EMBASSY TO CHINA.
MARCH, 1873.]
had received these gifts, they returned to their
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and the Khatáys did them the same service on the return-journey, with reference to the provisions and other matters, as on their coming. mentioned. In the beginning of Rajab (July 2nd), they arrived At this time one of the ladies of the Emperor who - in the town of Bang a n, when high and low was beloved by him happened to die, but the fact came out to meet them ; on account of the imperial was not published before all the preparations for mandate, however, they abstained from examin mourning had been completed, so that her death ing the baggage of the ambassadors, although according to law they ought to have done so to see was not known before the 8th Jomády the first (May 11th): it happened also by the decree of God whether some things were not exported contrary to that, during the night which preceded the morning the rules. The next day they gave a banquet to the aubassadors with many demonstrations of civility. of her interment, the new palace of the Emperor From this place they again started and arrived was struck by lightning, so that the prediction of on the 5th Shābān (5th Aug.) in Q a ram ū n, the astrologers [mentioned above] was fulfilled. An edifice eighty cubits long and thirty broad, which they again left, and arrived every day in another desert, and every week in another town, supported by coloured pillars so thick that a man where they obtained a public repast and again could not embrace one of them with his arms, was departed. completely burnt ; the fire spread also to a kiösk On the 24th Shābān (24th Aug.) they arrived in which was sixty cubits distant, and consumed the town of Q a mjá, where everything taken from likewise the Harem-Serái of the Emperor. In the the ambassadors on their first arrival, by the neighbourhood 250 houses were burnt to ashes, with Khatays, was again restored to them without addi a number of men and women. In spite of all the tion or diminution. In this town they remained efforts of the people, the conflagration could not be during seventy-five days, and leaving it on the first subdued till the [time of] second prayers; the day of Dhulhejjah (Nov. 27th), they arrived on the Emperor, however, and the amirs did not concern 17th (Dec. 3rd) in the town of Bokjá, in which place themselves about it, because, according to their the ambassador of Mirzā Ebrâhim Sultán, who religion, that was considered one of their fortunate had arrived from Shyr à z, and the envoy of days in which they did no business. The Emperor Mirzā Rustum, who was coming from Essf a h 4 n, went to the idol-house, where he engaged in suppli met the ambassadors of His Majesty Sháh Rokh, and cations and wailings, saying :—“The God of heaven asked then for information concerning the manners has become angry towards me and has burnt the locality where my throne is, although I have done and customs of the Khatáys, which was given to them. nothing, and committed no act of tyranny.” This grief made him sick, and on that account it has not On the month Muharram of the year 825 (the become known how the lady of the Emperor was 1st Muharram fell on the 26th Dec. 1421), they left buried. Bok jū and went to Q 4 y l, where the authorities It is related that in Khatá there is a mountain informed them it was the custom of the Khatáy people to register the names of travellers on their appointed for the burial of grand ladies, and when one of them dies, she is taken to that mountain and return from, just as on their arrival in, the country. After they had been searched and examined, they put into a dukhmah [sepulchre] ; her private horses left Qay 1, and selected the road through Ch ſil are also let loose on that mountain, to graze at their on account of the insecurity of the highways, and own pleasure, and to be molested by nobody. In arrived after much trouble on the 9th of Jomády that dukhmah [cemetery], which is extremely the first (May 1st) in the town of Khot à n, after spacious, many female attendants and chamberlains, leaving which they passed on the 6th Rajab (June who draw salaries, spend their lives and die there ; 26th) through Ká s h g h ar, and on the 21st (July 11th) but in spite of all these arrangements for the inter ment of the [imperial] ladies, it has, on account they passed over the heights of And a g a n, where some of the ambassadors selected the road through of the catastrophe of this fire, never become known Kh or as ān and others through Sam a r q and ; in in what manner the above mentioned lady was buried. the beginning of Ramazan (Aug. 19th) they arrived in Balkh, and on the 10th of the same month (Aug. Meanwhile the malady of the Emperor increased day by day, and his son took his place in the 28th) they reached the capital city Her at, where they were admitted to the honour of kissing the administration of the government; the ambassadors also obtained leave to depart, and started from carpet of His prosperous Majesty the Kh a g h 4 n Kh án-Bāly g h in the middle of Jomády the first Shah Rokh (may God increase his fame); and were made happy thereby. (18th May 1421); several Wājys accompanied them,
lodgings, and the ambassadors of Mirzá Olugh Beg had also received presents, as was already
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