Travels in the Mogul Empire (Bernier) 9.2.4

9.2.4

The first care of the Grand Quarter-master is, as before remarked, to choose a suitable situation for the royal tents. The Am-kas is elevated above every other tent, because it is the landmark by which the order and disposition of the whole army is regulated. He then marks out the royal bazars, from which all the troops are supplied. The principal bazar is laid out in the form of a wide street, running through the whole extent of the army, now on the right, then on the left of the Am-kas, and always as much as possible in the direction of the next day's encampment. The other royal bazars, which are neither so long nor so spacious, generally cross this one, some on one side and some on another side of the King's quarters. All of them are distinguished by extremely long poles [cannes très-hautes] stuck in the ground at the distance of three hundred paces from each other, bearing red standards, and surmounted with the tails of the Great Tibet cows, which have the appearance of so many periwigs. The quarter-master then proceeds to plan the quarters for the Omrahs, that there may always be the same observance of regularity, and that each nobleman may be placed at his usual distance from the royal square, whether on the right or on the left, so that no individual may be permitted to change the place allotted to him, or which he expressed a wish to occupy before the commencement of the expedition.