TIMUR BEG. 
39 
gle, defeated thirty thousand of their troops. The 
carnage was terrible. Thus were the Jetes entirely 
expelled from the province of Transoxiana. 
Having got rid of his enemy, the conqueror deter- 
mined to amuse his army with a general hunt ; ff and 
in this manner/’ he says in his Memoirs, “ hunting 
and coursing, we reached the vicinity of Samerkund. 
The inhabitants of Samerkund came out to meet me, 
and were lavish in their praises, saying, f Right has 
gained its right ;’ and held up their hands in prayer for 
my prosperity. Having thus established myself at 
Samerkund, I sent an escort to bring my wife, Aljay 
Turkhan Agha, with the remainder of my followers, 
from Gurmsyr to Systan.” * 
Hunting has always been a favourite recreation with 
Mohammedan princes ; and, in fact, we find that it 
has at all times formed the chief amusement of war- 
like races. The general mode in different countries 
varies little; but that of coursing with the cheetah, or 
hunting-leopard, is, I believe, peculiar to India. Most 
Mohammedans of rank have several of these animals ; 
and that this plan of coursing was pursued in the days 
of Timur there is not much reason to doubt, when we 
consider how little the customs of all Oriental races 
have altered during the lapse of ages. 
The manner of hunting by the cheetah is extremely 
interesting. The creature is conveyed to a spot which 
the herd is known to frequent, upon a hackery or plat- 
form, raised on wheels of about three feet diameter. 
Over the cheetah’s head is placed a hood, which is 
withdrawn the moment the herd appears in sight. 
* Memoirs, p. 84. 
