Every
day, for six persons, there were allowed a sheep, a goose, and two fowls;
and to each person two measures of flour, a large dish of rice, two great
basins full of things preserved with sugar, a pot of honey, some garlic,
onions, salt, several sorts of herbs, a bottle of dirapum[36], and a
basin of walnuts, filberts, chesnuts, and other dried fruits. They were
likewise attended from morning till night by a number of handsome servants.
[1] The capital of Khorassan, or Corassan, in the north-east of Persia,
then the residence of Shah Rokh. - Astl.
[2] Or Zu'lkaadeh, as pronounced by the Persians, called Dhu'lkaddeh by the
Arabians, which is the eleventh month of the Mahometan year. As this
year is lunar, the months run through all the seasons, for want of a
properly regulated kalendar, or a period like the Julian or Gregorian.
To enable the reader to understand the journal, we give the Persian
names of the months in their order: 1. Moharram; 2. Safar; 3.
Rabiya-al-awal, or Prior; 4, Rabiya-al-Akher, or Latter; 5. Jomada-al-
awal; 6. Jomada-al-akher; 7. Rajeb; 8. Shaaban; 9. Ramazan; 10.
Shawal; 11. Zu'lkaadeh; 12. Zu'lhejjeh. - Astl.
[3] This year began on Thursday, 16th January, 1420. - Astl.
[4] Ulug-Beg was the son and successor of Shah-Rokh, and was famous for his
astronomical tables. - Astl.
The Kathayans of Ulug-Beg, here mentioned, were probably Chinese
astronomers in the service of that prince, sent on the present
occasion to ascertain and report the geographical circumstances of the
journey. - E.
[5] The text here is obscure, as appearing to indicate Kathayan ambassadors
going to Kathay. They may have been ambassadors from Yong-lo to
Shakh-Rokh, now on their return. - E.
[6] Called Asperah by Forster. - E.
[7] From this description of the route, and the implied division of empire,
it would appear that Shah-Rokh ruled over a very ample portion of the
vast conquests of Timur, having under has command the countries of
Iran and Touran; or Persia, Chorassan, Balkh, Kharism, Great Bucharia,
and Fergaana; even including Samarkand, the imperial residence of
Timur. - E.
[8] Mr Forster calls this place Pielgutu, and explains the name by the
substitution of Palchas with a mark of interrogation as doubtful.
The geography of the East is rendered difficult and obscure, by the
frequent recurrence of names in different languages, and by a lax
orthography. Perhaps Pielgutu or Palchas, may have been situated on
the lake Balcash, otherwise named Palkati-nor, and Tengis - E.
[9] Otherwise Dagis and Dakgis - Astl.
[10] Called Lenger in Forster, who gives, as synonymous, Ab-lenger and Abi-
longur; which merely repeat the original name Lenger, with the prefix
abi, which signifies water or river.
