34 Translations from the Tdrikh i Firuz ShdJii. [No. 1, 



harsh disposition, whereby it was no longer possible for them to pre- 

 varicate and tell falsehoods. 



The fourth regulation for the above purpose was, the investigation 

 into the quality and price of horseflesh before the throne. Every 

 month or six weeks, Sultan 'Alauddin used to summon before him [for 

 a day or two] a specimen* of all these qualities of horses, together with 

 the chief brokers, when he both examined and tested the quality of the 

 animal, and ascertained its prices. If any variation appeared between 

 its sterling worth, and the specification of its quality and price, the 

 brokers suffered penalties and punishments accordingly. Owing to 

 this scrutiny, inasmuch as the chief brokers were liable to be summoned 

 quite suddenly before the throne, it was impossible for them to set up 

 a price and quality of their own, or to take any thing from the buyer 

 and seller, or to enhance or diminish, or to exceed the standard [and 

 yet pass in muster before the throne]. 



The institution of laws for cheapening slaves and cattle was manag- 

 ed on the same principle, as that which I have just written regarding 

 the cheapening of horses. It was not possible for dealers and monied 

 men to go about the market, and shew [get a glance even at the hair 

 of] a slave in any way. The standard value of a working girl was fixed 

 at from 5 to 12 tankahs, and the price of a singing girl at from 20 to 

 30 or 40, while one or two hundred tankahs was a price seldom 

 fetched by any slave ; and should a slave, such as is not to be procured 

 in these days for a thousand or two thousand tankahs, appear in 

 the market, who was there that could buy him for fear of the watch ? 

 The price of a handsome young slave boyf ranged from 20 to 30 tankahs, 



* Major Fuller's MS. seems to read &jj+i for t5 ^>o (?) which the Ed. Bibl. 

 Indica, p. 314, 1. 6, has. 



f Major Fuller passes mildly over the obscene phrases of the text (p. 

 314, the last six lines.) Komizdk i kindrz means, of course a girl for 

 embracing (landrail), a concubine, not necessarily a singing girl. The words 

 Ghuldmdn i kdrlcardah and bacliagdii i naalcdri, which Major Fuller translates 

 ' working men' and ill-favoured boys,' have another meaning. KdrJcardah is the 

 same as maful, not ' working,' but worked upon,' a catamitus ; hence gludd- 

 mdn i Mrkardah, slaves that are pi-actised and may be used by sodomites. 

 Glmldm bachagdn i naiikdn, who fetched of course less money, are ' novices in 

 the art.' 



To the great joy of Barani ' beardless slaves, beautiful eunuchs, pretty slave 

 girls fetched (during the next reign) 500 to 1000 Tankahs, and even 2000 ZV ; 

 vide Ed. Bibl. Indica, p. 384, where, passim, we have to read on the last lines 

 arzishlidi (prices) for the absurd az (on one line) and rishtahdi (on the other 

 line.) 



