At
This Place, The Kathayans Had In One Night Inclosed A Plot Of Ground 500
Paces Square, With Walls Ten Feet High.
This wall was composed of earth,
hard pressed down between two planks, as in a mould, leaving two gates; and
the place whence the earth was dug, served for a ditch.
There were strong
guards posted at both of the gates, and other soldiers posted along the
ditch. Within this outer inclosure, there were two others, each twenty-five
cubits high, formed of yellow satin, supported upon square posts and all
set round with tents of yellow satin. When the ambassadors were arrived
within 500 paces of the imperial quarters, Mulana. Cazi Yusof desired them
to alight, and wait for the emperor, while he went forwards to the
presence. The emperor was on the point of giving orders for having the
ambassadors arrested, when Lidaji and Jandaji, officers named Setalid
and Jik-fu, in the Kathayan or Chinese language, who stood before the
emperor, and Kazi Yusof, fell prostrate before him, entreating him not to
proceed to that extremity, as it might have very bad consequences to put
them to death, and would give occasion for the world to say that the
emperor had violated the law of nations in the persons of these
ambassadors. The emperor at length yielded to their reasons and entreaties,
and Kazi Yusof went with great joy to let them know that they were
pardoned. The emperor even condescended to send them victuals; but, being
mixed with pork, they could not eat of it, on account of their religion.
Afterwards, the emperor approached, mounted on a great black horse, with
white feet, richly caparisoned with brocade housings, which had been sent
to him by Mirza Uleg Beg, and haying two attendants on each side at the
saddle-bow. He was dressed in a vest of rich gold brocade on a red ground,
and had his beard inclosed in a bag of black satin. The emperor marched
slowly forwards, followed by his women, who were carried by men in seven
covered litters, after whom came a large covered litter, carried by seventy
men. A body of horse marched in squadrons before the emperor, each squadron
twenty paces asunder, and the cavalcade reached all the way to the city.
The emperor rode in the middle, attended by ten Dajis, or governors of
provinces, and by the three lords who had so warmly pled in flavour of the
ambassadors. When the emperor drew near, Kazi Jusof, one of these friendly
lords, came up and ordered the ambassadors to prostrate themselves; and
when they had done so, the emperor ordered them to arise and mount their
horses, and to accompany him. Then turning to them, he thus addressed Shadi
Khoja, one of the ambassadors: "The presents, rarities, horses, and wild
beasts which are sent to me in future must be better chosen, in order to
preserve and increase the amity which I have for your princes. At the hunt,
I mounted the horse which you presented me; but he is so vicious, and I am
so old, that he threw me, by which I was wounded, and have received a
contusion on my head, which gave me great anguish; but by laying much gold
on the place, the pain is assuaged." Upon this, Shadi Khoja said, that it
was the horse on which the great Amir Timid Karkan[5] used to ride; and
that Shah Rokh, who kept him as a rarity, had sent him to the emperor, as
the most valuable horse in all his dominion.
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