Vol. VII, No. 4.] Description of Dethi. 101 
[N.S] 
leafy green sheds a pleasant shade around. It would be too 
long to descant on the suburbs, which are many, or to enlarge 
what to the west of the new city 
I need add little in comment. To residents in Delhi or 
to those who have visited the place, the allusions are clear 
enough. Ali will recognize in the marble pillar erected by 
Firdz Shah the famous Asoka lat. We can only wonder why 
Father Monserrate, generally so detailed in his descriptions, 
should have made no allusion to the inscriptions. Not so 
W. Finch, or rather Purchas, his editor. 
It matters little if Monserrate’s pet theory about Christian 
Kings having once ruled at Delhi cannot be defended. The 
general accuracy of his description of Firdz Shah’s reign is amply 
borne out by the Muhammadan historians, notably by the 
Tabakat-i-Akbari and Firishta. They mention among his works 
of public utility:—‘‘ Five canals (band-i-jiz), [Firishta says 
‘*£.0’?]; 4 Mosques [Firishta says ‘‘40’’]; 30 Colleges; 20 
Monasteries (khdnkdh); 100 Palaces (kishk) ; 200 Caravanserais 
(rabdl); 300 Towns; 5 Tanks (hauz) ; 5 Hospitals; 100 Mausolea ; 
10 Baths; 10 Monumental Pillars (mindra); 150 Wells; 100 
Bridges; and gardens beyond number.’’ Cf. Exrior, Hist. of 
India, IV, 18 n. 1. 
E. Thomas writes :— 
‘One of the many deficiencies a modern mind detects 
