A History of Agriculture in India v2.c57.s3.1

v2.c57.s3.1

Shahabu-d-Din Abu-l ‘Abbas Ahmad, a native of Damascus (d. 1348 A.D.) in his *Masaliku-l Absar fi Mamaliku-l Amsar* (Travels of the Eyes into the Kingdoms of Different Countries) thus describes this system of communication. ‘For communicating the events which happen in distant provinces, there are established, between the capital and the chief cities of the different countries, posts, placed at certain distances from each other, which are like the post-relays in Egypt and Syria; but they are less wide apart, because the distance between them is not more than four bow-shots, or even less. At each of these posts ten swift runners are stationed, whose duty it is to convey letters to the next station without the least delay. As soon as one of these men receives a letter, he runs off as rapidly as possible, and delivers it to the next runner, who starts immediately with similar speed, while the former returns quietly to his own post. Thus a letter from a very distant place is conveyed in a very short time with greater alacrity than if it had been transmitted by post, or by camel express. At each of these post-stations there are mosques, where prayers are said, and where travellers can find shelter, reservoirs full of good water, and markets where all things necessary for the food of man and beast can be purchased, so that there is very little necessity for carrying water, or food, or tents.’²