Storia do Mogor 238.3.5

238.3.5

These governors may not leave the fortress during their term of office, nor allow any stranger to enter, save any known medical men when necessity requires. This happened to me once. When I arrived at Surat, the commander of the fort was ill, and sent for me. At the request of the governor of the city I went to see him. On entering the fort, they conducted me inside with my head covered, and the patient met me at the first gate. He made excuses that he had no permission from the king to allow me inside. It seems to me these orders apply to the fortresses near the sea, due to the fear they have of Europeans. In the Mogul territory I was not treated thus, for when I was called in I entered with full liberty; and to supersede such commanders the royal farmān is enough. These orders forbidding the commander of a fortress to come outside it were instituted by King Akbar, through an event that happened in his reign. On the road to Kabul, in among the mountains, is a small fortress called Colgolama (Qila'h-i-ghulaman)—that is, 'Fort of the Slaves.' In that time the commander and the greater part of the inhabitants left the fortress to amuse themselves during the vintage. They left their houses in the charge of slaves. These men, seeing themselves masters, free from menaces and chastisement, conspired together, shut the gates, and took possession of the fortress. They paid no attention to their masters' demands. The latter assembled and attacked the gates, trying to get in.