1808.) 
receive twelve thousand fenems every day 
from the income of taverns and other 
places of debauchery; it is impossible to 
describe the place allotted ‘for those 
buildings, or the beauty of those enchan- 
ting creatures who are found in them; 
we shall only say that they are situated 
behind the mint, and resemble a bazar, 
or market-place, of above three hundred 
cubits long, and more than twenty broad. 
On the right and left are two ranges of 
apartinents, with alcoves and raised seats 
on the front, formed of handsome stone 
work. On the walls are painted lions, 
tigers, leopards, and other animals; so 
admirably executed that one would ima- 
gine them to be alive. After the morn- 
ing prayer, young courtezans inthe bloom 
of beauty seat themselves before the 
doors of those apartments, which are kept 
in a state of considerable neatness. All 
those females are richly decorated with 
Jewels and pearls of great size; they re- 
ceive all who come to see th em, and even 
invite those who pass: by in the most 
pleasing and engaging manner. The 
master of the apartments 1s responsible 
for the property of any person, who may 
be induced to comply with the invita- 
tions of those frail beauties. 
‘There are many similar places devoted 
to the purposes of debauchery, within 
each of the seven inclosures; and the re- 
venne derived from them, serves, as be- 
fore mentioned, to maintain the twelve 
thousand men who guard the city. When 
any article is lost, those guards are obliged 
either to produce the “thief, the thing 
stolen, or to pay its value. Some of Abs 
dulrizak’s people had purchased a .few 
slaves, and these took an opportunity of 
running away. The Derougha, (or chief 
officer of police) on proper representation 
ef the circumstance, ordered the guards 
of that.quarter, in w hich the ambassador 
resided, to seek the fugitives and restore 
them to their masters, or to pay the full 
value of them, Such was the city of 
Bisnagor, and the greatness and power of 
Its sovereien, when the Persian ambas- 
sador arrived there, 
The habitation assigned to him was 
handsome and convenicnt, and there he 
soon recovered from the fatigues of his 
journey. The first day that he passed 
through this great city was the first also 
of Moharren (May 1, 1445.) On the 
evening of the next day, some officers 
ame to conduct him to the royal pre- 
Fe and he offered to his majesty five 
valuable horses, two pieces of damask and 
ef satin, The king was seated in state 
4 
Abdulrizak’s Travels from Persia to India. 289 
and ceremony, surrounded by a numerous 
crowd of courtiers, in the hall of forty 
columns; he was clothed in a, robe of 
olive-coloured satin, embroidered with 
pearls, and he wore a neckiace of pearls 
and diamonds so brilliant and precious, 
that the most experienced jeweller could 
not estimate their value. ‘his sovereign 
was a young man, weil formed, of aslen- 
der person “and dark colour ; the hair 
had only begun to shew itself on his 
cheeks. Abdulrizak, having been in- 
troduced and presented, saluted him witla 
profound respect, and the king, desiring 
him to sit down beside him, received the 
letter which he had brought from | Shah 
Rokh.. “We are delighted,” said he, 
“that so powerful a monarch has done 
us the honour of sending an ambas- 
sador.” | 
As Abdulrizak’s dress was very inconve- 
nient, and himself much incommoded by 
the excessive heat, the king, willing to re- 
lieve his distress, presented hin a Chi- 
nese fan,’ which he had held in his owa 
hard: ther two handfuls of betel were 
served to hun in a dish; and a parcel 
containing five hundred fenems and cam- 
phor, in grains, to the amount of twenty 
nuscals, ‘After this he was permitted to 
retire. 
The allowance from the king for the 
daily consumption of Abdulrizak’s house- 
hold, consisted of two sheep, four pair of 
fowls, five maunds* of rice, a maund of cil, 
as much of sugar, and two dirhems of gold. 
Lhe king sent for him twice every week, 
and took pleasure in inquiring about the 
actions of Shah Rokh; each time he pre- 
sented the ambassador with a quantity of 
fenems, a handful of betel, and seme 
camphor. On one occasion he said to 
Le “ Your kings make feasts for foreign 
fnvoys, but as such a custom is contrary 
to our laws, we offer these presents in- 
stead of a feast, which we could not par- 
take of with them.” The betel is a leaf 
resembling that of the orange tree, but 
a little longer, It is much used through- 
out all india, in some parts of Arabia, 
and im the kingdom of fformuz., ‘They 
use it in the foilowing manner: having in 
the mouth a little pepper, previously 
bruised, they take a bit of lime, about the 
size of a grain of Indian millet; this they 
moisten with a leaf of betel, and having 
formed a kind of pill, they. take it into 
their mouth, having sometimes as many 
* The maund is different in Persia and in 
India; the bazar-maund, or market-maund, is 
about seven pounds and a half French. 
as 
