The Rashīdī History 139.3

139.3

I have heard some of his confidants say that a treasure was found in the citadel of Khotan. There were twenty-seven jars [khum] of such a size that a man, with a quiver on, could get inside them, without stooping or bending [and without touching it on any side]. Inside each of these jars was a copper ewer [aftâba-i-mis]. One of these ewers fell into my possession. It is a sort of flask [surahi] with a long narrow neck, to which is fixed a rough iron handle. In the centre of the ewer is a copper spout, the nose of which is on a level with [barâbar] the mouth of the ewer. The height of it is, at a guess, over one and a half gaz. When filled with water, two persons had great difficulty in lifting it, and they could not carry it from one place to another. Inside each of the jars was placed one of these ewers, filled with gold dust, and outside [the ewers] the space was filled with bâlish of silver. In historical works, such as the Tdrikh-i-Jahan-Kushdi, the Jami-ut-Tavârikh, and others, a bâlish is thus described: "A bâlish is 500 mithkâl [of silver], made into a long brick with a depression in the middle." I had [at that time] only heard the name [and had never seen one myself but had read the description in these books]. These b&lish had been placed outside the ewers, but inside the jars. Many of them were brought, just as they were, to the treasury, which fell into the hands of the Khán's army [when Sultán Said Khán conquered Yarkand]. I myself possessed some of them.