TIMUR BEG. 
7 
While seated in the school-room., I always took 
the chief seat, and often fancied myself the com- 
mander of all the other boys. One day a subject of 
conversation was started on which was the best 
mode of sitting. Each boy gave some answer to the 
question. When it came to my turn, I said, the best 
mode of sitting is upon the knees, for Mohammed has 
commanded — ‘ Whilst in prayer sit on your knees/ 
On which all the spectators praised me exceedingly. 
When we came out from school, we began to play as 
children; but I, assuming the command, stood upon 
a high mound, and, having divided them into two 
armies, caused them to fight a sham battle. When I 
saw one of the parties worsted, I sent them assist- 
ance/’ * 
In his early youth he was chiefly employed in 
taking charge of his father’s flocks, which appear to 
have been numerous. “ When I attained the age of 
seventeen,” he says, “ my father, being indifferent 
about worldly affairs, and in delicate health, I took 
upon me the charge of his private affairs, and made 
the following arrangements. I formed every hundred 
sheep into a separate flock, and appointed a shepherd 
to each flock, whose profits were to be one fourth of 
the milk, the butter, and the wool. I did the same 
with the goats, separating the wethers from the fe- 
males. I likewise denominated every twenty horses 
a stable, separating the horses from the mares; also 
the camels in the same manner.” t 
Though descended from the Moghul princes, Ti- 
mur’s early life was passed remote from the pomp of 
* See Memoirs, p. 21. t Ibid. p. 24. 
