Fire-worshippers also came from Nousárí in Gujrát, proclaimed the religion of Zardusht as the true one, and declared reverence to fire to be superior to every other kind of worship. They also attracted the Emperor's regard, and taught him the peculiar terms, the ordi­nances, the rites and ceremonies of the Kaiánians.* At last he ordered that the sacred fire should be made over to the charge of Abu-l-Fazl, and that after the manner of the kings of Persia, in whose temples blazed perpetual fires, he should take care it was never extinguished night or day, for that it is one of the signs of God, and one light from the many lights of His creation.

From early youth, in compliment to his wives, the daughters of Rájahs of Hind, he had within the female apartments continued to burn the hom,* which is a ceremony derived from sun-worship; but on the New-year of the 25th year after his accession he prostrated himself both before the sun, and before the fire in public, and in the evening the whole Court had to rise up respectfully when the lamps and candles were lighted.

On the festival of the eighth day after the Sun's entering Virgo in this year he came forth to the public audience-chamber with his forehead marked like a Hindú, and he had jewelled strings tied on his wrists by Brahmans, by way of a blessing. The chiefs and nobles adopted the same practice in imitation of him, and presented on that day pearls and precious stones, suitable to their respective wealth and station. It became the current custom also to wear the rák'hí on the wrist, which means an amulet* formed out of twisted linen rags. [P. 262.] Every precept which was enjoined by the doctors of other religions he treated as manifest and decisive, in contradistinction to this Religion of ours, all the doctrines of which he set down to be senseless, and of modern origin, and the founders of it as nothing but poor Arabs, a set of scoundrels of highway-robbers, and the people of Islám as accursed. But in the course of time the truth of this verse* in its hidden meaning developed itself: “Fain would they put out the light of God with their mouths! but, though the Infidels abhor it, God will perfect his light.” By degrees the affair was carried to such a pitch that proofs were no longer considered necessary for abolishing the precepts of Islám. I remember, that in the early days of these discussions I had an argument with Shaikh Abu'-l-Fazl in the privy audience-chamber at Fatḥ-púr. He said: “It seems to me that there is a fair ob­jection to be made to all writers [on such subjects] on two grounds. First—Why should they not have written as circumstantial histories of the oid prophets, as they have done in the annals of their own Prophet (God bless him and his family, and give them peace!)?” I answered: “The stories of the prophets are numerous enough in all conscience!” He said: “Nay, they are too compendious, they ought to have been written more in detail.” I answered: “In times gone by just the amount now extant must have been thorough­ly sifted by critics and historians, and the rest not authenticated”.* He said: “This answer is not satisfactory. But secondly—There is no kind of handy-craft's man, who ís not mentioned in the tazkirat-ul-auliyá, and the nafaḥát-ul uns &c., but the people of the Prophet's own family what fault have they committed that they are not mentioned therein? This is a great subject of wonder.” On this topic whatever the time allowed was said, but who will care to hear it! Afterwards I asked: “who will ever have a greater passion for all these notorious heresies, than yourself?” He said: “I wish to wander for a few days in the vale of infidelity for sport.” I said: “It will not be a bad thing if you eventually take the yoke of marriage,* as they have said:—(P. 263).