Storia do Mogor 61.2

61.2

During the time that I dwelt in Hindustan I saw various ancient buildings with many Chinese images and letters cut on the stones and other such works, all of which give rise to the idea that the Chinese had dwelt here. Two leagues from the city of Dilhi there is an ancient city called Cojacotobdim (Khwajah Qutb-ud-din), so named from an ancient tomb, still existing, whose builders have vanished. At this place I have seen several times a very ancient hall built of great stones. In front of the said hall there is a pillar of bronze buried in the rock; it is two arms' length in height and nine palms in circumference. On this pillar there are some engraved letters, and to this day no one has been able to recognise what letters they are, although many inquirers have done their best to find out what they are meant to denote. The inhabitants say that the letters are Chinese. Signs of the presence of the Chinese are not wanting in Hindustan. These are found chiefly in the country of the Dacan (Dakhin), where there is a hill called Alura (Ilurah, Ellora), twenty-four leagues distant from Aurangabad, towards the west. At that place there are several caves dug out by pickaxes, forming lovely open courts, halls, rooms, cells, having corner-stones ornamented with various Chinese figures, and some reservoirs of natural water provided with many steps. In one of these halls there are thirteen statues, sculptured out of the live rock. Each one has its own special form.