104 H. G. Raverty— Tibbat three hundred and sixty-five years ago. [No. 2, 
The Khan sets out for Yar-kand, having nominated the author 
TO PROCEED TOWARDS URSANG, AND THE Khan’s DEATH. 
“ After my return from Kash-mlr to the Khan’s presence at 
Mar-yol, he held counsel with all his Amirs ; and finding that he was 
unable to undertake the chief object of this expedition himself, that is 
to say, the destruction of the great idol-temple of Ursang, 1 the place 
to which all the people of Khitae turn towards in prayer [most sacred 
place], and which he considered it was his duty as a pious Musalman 
to do, he determined to send me on that service. I was to take whom¬ 
soever I chose with me, and was to have entire control over every one. 
I determined to take my brother, ‘Abdu-l-lah Mirza, and my paternal 
uncle’s son, Mahmud Mirza, and Jankah Mirza, who is mentioned in 
the account of Kashghar; and of the common men I selected 2,000, 
and prepared for the expedition. Six days of Zi-Hijjah [the last 
month] were occupied in this, when the time came for bidding adieu to 
the Khan, who was going from Mar-yol to Yar-kand. I accompanied 
him one stage on the way, when the time for separation came. He kept 
his looks fixed upon me as long as he could see me, as I did towards 
him as long as he was in sight, and then I turned away with tearful 
eyes, and heart burning with the fire of separation from one I was never 
again to behold. I heard from him four days after, that he, having 
passed beyond the Saqiri l JJqbah or Pass, 2 intending to push on after 
he usual religious observances of the ‘Id-i-Azha [10th of the month 
above named] ; and this was his last epistle to me. After having 
observed the ceremonies of that festival he had set out, being taken 
on with all possible celerity; and he had cleared the Muz Art 3 [Ice 
Defile Pass] when his condition changed for the worst, through the 
noxious air of that tract. From thence to the place where the malady 
of dam-girl ceases to affect one was eight days’ journey [ordinary stages], 
and he wished to be taken on as quickly as possible. As the only 
hope of saving his life was to get him beyond its influence, they seated 
him on horseback, supporting him on either side, when an upright 
position is the worst possible one for a person suffering from this 
malady, and he ought to have been placed in a litter. They completed 
the eight stages in four days ; and at the time of afternoon prayer, 
had reached a place within three farsakhs or leagues of where all 
danger from dam-girl ceases, when the good IOian breathed his last.” 
[Here Mirza Haidar pays a grateful tribute to his memory, and mourns 
1 He writes this name Ursang as well as Ursang. 
2 See my Notes, page 314. 
8 This word is not ‘ muz,’ but muz, the u being long. 
