1917.] Madaran and Mubarak -Manzil. 133 



the copy, which according to an educated gentleman of Mada- 

 ran was quite accurate. Shortly after, I was supplied with 

 the rubbings of the inscription, which were not well taken. I 

 found, however, that the copy and the rubbings didnot tally on 

 all points. I requested, again, the gentleman at Arambagh to 

 get for me better impressions of the inscription. When his 

 men went to the Astana, the KMdim, as well as everyone of 

 the village, stood in their way, and prevented them from taking 

 impressions of the inscription. They said the shrine was very 

 garm (hot), and if any one ventured to get up where the in- 

 scribed slab was fixed,' Shah Isma'il Ghazi would at once punish 

 him. The matter was put off for several months. At last my 

 friend was enabled to take several rubbings when the Astana 

 people were off their guard. I was at the same time informed 

 that the inscription was so defaced that better and more 

 legible rubbings could not be taken. These obstacles did not 

 discourage me. I was determined to see if the extraordinary 

 legend of the " Headless rider of Madaran," as told me and to 

 others, had any real foundation. I requested the gentleman 

 of Madaran, referred to above, to try to decipher the lower 

 part of the inscription, which contained the name and time of 

 the sovereign, in whose reign it was carved. During his stay at 

 home, he tried to decipher it with his naked eye and with glasses, 

 and took rubbings for me. The result is noted below : 



1. The copy of the impression taken previously omit 



the Qur'anik verse & &* > •** ^ , ^ij> £ j *Ul o* f*> 



entirely. 



2. After copying the Avatu'l-Kursi. or Throne-verse, 



the copvist, being apparently unable to account tor 

 the remaining passage, conjectured it to be the 

 verses that followed the Throne- verse. So he adde« I 



from 8 \f\ $ up to the words ^ 



3. The lower part of the inscription is very illegible. 



The letters are badly cut, and the engraver being in 

 want of sufficient space inscribed the last two lines 



crookedlv. 



4. The copy has the following passage at the bottom or 



end of the impression 



a« v> Ji yu 3 *** , j* f*> / e?) U J ^-' |L " °^ 



■ir 9 * * £ 





I give below the text and translation of the j^P*™ £ 



tar as I have been able to decipher it. The reading be 

 considered as tentative, and an attempt to solve a really dtfh- 

 cult problem. The words overlined are doubtful, and the 

 places where 1 have put dots are undecipherable. 



* 



