappings of all kinds in one; bows and
arrows and cross-bows in a second; helmets, cuirasses, and leather armour
in a third; and so on in the rest. Within this second circuit, and at a
considerable distance, there is a third wall, likewise square, each side
being a mile in length; this wall being ten paces high and very thick, with
white battlements, has six gates as in the second wall. Between this third
wall and the former there is an extensive park, with many fine trees and
large meadows, well stocked with deer and other game, and the roads are
raised two cubits above the meadows, to save the grass from being trodden.
All of this park is kept in the finest order imaginable. In the four
angles, and in the middle of each side of this interior wall, there are
eight large and magnificent buildings, in which the khans provisions, and
other things belonging to the court, are stored up.
Within this last wall is the palace of the great khan, which is the largest
and most magnificent of any in the world[2], extending the whole way
between the north and south walls of the inner circuit, except an opening
of sufficient width for the passage of the soldiers and barons attending
the courts The palace hath no ceiling[3], but the roof is very high. The
foundation of the pavement or floor is raised ten palms above the ground,
and is surrounded by a marble wall of two paces wide, resembling a walk;
and at the end of the wall without, there is a fair turret ornamented with
pillars. In the walls of the halls and chambers, there are numerous figures
of dragons, soldiers, birds and beasts of various kinds, and
representations of battles, all finely carved and splendidly gilded, and
the roof is so richly ornamented, that nothing is to be seen but splendid
gold and imagery. In every square of the palace there is a great hall,
capable of containing a prodigious multitude of people, and all the
chambers are arranged and disposed in the best possible manner; the roofs
being all richly painted red, green, azure, and all other colours.
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