The Rashīdī History 155.1.7

155.1.7

The citadel has six gateways, which are devised for great strength. The gates themselves are placed about a hundred gaz within [the walls] and on either side are two towers near together, so that should any one wish to enter either of the gates, he must [first] pass between these two towers. If an enemy attack the interior, he is assailed with arrows and stones from front and rear, as well as from right and left. This system is to be met with in very few forts. In the fort [ark] of this citadel, magnificent buildings have been constructed; but to describe them would be tedious. In the suburbs are about ten gardens, in which are erected lofty edifices, containing about a hundred rooms each. All these rooms are fitted with shelves and recesses in the wall [tâk and tâkcha bandi], they have ceilings of plaster work, and dados of glazed tiles [kâshi] and frescoes. Along the public roads are avenues of white poplar [safidâr] so that one may walk for a statutory [farsakh] and a half on every side of the city, under the shade of these trees. Streams run by most of the avenues. The water of Yarkand is the best in the world. Every praise which doctors have bestowed upon any water is true of this. It comes down from the mountains of Tibet (a month's journey distant), which are covered with snow and ice;