THE ANTIQUITY OF POLO 249 



forbids the drawing of features ; for it will be observed that the 

 heads both of men and horses are left blank. Mahomet used 

 to say that the angels would not enter a house in which there 

 were such pictures, and that those who made them would be 

 sentenced in the next world to find souls for those whom they 

 had delineated, or be punished. 



The poet Jami, who lived 1414 A.D., thus alludes to the 

 game in his ' Salaman and Absal ' : 



All young in years and courage, bat in hand, 



Galloped afield, tossed down the golden ball, 



And chased so many crescent moons l a-full, 



And all alike intent upon the game. 



Sala'ma'n still would carry from them all 



The prize, and shouting ' Ha"! ! ' drive home the ball. 



And again : 



Welcome, prince of horsemen, welcome 

 Ride a-field and strike the ball. 



The Persians' ideas of poetry are hardly consistent with 

 ours. Still there is a deal of go in the words * Hal ! 2 drive home 

 the ball ! ' 



In Sir W. Ouseley's ' Travels,' there is a reproduction of a 

 curious old drawing representing a game of chaugan. The 

 goals are evidently stone pillars, and the sticks not unlike the 

 sticks we use nowadays. The young prince is depicted in the 

 act of receiving a stick from the hands of a bearded person on 

 foot, ' who is supposed to be Hafiz, the poet.' The original text 

 of the ' Salaman and Absal ' was translated by the late Edward 

 Fitzgerald. 



Accidents seem to have been by no means uncommon in 

 the game, for in the sixteenth century a king of Kashmir, Ali 

 Khan Chak by name, is said to have died from the effects of 

 an accident during a game of chaugan. 



1 A crescent moon is a favourite Eastern metaphor for a fine young man or 

 woman. 



2 ' Now !' or it might have reference to the goal, which is called ' hal.' 



