Storia do Mogor 97.2
Storia do Mogor (Irvine) 97.2
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97.2.1
Other men on foot march with a rope in their hands, measuring the route in the following way. They begin at the royal tent upon the king's coming forth. The man in front who has [49] the rope in his hand makes a mark on the ground, and when the man in the rear arrives at this mark he shouts out, and the first man makes a fresh mark and counts ' two.' Thus they proceed throughout the march, counting ' three,' ' four,' and so on. Another man on foot holds a score in his hand and keeps count. If perchance the king asks how far he has travelled, they reply at once, as they know how many of their ropes go to a league. There is another man on foot who has charge of the hourglass, and measures the time, and each time announces the number of hours with a mallet on a platter of bronze. Behind all these the king moves on his way quietly and very slowly. So great is the dignity with which the Mogul kings travel, and the delicacy with which they are treated, that ahead of the column goes a camel carrying some white cloth, which is used to cover over any dead animal or human being found on the road. They place heaps of stones on the corners, so that the cloth may not be blown away by the wind. When he passes, the king stops and asks the why and the wherefore.
97.2.2
[Behind all these squadrons rode on horseback the princes Sultan Mu'azzam and Sultan A'zam.] After the king came ten horsemen, four with the royal matchlocks enclosed in cloth-of-gold bags: one bore his spear, one his sword, one his shield, one his dagger, one his bow, one the royal arrows and quiver; all of these in cloth-of-gold bags. After the weapons came the captain of the guard with his troops, then the three royal palanquins, and other palanquins for the princes; then, after the palanquins, twenty-four horsemen, eight with pipes, eight with trumpets, and eight with kettle-drums. Behind these mounted musicians were the five royal elephants bearing litters (cherollas); also three elephants, one of which, that in the middle, bore three hands in silver upon a crossbar at the end of a pole, covered with its hood of Malacca [velvet]. These signify 'Observer of the Mahomedan faith.' The other two bore hands in the same style, which signify 'Augmenter and Conservator of the faith.' On the right of this middle one was another elephant, which displayed a plate of copper (lamina) upon a staff, with engraved letters in Arabic, meaning 'God is One, and Muhammad just.' The other had a pair of scales, which means 'a king dealing with justice.' On the right [?
97.2.3
left] hand was another elephant bearing a crocodile's head, with a body made of fine white cloth, which, when moved by the wind, looked like a real crocodile, signifying 'Lord of the rivers.' On the left went an elephant showing a spear, which means 'the Conqueror'; to its left again, another with the head of a fish having a body made of cloth, and when swaying in the wind [50] this looked like a great fish, and it means 'Lord of the seas.' All these elephants were decorated with valuable housings and ornaments. They were followed by twelve more bearing large kettle-drums, and other instruments made of refined metals not employed in Europe. They are of the nature of large dishes, which, being beaten one against the other, make a great noise. These musical instruments are employed by Armenians, Syrians, and Maronites in Syria at church solemnities and at weddings; they are also used at such events by the Turks. After these musicians came Rajah Jai Singh with eight thousand horsemen, serving as rearguard. Be it known to the reader that each division of those spoken of had six highly-adorned elephants, with rich trappings, displaying on brilliant flags the device of its commander.
97.2.4
At some distance from the foregoing came Roshan Ara Begam upon a very large elephant in a litter called pitambar, which is a dome-roofed throne, very brilliant, made all of enamelled gold, and highly adorned. Behind her followed one hundred and fifty women, her servants, riding handsome horses, and covered from head to foot with their mantles of various colours, each with a cane in her hand. Before Roshan Ara Begam's elephant marched four elephants with standards, and a number of bold and aggressive men on foot to drive away everybody, noble or pauper, with blows from sticks and with pushes. Thus I wonder when I find someone writing in Europe that he managed one day to get near enough to see a woman servant whisking away the flies from Roshan Ara Begam, which is an impossibility. For the princesses and nobles' wives are XIV. Shah 'Alam, Second Son of Aurangzeb. To face page 72. shut up in such a manner that they cannot be seen, although they can observe the passers-by.
97.2.5
Behind Roshan Ara Begam came her retinue, which consisted of several sour-faced eunuchs on horseback, with others on foot surrounding the litter; after these were three elephants with different kinds of litters covered in rich cloth. Still farther in the rear were many palanquins covered with different nettings of gold thread, in which travelled her chosen ladies. Following them were some sixty elephants with covered litters, carrying her other women. After Roshan Ara Begam's retinue came three queens, wives of Aurangzeb, and other ladies of the harem, each with her own special retinue. It would be [51] very lengthy to recount all the details of this march, the Moguls being extremely choice in such matters, overlooking no detail that could minister to their glory.
97.2.6
It remains to state that ahead of all this innumerable throng there always moved one day ahead, at the least, the Grand Master of the Royal Household, with other engineers, to choose an appropriate site where the royal tents should be unloaded. For this purpose is always chosen some pleasant spot. The camp is divided in such a way that on the arrival of the army there may be no confusion. In the first instance they fix the site of the royal enclosure, which, by measurements I subsequently took several times, occupies five hundred paces in circumference. Behind the royal quarters is another gateway, where the women live, a place much respected. After this is arranged they fix the position of the tents of the princes, the generals, and the nobles. This is so managed that between these tents and the royal tents there should be a wide space. The central space is encircled by scarlet cloths, having a height of three arm-lengths, and these serve as walls. Around these enclosing screens are posted the field-pieces; in front of them is a ditch, and behind them are palisades of wood made like network, which open and shut just like the ancient chairs of Venice. At the sides of the gateway, at a distance of one hundred and thirty paces, were two tents, holding each nine horses, most of them saddled. In front of the gateway is a large raised tent for the drummers and players of music.
97.2.7
Among the special royal tents are some where the king gives audience; these are supported by small ornamented masts, upon which are gilt knobs. No one else may make use of these knobs, only persons of the blood-royal. On the top of a very high mast was a lighted lantern, which served as a guide to those who arrived late. The tents of the rajahs and nobles, although high, must not be so high as those of the king; otherwise they would run the risk of having their tents knocked down and being ruined themselves.
97.2.8
When the king comes out of his tent to begin a march, the princes, nobles, and generals throng round to pay him court, each one bringing forward some short request, to which a brief answer is given. They accompany the king to the end of the camp in which they had halted for that day, then each departs to his proper place in his own division. Then the king joins the huntsmen, and announces whether he intends to go hunting or not. When he so wishes he leaves the army, and is followed by only the men on foot and the soldiers of his guard. Everybody else continues the march very slowly. If he does not wish to hunt, the huntsmen move to their previously appointed places. When the advance tents come into sight, the musicians commence anew to play their instruments until the king has passed through the gateway of the tents. Then the small artillery is discharged, while the queens and ladies offer to the king congratulations on arrival, saying, 'Manzel mobarec' (Manzil mubdrak), which means 'Happy be the journey.'
97.2.9
It should be observed that, although the princesses and ladies start the last, they always arrive the first, having taken some other shorter route. Ordinarily the women start after the baggage and move quickly. I knew that in this journey Roshan Ara Begam did not take in her litter her maid-servant, but in the latter's place a youth dressed as a maid-servant. God knows what they were up to, in addition to drinking wine. The person who told me this was a friend of mine, a eunuch who loved wine. The same story was confirmed after the princess's death by several ladies of her suite, and much can be inferred from what I have already said at the time the king came to Dihli (II. 24).