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the opposite scale. The first time of performing the ceremony, 

 was at the commencement of the Persian month Aban, the solar 

 anniversary of his majesty's birth-day. He was then weighed 

 twelve times against the following articles: gold, quick-silver, 

 raw-silk, artificial perfumes, musk, rootootea, intoxicating drugs, 

 ghee, iron, rice-milk, eight kinds of grain, and salt. At the same 

 time, according to the years he had lived, there were given 

 away a like number of sheep, goats, and fowls, to people who 

 kept those animals for the purpose of breeding. A great number 

 of wild birds were also set at liberty on that occasion. The 

 second time of performing the ceremony was on the fifth of the 

 Arabian month Rejib, when he was weighed eight times against the 

 following things: silver, tin, linen cloth, lead, dried fruits, sesame- 

 oil, and pot-herbs. At the same time the festival of Salgeerah 

 was celebrated, and donations bestowed upon people of all ranks. 

 The king's sons and grandsons were weighed once a year, on the 

 solar anniversary of their respective nativities, against seven or 

 eight things, and some as far as twelve, which number they never 

 exceeded, and according to their respective ages, a certain number 

 of beasts and fowls were given away, and set at liberty. There 

 were appointed for this ceremony a separate treasurer, and 

 mushreff. 



The coins and seals of the empire also illustrate the character 

 of Akber: previous to his reign gold, silver, and copper, were 

 coined in various parts of the Mogul empire; he restricted the 

 coinage of gold to four places, Agra, Bengal, Ahmedabad, and 

 Cabul. Silver coin was allowed to be struck in fourteen cities, 

 including the preceding four: mints for copper coin were appointed 



V .- 



