[36] The fort, or rather fortified place, of Dilli, and the great mosque, called the Juma' Masjid.

[37] The famous Takhti Ta,us, or peacock throne, made by the magnificent Shahjahan, the richest throne in the world; it was valued at seven millions sterling. Tavernier, the French jeweller and traveller, saw it and describes it in his work. It was carried away by Nadir Shah when he plundered Dilli in 1739.

[38] The expensive and useless canal which brought fresh water to Dilli, whilst the limpid and salutary stream of the Jumna flowed under its walls. The advantages of irrigation to the country, through which it passed, were nothing compared to the expense of its construction.

[39] Literally, "the supreme camp or market."

[40] A Persian expression.

[41] Shah 'Alam the emperor of Dilli, was then towards Patna a tool in the hands of Shuja'u-d-Daula, the Nawwab of Lakhnau, and Kasim 'Ala Khan, the Nawwab of Murshid-abad.

[42] Alluding to the confusion which reigned in Upper Hindustan after the assassination of 'Alamgir the Second, and the flight of Shah 'Alam. Upper Hindustan was then in a sad plight, ravaged alternately by the Abdalis, the Marhattas, and the Jats—the king a pageant, the nobles rebellious, the subjects plundered and oppressed, and the country open to every invader—though this was near 100 years ago, and although they had some government, justice, and security from 1782 to 1802, yet the country had not even then recovered from the severe shock.

[43] The word is used in the singular, both by Mir Amman and the original author, Amir Khusru according to a well-known rule in Persian syntax, viz., "a substantive accompanied by a numerical adjective dispenses with the plural termination," as "haft roz," "seven days," not "haft rozha. The Persian term darwesh, in a general sense, denotes a person who has adopted what by extreme courtesy is called a religious life, closely akin to the "mendicant friar" of the middle ages; i.e., a lazy, dirty, hypocrital vagabond, living upon the credulous public. The corresponding term in Arabic is Fakir; and in Hindi, Jogi.

[44] The word Rum means that empire of which Constantinople is the capital, and sometimes called, in modern times, Romania. It was originally applied to the Eastern Roman Empire, and, at present, it denotes Turkey in Europe and Asia.

[45] Naushirwan was a king of Persia, who died in A.D. 578. He is celebrated in oriental history for his wisdom and justice. During his reign Muhammad the prophet was born. The Persian writings are full of anecdotes of Naushirwan's justice and wisdom.

[46] Hatim or rather Hatim Tai, is the name of an Arab chief, who is celebrated for his generosity and his mad adventures, in an elegant Persian work called Kissae Hatim Tai. This work was translated into English for the Asiatic Translation Fund in 1830.

[47] Called also Kustuntuniya by the Persians, and Istambol, also Islambol, by the Turks.

[48] The shabi barat is a Mahometan festival which happens on the full moon of the month of Sha'ban; illuminations are made at night, and fire-works displayed; prayers are said for the repose of the dead, and offerings of sweetmeats and viands made to their manes. A luminous night-scene is therefore compared to the shabi barat.

[49] I warrant you there were no "tickets of leave" granted in those blessed days.

[50] This means an impertinent, or rather a chaffing, question, like our own classic interrogation, "Does your mother know you'ra out?"

[51] It is incumbent on every good Musalman to pray five times in the twenty-four hours. The stated periods are rather capriciously settled:—1st. The morning prayer is to be repeated between daybreak and sunrise; 2nd. The prayer of noon, when the sun shows a sensible declination from the meridian; 3rd. The afternoon prayer, when the sun is near the horizon that the shadow of a perpendicular object is twice it's length; 4th. The evening prayer, between sunset and close of twilight; 5th. The prayer of night, any time during the darkness. The inhabitants of Iceland and Greenland would find themselves sadly embarrassed in complying with these pious precepts, bequeathed by Muhammad to the true believers, as they call themselves.

[52] The Asiatics consider male children as the light or splendour of their house. In the original there is a play upon the word "diya" which, as a substantive signifies "a lamp;" and as a verbal participle it denotes "given," or "bestowed."

[53] The literal meaning is—"There is no one as the bearer of his name, and the giver of water."

[54] The Mirror Saloon, called by the Persians, and from them by the Hindustanis, Shish Mahall, is a grand apartment in all oriental palaces, the walls of which are generally inlaid with small mirrors, and their borders richly gilded. Those of Dilli and Agra are the finest in Hinduistan.

[55] "The messenger was the white hair in his majesty's whiskers.

[56] Called in the original, Pain Bagh. Most royal Asiatic gardens have a Pain Bagh or lower terrace adorned with flowers, to which princes descend when they wish to relax with their courtiers.

[57] The Diwani' Amm, or Public Hall of Audience in eastern palaces, is a grand saloon where Asiatic princes hold a more promiscuous court than in the Diwani Khass, or the Private Hall of Audience.

[58] The Musalla, is generally in Persia a small carpet, but frequently a fine mat in Hindustan, which is spread for the performance of prayer. The devotee kneels and prostrates himself upon it in his act of devotion. It is superfluous to remark that the Muhammadans pray with their face turned towards Mecca, as far as they can guess its direction. Jerusalem was the original point, but the prophet, (it is said,) in a fit of anger, changed it to Mecca.

[59] Khiradmand means wise; as a man's name it corresponds to our "Mr. Wiseman," or as the French have it "Monsieur le Sage." It does not necessarily follow, however, that every Mr. Wiseman is a sage.

[60] The Diwani Khass, or Private Hall of Audience, is a grand saloon, where only the king's privy councillors or select officers of state are admitted to an audience.

[61] As Asiatic princes in general pass the most part of their time in the haram or in seclusion, eunuchs are the usual carriers of messages, &c.

[62] The posture of respect, as to stand motionless like a statue, the eyes fixed on the ground, and the arms crossed over the waist.

[63] Literally, "rings or circles had formed round his eyes, and his visage had turned yellow." The term "yellow" is used among the dark-complexioned people of the East in the same sense as our word "pale," or the Latin "pallidus," to indicate fear, grief, &c.

[64] The Asiatics reckon the animal species at 18,000; a number which even the fertile genius of Buffon has not attained. Yet the probability is, that the orientals arc nearer the true mark; and the wonder is, how they acquired such correct ideas on the subject.

[65] There is a well-known Eastern saying, that, "On the part of a king, one hour's administration of justice will be of more avail to him on the day of judgment than twenty years of prayer."

[66] Literally, "Fakirs and Jogis;" either term denotes "hermit" the former being applied to a Musalman, the latter to a Hindu.

[67] In India, the day was formerly divided into four equal portions, called pahars or watches, of which the second terminated at noon; hence, do-pahar-din, mid-day. In like manner was the night divided; hence, do-pahar-rat, midnight. The first pahar of the day began at sunrise, and of the night at sunset; and since the time from sunrise to noon made exactly two pahars, it follows that in the north of India the pahar must have varied from three and a-half hours about the summer solstice, to two and a-half in winter, the pahars of the night varying inversely. A shallow commentator has said that "the pahar or watch is three hours, and that the day commences at six a.m.," which is altogether incorrect.

[68] The Naubat-khana, or the royal orchestra, is, in general, a large room over the outer gate of the palace for the martial music.

[69] Nazars, presents made to kings, governors, and masters, &c., on joyful occasions, and on public festivals, generally in silver and gold.

[70] Literally, "when two pahars had elapsed."—V. note on pahar, supra.

[71] "On them," i.e., for the souls of the dead.

[72] A celebrated Hindu poet of Upper Hindustan; his poetry is of a sombre hue, but natural and sympathetic; the simile here is, that no creature has yet survived the pressure of the heavens and the earth; the heavens, being in motion, representing the upper millstone, and the earth (supposed to be at rest), the lower millstone.

[73] A figurative expression, denoting, "I may yet have a son and heir."

[74] Fakirs are holy mendicants, who devote themselves to the expected joys of the next world, and abstract themselves from those of this silly transitory scene; they are generally fanatics and enthusiasts—sometimes mad, and often hypocrites. They are much venerated by the superstitious Asiatics, and are allowed uncommon privileges, which they naturally often abuse.

[75] The kafni is a kind of short shirt without sleeves, of the colour of brick dust, which Fakirs wear.

[76] Literally, "paintings on a wall."

[77] The fanus is a large glass shade open at the top, placed over a lamp or candle as a protection from wind, or bats, &c., when the windows are all open, as is generally the case in hot weather.

[78] The Dev is a malignant spirit, one of the class called jinn by the Arabs, vide Lane's "Arabian Nights," vol. i. p. 30. The jinn or genii, however, occasionally behave very handsomely towards the human race, more especially towards those of the Muhammadan faith.

[79] The Ghul is a foul and intensely wicked spirit, of an order inferior to the jinn. It is said to appear in the form of any living animal it chooses, as well as in any other monstrous and terrific shape. It haunts desert places, especially burying grounds, and is said to feed on dead human bodies.

[80] This is a general exclamation when Asiatics sneeze, and with them, as with the ancients, it is an ominous sign.

[81] Kalandars are a more fanatic set of Fakirs. Their vow is to desert wife, children, and all worldly connexions and human sympathies, and to wander about with shaven heads.

[82] The introduction of the hukka is an improvement of Mir Amman's; as that luxury was unknown in Europe and Asia at the time of Amir Khusru.

[83] The term Azad, "free, or independent," is applied to a class of Darweshes who shave the beard, eyelashes and eyebrows. They vow chastity and a holy life, but consider themselves exempt from all ceremonial observances of the Muhammadan religion.

[84] Literally, "is an immense mountain."

[85] The phrase do zanu ho baithna denotes a mode of sitting peculiar, more especially, to the Persians. It consists in kneeling down and sitting back on one's heels, a posture the very reverse of easy, at least, so it appears to us good Christians, accustomed to the use of chairs &c.

[86] Arabia Felix, the south-west province of the peninsula.

[87] Maliku-t-Tujjar means the chief of merchants; it is a Persian or Arab title. The first title the East India Company received from the court of Dilli was 'Umdatu-t-Tujjar, or the noble merchants. Haji Khalil, the ambassador from Persia to the Bengal government, who was killed at Bombay, was Maliku-t-Tujjar; and after him Muhammad Nabi Khan, who likewise was ambassador from the Persian court, and came to Bengal; he has since experienced the sad uncertainty of Asiatic despotism; being despoiled of his property, blinded, and turned into the streets of Shiraz to beg.

[88] The peculiar dress worn by fakirs. V. "Qanooni Islam"

[89] The seli, or saili, is a necklace of thread worn as a badge of distinction by a certain class of fakirs.

[90] The fortieth day is an important period in Muhammadan rites; it is the great day of rejoicing after birth, and of mourning after death. To dignify this number still more, sick and wounded persons are supposed, by oriental novelists, to recover and perform the ablution of cure on the fortieth day. The number "forty" figures much in the Sacred Scriptures, for example, "The flood was forty days upon the earth." The Israelites forty years in the wilderness, &c., &c.

[91] The Fatiha is the opening chapter of the Kur,an, which, being much read and repeated, denotes a short prayer or benediction in general.

[92] This is the general mode of investiture in Hindustan to offices, places, &c.; to which a khil'at, or honorary dress, is added.

[93] That part of a dwelling where male company are received.

[94] Farrashes are servants whose duty it is to spread carpets, sweep them and the walls; place the masnads, and hang up the pardas and chicks, pitch tents, &c.

[95] Pardas are quilted curtains, which hang before doors, &c.

[96] Chicks are curtains, or hanging screens, made of fine slips of bamboos, and painted and hung up before doors and windows, to prevent the persons inside from being seen, and to keep out insects; but they do not exclude the air, or the light from without. If there is no light in a room, a person may sit close to the chick, and not be seen by one who is without.—However, no description can convey an adequate idea of pardas and chicks to the mere European.

[97] I hope the reader will pardon me for the use of this old-fashioned Scottish expression which conveys the exact meaning of the original, viz., "muft par khane-pine-wale", i.e, "gentlemen who eat and drink at another's cost." The English terms, "parasites," or "diners out," do not fully express the meaning, though very near it.

[98] Literally, "quaff the wine of the Ketaki, and pluck the flower of the rose." The Ketaki, a highly odoriferous flower, was used in giving fragrance to the wine.

[99] A Persian proverb, like our own "Lightly come, lightly go."

[100] A personage famed for his wealth, like the Croesus of the Greeks.

[101] The reader will observe, in the original, that the terms rah-bat, a "highway," and bhent-mulakat, "a meeting," consist each of two nouns denoting precisely the same thing, only one of them is of Musalman usage, and the other Hindu. Such expressions are very common in the language.

[102] Literally, "black takas," or copper coins, in opposition to "white" or silver; an expression similar to what we, in the vernacular call "browns."

[103] Sharbat is a well-known oriental beverage, made in general with vegetable acids, sugar and water; sometimes of sugar and rose water only; to which ingredients some good Musalmans, on the sly, add a leettle rum or brandy.

[104] Pulao, (properly "pilav," as pronounced by the Persians and Turks,) is a common dish in the East. It consists of boiled rice well dried and mixed with eggs, cloves and other spices, heaped up on a plate, and inside of this savoury heap is buried a well-roasted fowl, or pieces of tender meat, such as mutton, &c.; in short, any good meat that may be procurable.

[105] Kabab is meat roasted or fried with spices; sometimes in small pieces, sometimes minced, sometimes on skewers, but never in joints as with us, though they make kababs of a whole lamb or kid.

[106] The tora is a bag containing a thousand pieces (gold or silver). It is used in a collective sense, like the term kisa, or "purse," among the Persians and Turks; only the kisa consists of five hundred dollars, a sum very nearly equal to 1000 rupis.

[107] The word in the original is Damishk, an Indian corruption of the Arabic Dimashk, which latter mode of pronunciation I have followed in my printed edition.

[108] The grand street where all the large shops are. In oriental towns of considerable size, there is generally a distinct bazar for each species of goods, such as "the cloth bazar," "the jewellery bazar," &c.

[109] The merchant would have rather a puzzling voyage of it, if he went by sea from Yaman to Damascus.

[110] The sacred rupee, or piece of silver, is a coin which is dedicated to the Imam Zamin, or "the guardian Imam, (a personage nearly allied to the guardian saint of a good Catholic), to avert evils from those who wear them tied on the arm, or suspended from the neck.

[111] To mark the forehead with tika, or curdled milk, is a superstitious ceremony in Hindustan, as a propitious omen, on beginning a voyage or journey. It is probable that the Musulmans of India borrowed this ceremony, among several others, from the Hindus.

[112] Literally, "when half the night was on this side, and half on that."

[113] The dopatta is a large piece of cloth worn by women, which covers the head and goes round the body; the act of drawing her dopatta over her face is mentioned as a proof of her modesty. Men likewise wear the dopatta flung over the shoulders, or wrapped round the waist. It is often of gauze and muslin.

[114] This is Mir Amman's plain expression. Ferdinand Smith's translation savours somewhat of the Hibernian, viz., "She still loves him who has murdered her."

[115] "The ghari is the 60th part of 24 hours, or 24 of our minutes. It may be observed that the ghari was a fixed quantity, not subject to variation, like the pahar, which last, in the north of India, was made to vary from seven to nine gharies, according to the season of the year, or as it referred to the day or night in the same season. Since the introduction of European watches and clocks, the term ghari is applied to the Christian hour of sixty minutes.

[116] Literally, "became such a mountain."

[117] 'Isa is the name of Jesus among the Muhammadans; who all believe, (from the New Testament, transfused into the Kuran,) in the resurrection of Lazarus, and the numerous cures wrought by our Saviour. This, perhaps, induced Mir Amman to call the wonder-performing barber and surgeon 'Isa.

[118] The Arabic expression is salam 'alaikum or 'alaika, i.e. "Peace be on you" or "on thee." This mode of greeting is used only towards Musulmans; and when it has passed between them, it is understood to be a pledge of friendly confidence and sincere good will.

[119] The nim is a large and common tree in India, the leaves of which are very bitter, and used as a decoction to reduce contusions and inflammations; also to cleanse wounds.

[120] The spirit drawn from the leaves of an aromatic tree which grows in Kashmir, called Bed-Mushk; it is a tonic and exhilarating.

[121] A humble deportment when addressing superiors in India; and through complaisance, used sometimes to equals.

[122] An act of ceremony ever observed amongst the well-bred in India, when a visitor takes leave. 'Itr is the essence of any flower, more especially of the rose (by us corruptly called "otto of roses"); and betel is a preparation of the aromatic leaf so generally used in the East, more especially in India. The moment they are introduced, it is a hint to the visitor to take leave.

[123] The khil'at is a dress of honour, in general a rich one, presented by superiors to inferiors. In the zenith of the Mughal empire these khil'ats were expensive honours, as the receivers were obliged to make rich presents to the emperor for the khil'ats they received. The khil'at is not necessarily restricted to a rich dress; sometimes, a fine horse, or splendid armour, &c., may form an item of it.

[124] The word pari, "a fairy," is frequently used figuratively to denote a beautiful woman.

[125] Masnad means literally a sort of counterpane, made of silk, cloth, or brocade, which is spread on the carpet, where the master of the house sits and receives company; it has a large pillow behind to lean the back against, and generally two small ones on each side. It also, metaphorically, implies the seat on which kings, nawwabs, and governors sit the day they are invested with their royalty, &c. So that to say that Shah-'Alam sat on the masnad on such a day, means that he was on that day invested with royalty.

[126] Asiatics divide the world into seven climes; so to reign over the seven climes means, metaphorically, to reign over the whole world; king of the seven climes was one of the titles of the Mogul emperors.

[127] Literally, "it was not in the power of eyesight to dwell upon her splendour."

[128] A Persian proverb, somewhat illustrative of a story told of a West India "nigger," whom his master used to over-flog. "Ah, massa," said Sambo, "poor man dare not vex—him damned sorry though."

[129] The Kalam-dan, literally "the pen-holder," means here the small tray containing pens, inkstand, a knife, &c.

[130] Tirpauliya means three arched gates; there are many such which divide grand streets in Indian cities, and may be compared to our Temple Bar in London, only much more splendid.

[131] Ethiopian, or Abyssinian slaves, are commonly called Sidis. They are held in great repute for honesty and attachment.

[132] The chauk is in general a large square in Asiatic cities, where are situated the richest shops; it is sometimes a large wide street.

[133] In the original there is a play on the word 'alam which signifies "beauty," "the world," also "a multitude of people," or what the French call "tout le monde."

[134] Literally, "the observance of the [form of greeting] "sahib salamat," or "salam 'alaika," by which he had been at first accosted by his customer.—Vide note on this subject, page 41.

[135] The verb uthna like the Persian bar-khastan is used idiomatically in the sense of "to go away," to "vanish."

[136] Literally, "your command is on my head and eyes," a phrase imitated from the Persian "ba sar o chashm."

[137] The phrase "rah dekhna," literally to look at the road," (by which a person is expected to come;) hence, very naturally and idiomatically it signifies "to be anxiously waiting for one." Again, rah dikhana is the causal form, signifying "to make one wait," of "keep one waiting."

[138] The word janwar means "an animal," in general; but it is frequently used in the more restricted sense of "a bird".

[139] The "evil eye" is a supersitious motion entertained by the ignorant in all countries even until this day. The Asiatics suppose that uncommon qualities of beauty, fortune or health, raise an ominous admiration admiration, which injures the possessor. To tell parents that their children are stout and healthy, is a mal-a-propos compliment; also to congratulate women on their healthy appearance is often unwelcome; the same ridiculous and supersitious accompany all admiration of beauty, fortune, &c. For this reason the visitor, in this case, do not compliment his host on the beauty of his person or the splendour of his dress; but instead make use of the above exclamation.

[140] A celebrated musical performer in upper Hindustan, and considered as the first in his art. He lived in the reign of Akbar, somo 300 years ago.

[141] A celebrated singer in upper Hindustan, who lived about 600 years ago. Tan-Sen and Ba,ora are still held in the highest reverence by singers and musical performers. In the original, there is a play on the words to tan and ba,ora which scarcely needs to be pointed out.

[142] The original is, "jis Ki itni ta'rif aur ishtiyak zahir kiya," where the word kiya agrees with ishtiyak only, being the noun nearest. A shallow critic would be apt to say that this is bad grammar.

[143] "La haul parhna," to repeat or recite the "La haul," or more fully, "La haul wa la kuwwat illa b-Illahi;" meaning, "there is no power nor strength but in God." An exclamation used by Musalmans in cases of sudden surprise, misfortune, &c.

[144] The insignia of state among the grandees of India.

[145] The gulab-pash is a silver or gold utensil, like a French bottle, to sprinkle rose water on the company; the 'itr-dan one to hold essences, and pik-duns are of brass or silver to spit in, called by the French crachoirs.

[146] The abdar-khana a room appropriated to the cooling of water in ice or saltpetre, by the servant called the abdar.

[147] Small leaden mugs with covers for the congelation of ice.

[148] To cool the water which they contain; they are made of pewter.

[149] The masnad and its large back pillow are criterions of Asiatic etiquette. To an inferior or dependant, the master of the house gives the corner of the masnad to sit on; to an equal or intimate friend, he gives part of the large pillow to lean on; to a superior, he abandons the whole pillow, and betakes himself to the corner of the masnad.

[150] A kind of palki or sedan, for the conveyance of the women of people of rank in India.

[151] A sign of afflicting surprise.

[152] Majnun, a lover famed in eastern romance, who long pined in unprofitable love for Laili, an ugly hard-hearted mistress. The loves of Yusuf and Zulaikh@a, Khusru and Shirin, also of Laili and Majnun, are the fertile themes of Persian romance.

[153] The Muhammadans reckon their day from sunset.

[154] By sitting and drinking with the young merchant, when he ought to wait on his guests, and attend to their entertainment.

[155] A figurative and highly poetic expression as old as Homer. In this instance it is said to signify that the sun had been two gharis above the horizon.

[156] Literally, "a friendship of two days," where the number two is employed indefinitely to denote "few."

[157] The month of Ramazan consisting of thirty days, is the Lent of the Muhammadans. During tgat whole period, a good Musalman or "true believer," is not allowed either to eat, or drink, or smoke from sunrise to sunset. This naturally explains the anxiety they must feel for the arrival of evening; more especially in high latitudes, should the Ramazan happen in the middle of summer. As a mere religions observance this same fast, enjoined by Muhammad, is the most absurd, the most demoralizing, and the most hurtful to health that ever was invented by priestcraft. The people are forced to starve themselves during the whole day, and consequently they overeat themselves during the whole night, when they ought to be asleep in their beds, as nature intended. Hence they fall by thousands an easy prey to cholera, as happened in Turkey a few years ago. The fast of Lent among tho followers of the Pope of Rome is, though in a less degree, liable to the same censure. Why, instead of these unwholesome observances, do not the priests, whether of Mecca or of Rome, preach unto the people temperance and regularity of living? Ah, I forgot, the priests both of Mecca and of Rome can always grant dispensations and indulgences to such good people as can adduce weighty reasons to that effect.

[158] As frogs live in wet, they are not supposed to be extremely subject to catch cold; the simile is introduced to ridicule the extravagant idea of a merchant's son presuming to be in love with a princess. The simile is a proverb.

[159] Washermen in India, in general, wash their linen at the ghats, and their dogs of course wander thither from home after them, and back again. This is one of their proverbs, and answers to ours of "Kicked from piller to post."

[160] The Khutba is a brief oration delivered after divine service every Friday (the Musalman Sabbath,) in which the officiating priest blesses Muhammad, his successors, and the reigning sovereign.

[161] A kind of sedan chair, or palki.

[162] The Khabar-dars are a species of spies stationed in various parts of oriental kingdoms in order to forward intelligence to head quarters.

[163] A mode of humble address, when the inferior presumes to state something contrary to what the superior maintains or desires; and as human life in India was, in olden times, not only precarious, but considered as insignificant, the oriental slave acts prudently by begging his life before he presumes to be candid.

[164] Literally, "He who is the changer of hearts."

[165] Here the first Darwesh addresses himself directly to the other three, who were his patient listeners.

[166] The jama is an Asiatic dress, something like a modern female gown, only much more full in the skirts. It is made of white cloth or muslin.

[167] A superstitious custom in India; it implies that the person who goes round, sacrifices his life at the shrine of the love, prosperity and health of the beloved object.

[168] The kazi is the judge and magistrate in Asiatic cities; he performs the rites of marriage, settles disputes, and decides civil and criminal causes. As the Muhammadan laws are derived from their religious code, the Kuran, the kazi possesses both secular and ecclesiastical powers.

[169] All good Musalmans bathe after performing the rites of Venus, hence the purport of the princess's simple question is obvious enough.

[170] Called warku-l-khiyal; it is made from the leaves of the charas, a species of hemp; it is a common inebriating beverage in India; the different preparations of it is called ganja, bhang, &c.

[171] Literally a "weighty khil'at," owing to the quantity of embroidery on it. The perfection of these oriental dresses is, to be so stiff as to stand on the floor unsupported.

[172] The paisa is the current copper coin of India; it is the 64th part of a rupee, and is in value as nearly as possible 3/4 of our halfpenny, or a farthing and a-half.

[173] The word kafir denotes literally, "infidel," or "heathen." It is here used as a term of endearment, just as we sometimes use the word "wicked rogue."

[174] Literally, "lakhs of rupees." In India money accounts are reckoned by hundreds, thousands, lakhs and crores, instead of hundreds, thousands, and millions, as with us. A hundred thousands make a lakh, and a hundred lakhs, a crore. As the Indian mode of reckoning, though simple enough, is apt to perplex the beginner, let us take for example the number 123456789, which we thus point off,—123,456,789; but in India it would be pointed as follows:—12,34,56,789, and read 12 crores, 34 lakhs, fifty-six thousand seven hundred and eighty-nine.

[175] The muwazzin is a public crier, who ascends the turret or minaret of a mosque and calls out to the inhabitants the five periods of prayers; more especially the morning, noon and evening prayers.

[176] This is a proverb, founded on a short story, viz.: "A certain Arab lost his camel; he vowed, if he found it, to sell it for a dinar, merely as a charitable deed. The camel was found, and the Arab sorely repented him of his vow. He then tied a cat on the camel's neck, and went through the city of Baghdad, exclaiming, 'O, true believers, here is a camel to be sold for a dinar, and a cat for a thousand dinars; but they cannot be sold the one without the other.'"

[177] Taks are small recesses in the walls of apartments in Asia, for holding flower-pots, phials of wine, fruits, &c.

[178] In the original it is a proverb, "When evil comes, the dog will bite even the man that is mounted on a camel," said of a person who is extremely unfortunate.

[179] The term barah-dari is applied either to a temporary pavilion, or a permanent summer-house; it is so called from the circumstance of its having "twelve doors," in honour of the twelve Imams.—Vide note, page 4.

[180] The various kinds of fire-works here enumerated admit not of translation.—Vide vocabulary.

[181] A proverb meaning that people or things are well matched; as the soul, at the hour of death, is committed to the charge of good or evil angels, according to its dessert.

[182] A proverb applied to those who act in a manner utterly at variance with their condition.

[183] The patka is a long and narrow piece of cloth or silk, which is wrapped round the waist; among the rich a shawl is the general patka. The act of throwing one's patka round the neck and prostrating one's self at another's feet, is a most abject mark of submission.

[184] Literally, "a collar or yoke, round my neck."

[185] The Mughal princes in the days of their splendour had guards of Kalmuc, or Kilmak, women for their seraglios; they were chosen for their size and courage, and were armed; other Tartar women were likewise taken, but they all went by the general name of Kilmakini.

[186] Here the first Darwesh resumes his address to his three companions.

[187] In a note to my edition of Mr. F. Smith's translation of the Baghobahar, 1851, I inserted the following "petition." "May I request some friend in India, for auld lang syne, to ask any intelligent munshi the exact meaning of panchon hathiyar bandhna, showing him at the same time the original where the expression occurs." To this request I received, a few months ago, a very kind and satisfactory reply from Lieut. J.C. Bayley, 36th Regt., M.N.I., which I have the pleasure here to insert; and at the same time, I beg to return my best thanks to that gentleman. "The five weapons are, 1st, the talwar or sword; 2nd, the pesh-kabz or dagger; 3rd, the tabar or battle-axe; 4th, the barchhi or lance; 5th, the tir o kaman or the bow and arrows. The phrase, panchon hathiyar bandhna is very nearly equivalent to our expression, 'to be armed cap a pie.'" I may add to Lieut. B.'s obliging account that in more recent times, the "bow and arrows" are very naturally superseded by "a pair of pistols." Still the meaning of the phrase is the same in either case.

[188] The word chikmak or chikmak, is wrongly called "a flint" in the dictionaries. It merely denotes the piece of steel used in striking a fire. The flint is called chikmak ka pathar.

[189] Literally, "at the seeing of which the liver would be turned into water."

[190] The pipal or "ficus religiosa," is a large tree venerated by the Hindus; it affords a most agreeable shade, as its leaves are large, in the shape of a heart. Many writers confound it with the "ficus Indicus" or "baniyan tree," or rather, they devise an imaginary tree compounded of the two species, investing it with the heart-shaped leaves of the former, and the dropping and multiplying stems of the latter.

[191] Respecting the ceremony called the tasadduk, vide note 3, p. 66.

[192] Literally, "much dust did I sift the dust."

[193] Murtaza 'Ali, the son-in-law of the prophet; one of his surnames is Mushkil-kusha, or " the remover of difficulties." The Saiyids, who pretend to be descended from 'Ali, wear green dresses, which is a sacred colour among the Muhammadans.

[194] The phrase char-zanu ho-baithna, signifies "to sit down with the legs crossed in front as our tailors do when at work." It is the ordnary mode of sitting among the Turks.

[195] The dalk, or dilk, is a garment made of patches and shreds worn by darweshes; the epithet dolk-posh, "a dalk wearer," denotes a "darwesh," or "mendicant."

[196] Ispahan was once a fine city. In the time of the Chevalier Chardin, nearly two centuries ago, it was pronounced by that traveller to be the largest in the world. It is now about the size of Brighton; yet a few weeks ago, we saw in the "Illustrated London News," an account of it by a Frenchman (a fire-side traveller), who declares it to be, still, "the largest city in the world!"

[197] The Muhammadans divide the world into seven climes, and suppose that a constellation presides over the destiny of each clime.

[198] The Arabic phrase lantarani, a corruption of la-an-tarani, literally signifies "egad, if you saw me [do so and so];" hence lantarani-wala is equivalent to our terms, "an egregious egotist," or "great boaster."

[199] A novice in the language would say, "Here a distinction seems to be drawn between the words zaban and jibh. Both signify 'tongue,' but the former applies to men and the latter to animals." To this profound bit of criticism I should reply—Not so fast, Mr. Novice; a distinction there is, but that is not it. The word zaban in Persian and Hindustani means both the fleshy member of the body, called the tongue, and also language or speech, just like our word "tongue," which has both significations. In the former sense it applies alike to man and beast; in the latter it is mere truism to say that it applies to man only. Jibh, in Hindi and Hindustani, means the tongue only in the sense of the member of the body, never in the sense of speech; hence it is equally applicable to man or brute. Ask any physician who has practised in India the Hindustani for "show the tongue," he will tell you jibh dikla,o, or zaban dikla,o; and if he was a man of discernment, he would use jibh with a Hindu, and zaban with a Musalman; but I believe he would be perfectly understood, whichever word he used to either party.

[200] The case is Hatim's philanthropy in respect to the old woodman, which on the part of any other than Hatim might seem super-human.

[201] It is related by grave historians, that Hatim actually built an alms-house of this description. On Hatim's death, his younger brother, who succeeded him, endeavoured to act the generous in the above manner. His mother dissuaded him, saying, "Think not, my son, of imitating Hatim: it is an effort thou canst not accomplish;" and in order to prove what she said, the mother assumed the garb of a fakir, and acted as above related. When she came to the first door the second time, and received her son's lecture on the sin of avarice; she suddenly threw off her disguise, and said, "I told thee, my son, not to think of imitating Hatim. By him I have been served three times running, in this very manner, without ever a question being asked."

[202] This and the following jeu de mots cannot be easily explained to a person who does not understand a little Arabic or Persian.

[203] The original is, "as yet Dilli is a long way off," a proverb like that of the Campbells—"It is a far cry to Loch Awe."

[204] The expression in the original is so plain as to need no translation.

[205] Some would-be knowing critics inform us that "Dastar-khwan" literally signifies the "turband of the table"!!! How they manage to make such a meaning out of it is beyond ordinary research; and when done, it makes nonsense. They forget that the Orientals never made use of tables in the good old times. The dastar-khwan is, in reality, both table and table-cloth in one. It is a round piece of cloth or leather spread out on the floor. The food is then arranged thereon, and the company squat round the edge of it, and, after saying Bism-Illah, fall to, with what appetite they may; hence the phrase dastar-khwan par baithna, to sit on, (not at,) the table. The wise critics seem to be thinking of our modern mahogany, which is a very different affair.

[206] In the original, an infinite variety of dishes is enumerated, which are necessarily passed over in the translation, simply, because we have no corresponding terms to express them in any Christian tongue. They would puzzle the immortal Ude himself, or the no less celebrated Soyer, the present autocrat of the culinary kingdom. But my chief reason for passing them over so lightly is the following, viz.: I have fully ascertained from officers home on furlough, that these passages are never read in India, nor is the student ever examined in them. They can interest only such little minds as are of the most contemptibly frivolous description. A man may be a first-rate English or French scholar, yea, an accomplished statesman, without being conversant with the infinite variety of dishes, &c., set down on the carte of a first-rate Parisian restaurateur.

[207] The Asiatics eat with the right hand, and use no knives or forks; so to draw back the hand from eating is to leave off eating. Of course, spoons are used for broths, &c, which cannot be eaten by the hand.

[208] As it were intended to be stored up and not eaten.

[209] This exceedingly plain expression is, so far from seeming gross or indelicate, considered as a very high compliment among Orientals.

[210] Literally, "recite the la haul," &c, vide note 2, p. 5.

[211] Jogis are Hindu ascetics, or fanatics; some of them let the nails grow through the palm of their hands by keeping their fists shut, &c.

[212] The maunis are Hindu ascetics who vow everlasting silence.

[213] The sevras are mendicants of the Jain sects.

[214] Majnun is a mad lover of eastern romance, who pined in vain for the cruel Laili. Farhad is equally celebrated as an unhappy amant who perished for Shirin.

[215] The word salam, "salutation," is used idiomatically in the sense of our terms "compliments" or "respects," &c. And in that sense it has now become, in India, adopted into the English language.

[216] The marriage portion here alluded to is not to be taken in the vague sense we attach to the term. The word mahar denotes a present made to, or a portion settled on, the wife at or before marriage.

[217] Nimroz is that part of Persia which comprehends the provinces of Sijistan and Mikran, towards the south-east.

[218] The man, commonly called "maund," a measure of weight, about eighty pounds avoirdupois.

[219] It is needless here to enumerate the stores of various articles detailed in the original, as they will all be found in the vocabulary.

[220] Literally, "her own leavings." In the East it considered a very high compliment on the part of a person of rank to present his guest with the remnants of his own dish.

[221] Literally, "night of power or grandeur," would in that place be "without grandeur." The shabi kadr, or as the Arabs have it, lailatu-l-kadri, is a sacred festival held on the 27th of Ramazan, being, according to the Musalmans, the night on which the Kur,an was sent down from heaven.

[222] Meaning that, under present circumstances, her commands were altogether out of place.

[223] It is incumbent on good Mussulmans to wash the hands and face before prayers. Where water is not to be had, this ceremony, called tayammum is performed by using sand instead.

[224] Lukman is supposed to be the Greek slave AEsop, the author of the Fables. Bu 'Ali Sina is the famous Arab physician and philosopher, by mediaeval writers erroneously called Avicenna.

[225] Khizr or Khwaja Khizr is the name of a saint or prophet, of great notoriety among the Muhammadans. The legends respecting his origin and life are as numerous as they are absurd and contradictory. Some say he was grand Vizir to Solomon, others to Alexander the Great. They all agree, however, that he discovered the water of immortality, and that in consequence of having drunk thereof, he still lives and wanders about on the earth.

[226] Kasra is the title of the King of Persia, hence the Greek forms Cyrus and Chosroes, and most probably the more modern forms Caesar, Kaisar, and Czar. The form Kisra used in the text is generally applied to Naushirwan.—Vide note 3, page 13.

[227] Ni'man, also Nu'man, the name of an ancient king of Hirat, in Arabia.

[228] The first day of the new year, which is celebrated with great splendour and rejoicings.

[229] The Brahmans, erroneously called Bramins, do not eat meat.

[230] Literally, "she would have repeated the Kalima," or "Confession of Faith" of the followers of Muhammad, which is as follows:—"There is no God but God, and Muhammad is his prophet." Some profane wags have parodied this creed into a Jewish one, viz.—"There ish no God but the monish, and shent per shent (cent. per cent.) ish hish prophet" (profit.)

[231] The common mode to present large sums in specie to princely visitors, is to form a platform with the money, spread the masnad on it, and place the visitor on the rich seat. Mr. Smith states that he had himself seen Asafu-d-Daula, the then Nawwab of Lucknow, receive a lack of rupees in this way from Almas, one of his eunuchs.

[232] Chand-rat, is applied to the night on which the new moon is first visible, which night, together with the following day till sunset, constitutes the pahli tarikh, or ghurra, that is the first of the lunar month.

[233] Ramazan is the ninth Muhammadan month, during which they keep Lent. Vide note, p. 59.

[234] The 'Id is the grand festival after the Lent of Ramazan is over. There is another 'Id, called Al-Kurban, in commemoration of Abraham's meditated sacrifice of his son Isaac, or as the Muhammadans believe of his son Ishmael.

[235] Literally, "having washed my hands of my life."

[236] Rustam, a brave and famous hero of Persia, whose Herculean achievements are celebrated in the Shah-Nama.

[237] Literally, "a salam as low as the carpet;" or as we say, "a bow to the ground."

[238] The various editions of the text read tunna, "a particular kind of tree." In one of my MSS., however, the reading is tane, the inflected form of tana, the "trunk of a tree," which is better sense.

[239] Literally, "the parrot of my hand flew away."

[240] The Muhammadans reckon a hundred and twenty years as the 'umri tabi'i, or the natural period of man's life.

[241] The mountain of Kaf, is the celebrated abode of the jinns, paris, and divs, and all the fabulous beings of oriental romance. The Muhammadans, as of yore all good Christians, believe that the earth is a flat circular plane; and on the confines of this circle is a ring of lofty mountains extending all round, serving at once to keep folks from falling off, as well as forming a convenient habitation for the jinns, &c., aforesaid. The mountain, (I am not certain on whose trigonometrical authority) is said to be 500 farasangs or 2000 English miles in height.

[242] With regard to the plain, simple sentence, "yih kahkar takht uthaya," we have somewhere seen the following erudite criticism, viz.:—"With deference to Mir Amman, this is bad grammar. The nominative to kahkar and uthaya ought to be the same!!!" Now, it is a great pity that the critic did not favour us here with his notions of good grammar. Just observe, O reader, how the expression stands in the text: "yih kahkar takht uthaya," and you will naturally ask, "where is the fault in the grammar?" The nominative, or rather the agent, is pari ne, hence the translation, "the fairy, having thus spoken, took up the throne." The poor critic seems to confound "uthaya" with "utha."

[243] One of the would-be poets of our day has translated the above most elegantly and literally, as follows:—

"What mischiefs through this love arise! What broken hearts and miseries!"

[244] The Muhammadans have great confidence in charms which are written on slips of paper, along with numerous astrological characters. They consist chiefly of quotations from the Kuran, and are often diluted in water, and drank as medicine in various distempers. As the Indian ink and paper can do no harm, and often act as an emetic, they are probably more innocent than the physic administered by eastern physicians, who are the most ignorant of their profession. The fact is, that the soi disant "teachers" of mankind, in all ages and countries—the African fetish, the American Indian sachem, the Hindu jogi, the Musalman mulla, and the Romish priest and miracle-monger—have all agreed on one point, viz., to impose on their silly victims a multitude of unmeaning ceremonies, and absurd mummeries, in order to conceal their own contemptible vacuity of intellect.

[245] The Jata-dhari Gusa,in is a sect of fanatic Hindu mendicants, who let their hair grow and matted, and go almost naked.

[246] Mahadev is a Hindu idol; the emblem of the creative power, and generally and naturally represented by the Lingum.

[247] Shevrat is a Hindu festival, which corresponds nearly with the Mahometan shabi barat.

[248] Plato is supposed by the Muhammadans to have been not only a profound philosopher, but a wise physician. In short, it is too general an idea with them, that a clever man must be a good doctor.

[249] The langot or langoti is a piece of cloth wrapped or fastened round the loins, and tucked in between the feet. It barely conceals what civilization requires should be hid from the public view.

[250] Ma'jun is the extract from the intoxicating plant called charas or bhang, a species of hemp; it is mixed with sugar and spices to render it palatable. The inebriation it produces fills the imagination with agreeable visions, and the effects are different from those of wine or spirits.

[251] Six mashas amount to nearly a quarter of an ounce; a sicca rupee weighs eleven mashas.

[252] Literally, "a volume of a book."

[253] This exceedingly absurd story is of Rabbinical origin. I have a strong impression on my mind of having read something very like it long ago in the works of Philo Judaeus, the contemporary of Josephus.

[254] The Ismi A'zam, or the "Most Mighty Name" [of God] is a magic spell or incantation which the acquirer can apply to wonderful purposes. God hath, among the Muhammadans, ninety-nine names or epithets; the Ismi A'zam is one of the number, but it is only the initiated few who can say which of the ninety-nine it is.

[255] The word sawab strictly means, "the reward received in the next world for virtuous actions performed in the present state of existence."

[256] The veiled horseman who rescued the first and second Darweshes from self-destruction.

[257] A Persian proverb.

[258] Badakhshan is a part of the grand province of Khurasan, and the city of Balkh is its metropolis, to the eastward of which is a chain of mountains celebrated for producing fine rubies.

[259] All Asiatic princes, like others nearer home, have spies, called "reporters of intelligence," who inform themselves of what passes in public. They are, as a matter of course, the pest of society, and generally corrupt.

[260] A miskal is four and a half mashas; our ounce contains twenty-four mashas. So the ruby weighed more than half an ounce.

[261] The word raja is the Hindu term for a prince or sovereign. In more recent times it has become a mere empty title, conferred upon rich Hindus by the Emperor of Delhi.

[262] Naishapur was once the richest and grandest city in the province of Khurasan. It was utterly destroyed by Tuli, the son of Jenghis Khan (or more correctly, Changis Ka,an), in A.D. 1221.

[263] Seven miskals are more than an ounce and a quarter.

[264] The term Farang, vulgarly Frank, was formerly applied to Christian Europe in general, with the exclusion of Russia.

[265] Literally, "kissed the ground of obeisance," a Persian phrase, expressive of profound respect.

[266] "The minister's daughter," afterwards called "the young merchant."

[267] The phrase pachas ek means "about fifty." It is strange that a certain critic on this work, (who has a prodigiously high opinion of himself,) should have rendered the above passage, "whose age was about forty or fifty years!" Most assuredly, the merest tyro in Hindustani can tell him that it cannot have such a latitude as to mean "about forty or fifty." He might just as correctly have said "about fifty or sixty." The phrase pachas ek, as I have stated, means simply "about fifty," i.e., it may be one year more or less.

[268] In the text, the wazir-zadi is henceforth called saudagar-bacha or the young merchant, being the character under which she, for some time, figures.

[269] morchhals, vulgarly called chowrees, are fly-flaps, to drive away those troublesome companions; the best kind is made of the fine white long tail of the mountain cow; the others of the long feathers from, the peacock's tail, or the odoriferous roots of a species of grass called Khas. They are likewise a part of the paraphernalia of state in India.

[270] The title khwaja means "chief," or "master;" it is generally applied to rich merchants, &c., such as we would call "men of respectability." The idiomatic London English for it is "governor," or (as it is pronounced) "guv'ner".

[271] Literally, "What difficulty" (is there in so doing).

[272] The city of Naishapur being some 270 miles inland, it would not be easy for the young merchant to reach it by sea. Asiatic story-tellers are not at all particular in regard to matters of geography.

[273] 'Ajam means, in general, Persia; the Arabs use it in the same sense as the Greeks did the word "barbarian;" and all who are not Arabs they call 'Ajami; more especially the Persians.

[274] Sara,e, sera,i or caravanserai, are buildings for the accommodation of travellers, merchants, &c., in cities, and on the great roads in Asia. Those in Upper Hindustan, built by the emperors of Dilli, are grand and costly; they are either of stone or burnt bricks. In Persia, they are mostly of bricks dried in the sun. In Upper Hindustan they are commonly sixteen to twenty miles distant from each other, which is a manzil or stage. They are generally built of a square or quadrangular form with a large open court in the centre, and contain numerous rooms for goods, men, and beasts.

[275] Literally, made excuses from the surface of his heart," i.e., not serious excuses.

[276] That is, "completely armed." Vide note 2, page 87.

[277] On the exact meaning of dastar-khwan, see note, page 104.

[278] The Musalman confession of faith, see note 3, page 156.

[279] The idiom "do mahine ek," about two months, similar to the phrase, "pachas ek baras," v. note 1, page 161.

[280] Literally, "began to smack his lips;" denoting his satisfaction.

[281] Tartar, African, and Turkish slaves.

[282] Literally, "I have not proved false in what you have entrusted to me."

[283] The coffee and pipe are always presented to visitors in Turkey, Arabia, and Persia, and they are considered as indispensable in good manners.

[284] "dant kholne" is fully explained in my Grammar, page 129. It appears to have sadly puzzled a learned critic, to whom I have occasionally alluded.

[285] Literally, "middle brother;" as there were three in number, of course the "second" and "middle" are identical.

[286] The Siyum are the rites performed for the dead on the third day after demise; it is called the tija in Hinduwi.

[287] Alluding to God.

[288] Or it may mean, "my blood boiled" [with resentment].

[289] The Muhammadan sabbath is Friday.

[290] A kafila means a company of merchants who assemble and travel together for mutual protection. It is synonymous with caravan.

[291] Bukhara is a celebrated city in Tartary; it was formerly the capital of the province called Mawaralnahr, or Transoxiana, before the Tartar conquerors fixed on Samarkand. It lies to the northward of the river Oxus or Gihun, which divides Tartary from Persia, or as the Persian geographers term it, Iran, from Turan. Bukhara is celebrated by Persian poets for its climate, its fruits, and its beautiful women.

[292] The boza is an intoxicating drink made of spirits, the leaves of the charas plant, tari, and opium. Tari, erroneously called todee, is the juice of the palm tree.

[293] Literally, ale-house, or tippling-house. One is strongly led to believe that this is the origin of our cant word boozing-ken, imported from the East by the gipsies some four or five centuries ago.

[294] A grateful and luxurious operation in the warm climate of India, more especially after the fatigue of travelling. Shampooing is a word of uncertain etymology; the French have a better term, masser. The natives say it has a physical advantage, as it quickens their languid circulation; perhaps they are right.

[295] A kos is nearly two English miles, being about fifteen furlongs.

[296] Literally, "the fire was kindled in my stomach."

[297] Pointing to his two brothers who were present, and heard his tale.

[298] The stake was a common mode of punishment in India in former days, and, until recently, was practised among the Sikhs, Marhattas, and other Asiatic princes, who were independent of our government.

[299] Addressing himself to the king Azad Bakht.

[300] The term kibla signifies the "point of adoration," and is generally applied to the Ka'ba, or holy edifice, situated in the sacred inclosure of Mecca. To this point all Muhammadans must turn when they pray.

[301] The prayer of martyrdom among the Musalmans. It is often repeated when they go into action against Christians and Pagans

[302] According to the Muhammadan belief, Nakir and Munkir are two angels who attend at the moment of death, and call to an account the spirit of the deceased.

[303] Literally, "satiated the dog of my stomach."

[304] Literally, to perform the act of "rubbing the nose on the earth," expressive of extreme humility.

[305] Literally, "having fastened [on his person] the four mirrors."

[306] The term zuhr strictly denotes the period devoted to the mid-day prayer, which is offered up after the sun has perceptibly declined from the meridian. Vide note 4, in page 14.

[307] The name of the countries which lie, as the people of Hindustan term it, below Bengal, i.e., to the south-east of it; the name includes the kingdoms of Ava and Pegu.

[308] Kunwar is the Hindu name for the son of a raja.

[309] The chaugan is a Persian sport performed on horseback, with a large ball like a foot-ball, which is knocked about with a long stick like a shepherd's crook; it is precisely the game called in Scotland "shintey," and in England "hockey," only that the players are mounted.

[310] Rani is the Hindu name of a raja's wife.

[311] Literally, "without a partner." The Musalmans consider our doctrine of the Trinity as a deadly error.

[312] Sarandip is the name for the island of Ceylon among the Arabs and Persians, as well as the Musalmans of India. The ancient Hindu name was Lanka, applied both to the island and its capital.

[313] The term kisra is evidently applied here to Naushirwan, not to Cyrus, as is stated in some books.

[314] Iran is the ancient name of Persia in its more extended sense, that is, the Persian Empire. Fars is sometimes used in the same sense. Strictly speaking, it denotes Persia proper, which is only a province of Iran.

[315] The kafila-bashi is the head man of the kafila, or company of merchants, who travel in a body for mutual safety, and compose what is commonly called a caravan, properly a karwan; the richest and most respectable merchant of the party is generally elected bashi; all the rest obey his orders, and he directs the movements, &c., of the whole company, and moreover, acts, in all cases of dispute, as judge and magistrate.

[316] The farsakh, or farsang, or parsang, is a measure of distance in Persia, and contains at the present day about 3 3/4 English miles. Herodotus reckoned the [Greek: pasasaggaes]; in his time at 30 Grecian stadia.

[317] Salsabil is the name of a fountain of Paradise, according to Muhammadan belief.

[318] The student is of course aware that in most languages a question is frequently equivalent to a negative, as in this sentence. A sapient critic, to whom I have more than once alluded, was pleased to honour me with the following profound remark on the reading given in the original, viz.—"There is a slip here in Forbes's edition, as well as the Calcutta one. The word nahin, 'not,' is omitted, which destroys the whole sense!!!"

[319] The kaliyan (or as the moderns say, kaliyun) is the Persian hukka.

[320] This is, as the vulgate hath it, "coming it a little too strong;" but be it remembered that Oriental story-tellers do not mar the interest of their narrative by a slavish adherence to probability.

[321] Here the king Azad Bakht speaks in his own person, and addresses himself to the four darweshes.

[322] With regard to the essence of bed-mushk vide note 2, page 42.

[323] The image of the Divine power in that country of Pagans.

[324] Vide note 3, page 30, respecting the chilla, or "period of forty."

[325] That is to say, she had never seen a Muhammadan at his prayers.

[326] Lat and Manat were the two great idols of Hindu worship in former times.

[327] In the languages of southern India, Turk is the general appellation for a Musalman.

[328] The chaman is a small garden or parterre, which is laid out before the sitting room in the interior of the women's apartments; it means in general, parterres of flowers.

[329] The original uses a much stronger expression.

[330] Literally, the poison of the halahal, as expression used to denote poison of the strongest kind. The halahal is a fabulous poison, said to have been produced from the ocean on the churning of it by the gods and daityas. Our critic says, on this word, that it means "deadly!!!" will he favour us with some authority on that point, better than his own?

[331] On the phrase, do mahine men, our critic comes out in great force. He says, "Mir Amman here sins against grammar; it should be, do mahinon men!!!" The critic is not aware, that when a noun follows a numeral it never requires the inflection plural en, except when it is to be rendered more definite? In reality, Mir Amman would be wrong if he had employed the reading recommended by the sapient critic; do mahine men means "in two months;" do mahinon men "in the two months" (previously determined upon).

[332] The chor-mahall is a private seraglio.

[333] The twelve Imams.—Vide note 3, page 4.

[334] The threshold of a pagoda or mosque. The oriental people uncover their feet, as we do our heads, on entering a place of worship.

[335] Asiatics do not sign their names, but put their seals to letters, bonds, paper, &c.; on the seal is engraven their names, titles, &c.; which absurd practice has frequently given rise to much roguery, and even bloodshed, as it is so easy, by bribes, to get a seal-cutter to forge almost any seal, a notorious instance of which appeared some twenty years ago in the case of the Raja of Sattara. Though the Muhammadan laws punish with severe penalties such transgressions, yet seal-cutters are not more invulnerable to the powers of gold than other men. Kings, princes, nawwabs &c., have a private mark, as well as a public seal, to official papers; and a private seal and mark for private or confidential papers.

[336] A khil'at or honorary dress is generally bestowed on a person when he is appointed to a new situation.

[337] Literally, "who could hit a kauri suspended by a hair." The kauri is a small round shell used to denote the minutest denomination of money. In Bengal it is about the hundredth part of a paisa.

[338] The nazar or pesh-kash is a sum of money, &c., which, all oriental officials pay to the prince of the country, or to his favourites, &c., when appointed to their situations. Some people say that such things are done nearer home, with this difference, that among us it is a private transaction; whereas, in the East, it is an open one.

[339] ja-girs are donations of lands, or, rather, of the revenues arising from a certain portion of land; strictly speaking, such a grant is a reward for military service, though it is sometimes bestowed without that condition.

[340] As the Musalmans reckon their day from sun-set, this is no bull.

[341] Literally, "the third fault is that of the mother."

[342] The king here resumes his address to the four darweshes.

[343] A proverb synonymous to ours, of "What is bred in the bone, will never come out of the flesh."

[344] The tawa is a circular plate of malleable or cast iron, used for baking cakes or bannocks. It is slightly convex, like a watch-glass, on the upper side, where the bread is laid on; the under or concave side being, of course perfectly black. In Scotland, and in the northern counties of England, this domestic implement is called "the girdle," and is still in common use in places remote from towns.

[345] Till recently a province of Persia; the northern part of ancient Media. It is now, alas! fallen into the deadly grasp of the unholy Muscovite.

[346] A kind of pea common in India; it is the ordinary food of horses, oxen, camels, &c., likewise of the native. By Europeans it is generally called grum or "graum."

[347] The Muhammadans believe that on the day of judgment all who have died will assemble on a vast plain, to hear their sentences from the mouth of God; so the reader may naturally conceive the size of the plain.

[348] The surma is a black powder made of antimony, which the Asiatic women use on their eyelids, to give a superior lustre to their black or hazel eyes; when applied with taste, it certainly has that effect. It is likewise used for sore eyes, but I cannot say with what success.

[349] Chummak is the Turkish name for a kind of baton set with precious stones, and used by some of the officers of the palace as an insignia of state, like our rods, wands, &c.

[350] This ludicrous idea is to be found in the veracious "Voiage and Travaile" of Sir John Maundevile, Kt. Speaking of the "Yles abouten Ynde," he says, "men fynden there an Ile that is clept Crues," where "for the grete distresse of the hete, mennes ballokkes hangen down to their knees, for the grete dissolucioun of the body."

[351] The Hur are celestial females, and the Ghilman beautiful youths, who are to attend upon all good Mahometans in Paradise.

[352] The nakkar-khana is the place at the portico of a temple or palace where drums are beaten at stated intervals. It is somewhat akin to the "belfry," of a Romish church, the childish and everlasting noise of which is supposed to constitute an important part of Christianity.

[353] Padmini, the highest and most excellent of the four classes of women among the Hindus.

[354] The prime minister, or first officers of state, under the Mughal emperors.

[355] Literally, "instant of an instant." With regard to this idiomatic use of the genitive case, vide "Grammar," page 96, paragraph b.

[356] Here the khwaja resumes his own story to Azad Bakht.

[357] The king, Azad Bakht, speaks in his own person.

[358] The son of a khwaja or merchant of the highest grade.

[359] When Musalmans go on pilgrimage to Mecca, they shave their heads on their arrival there; the ridicule is, to have incurred the shaving without the merit of the pilgrimage.

[360] Called the khil'at sarafrazi, i.e. of exaltation.

[361] The farsh is the carpet or cloth which is spread in the room, where company is received, or the king's audience is held; for the king to advance to the end of the farsh to receive the wazir, is a mark of respect, which Asiatic princes seldom pay, even to their equals.

[362] The insignia of the wazir's office in India and Persia, is the kalumdan.

[363] The abode of a fakir is called a takiya.

[364] The phrase kot bundh baithna signifies to squat down as a person does when easing nature, the two hands being clasped together round the legs a little below the knees.

[365] Chaupar is a very ancient Indian game of the nature of backgammon, played by four people, each having four men or pieces. A full description of it is given in the Ayeeni Akbary, London, 1800, vol. 1st, page 253.

[366] Azur, the father of Abraham, was a famous statuary and idol-worshipper, according to the ideas of Muhammadans.

[367] Alluding to the Hindu custom of the wife's burning herself with the corpse of her husband; in these cases, perhaps, fear of the priesthood, &c., is a stronger motive than love for the defunct.

[368] By the Island of the Franks, it is most probable that the author means Britain. The description of the capital is more adapted to London sixty years ago than to any other European city. This, Mir Amman might have learned from some of the resident Europeans, while he filled up the rest from his own luxuriant imagination.

[369] The "eunuch" is of course out of place in a Christian city; at least he does not hold the same rank as in the East.

[370] In the original it is water; the meaning is obvious enough.

[371] Most probably the name of some famous armourer.

[372] A Persian proverb.

[373] That is poison of the strongest kind.—Vide note on this word in page 213.

[374] Meaning in this world and the next.

[375] Barbers in Asia not only shave but wash persons in the private and public baths.

[376] A prince of Khurasan, who quitted a throne in order to lead a life of piety.

[377] A celebrated city of Khurasan, famous in former times for its riches.

[378] The attitude of respect, common in the East, when a servant has a request to make of his master; or a very inferior person of one who is greatly his superior.

[379] Meaning, "of surpassing speed."

[380] In the original, the word is kai, or the green scum that floats on stagnant water. "Bihzad Khan, dispersed the enemy as kai is dispersed when a stone is thrown into the water," is nearly the original simile.

[381] Literally, "merely continued bringing up the soil from the bottom."

[382] The first and second Darweshes.

[383] One of the many epithets applied to Darweshes in the East.

[384] A Persian proverb.

[385] The regent; the fourth Darwesh's uncle.

[386] According to the fabulous system of jinns, divs, paris, &c., in Asia, it is supposed that the jinns and paris live on essences, &c. The divs are malignant spirits or beings, and live on less delicate food.

[387] Divs or demons; the malignant race of jinns.

[388] Chin and Machin, is the general name of China among the Persians.

[389] Bukhur is a kind of frankincense.

[390] Abu-Jahal, or "the father of obstinacy," or "of brutality," was the name of an Arab. He was uncle to the prophet Muhammad, and an inveterate opposer of the latter's new religion.

[391] The forty figures of monkeys would give the possessor a power over the divs and jinns, and having them at his command, he could easily overset the usurper, alias his uncle.

[392] The Ismi A'zam, or great name of God.—See note 2, p. 145.

[393] Alluding to the Asiatic custom of the women being concealed from the view of all, except their husbands or very near relations.

[394] The kazis and muftis are the judges in Turkey, Arabia, Persia and Hindustan, of all civil and religious causes; they likewise marry, divorce, &c.

[395] The tija is the same as the siyum.—See note 2, page 187.

[396] A kind of litter for the conveyance of women and the sick.

[397] A kind of litter for travelling in Persia and Arabia; two of them are slung across a camel or a mule; those for camels carry four persons.

[398] Viz., his state of castration.

[399] Zu-l-fakar, the name of a famous sword that 'Ali used to wear.

[400] The veiled horseman, 'Ali Mushkil-Kusha.

[401] In the original there is a play on the words haml and hamal.

[402] Literally, "he made the man in want of a kauri the master of a lakh [of rupees].

[403] Ryots (a corruption of the word ra'iyat) are the husbandmen in India; the tillers of the soil who rent small parcels of land from the government, through the medium of the zamin-dar, who is a servant of government and not the proprietor of the land, as some have erroneously supposed. The word means keeper of the land, and not the proprietor. In fact, he is like the Irish middleman, in every sense of the word.

[404] A famous garden in Arabia Felix; it is also applied to the garden in Paradise, in which all good Mahometans, according to their belief, are to revel after death.

[405] 'Umman is the name of the southern part of Yaman or Arabia Felix; the country which lies between the mouth of the Persian Gulf and the mouth of the Red Sea; the sea which washes this coast is called the sea of 'Umman in Persia and Arabia, as the Red Sea is called the sea of Kulzum.

[406] A mode of punishment used in former times in Persia, India, and Arabia, against great enemies or atrocious delinquents. Such treatment the poor emperor Valerian experienced from the haughty Shapur or Shabar (the Sapores of the Greeks), king of Persia or Parthia.

[407] The first darwesh.

[408] The second darwesh.

[409] The third darwesh.

[410] The fourth darwesh.

[411] The five pure bodies are Muhammad, the prophet; Fatima, his daughter; Ali, her husband; and Hazan and Husain, their chidren.

[412] The fourteen innocents are the children of Hazan and Husain.

[413] By an arithmetical operation called in Persian Abjad; as Persian letters have arithmetical powers, the letters which compose the words Bagh O Bahar added up, produce the sum 1217. From the inscription on most Muhammadan tombs, and those on the gates of mosques, the dates of demise and erection can be ascertained. We had the same barbarous custom in Europe about the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries; see the Spectator (No. 60,) on this ridiculous subject, which was considered as a proof of great ingenuity.

[414] A pun on the word Bahar, which means spring, when flowers are in full bloom; but the French word printemps conveys more exactly the compound signification; for Bahar not only means spring, but an agreeable spring. The Persians are as fond of these double entendres as any other people; their poetry is strewed with them, and so is their prose. It is not, however, to be considered as a model of pure taste.

THE END