Erection of the other Obelisk in the Kushk-i Shikár.—This obelisk stood in the vicinity of the town of Mírat, in the Doáb, and was somewhat smaller than the Minára-i zarín. This also was removed by Sultán Fíroz, with similar skill and labour, and was re-erected on a hill in the Kushk-i Shikár [amid great feast­ing and rejoicing]. After the erection of the pillar a large town sprang up, and the kháns and maliks of the Court built houses there. * * * Every great king took care during his reign to set up some lasting memorial of his power. So Sultán Shamsu-d dín Altamsh raised the large pillar in the Masjid-i jama' at old Dehlí, the history of which is well known. * * *

In these days, in the year 801 H. (1398 A.D.), Amír Tímúr, of Khurásán, has marched into India, and by the will of fate has subdued the empire of Hindustán. During his stay of some days in Dehlí, he inspected all the monuments of former kings, * * * and among them these two obelisks, when he declared that in all the countries he had traversed he had never seen any monuments comparable to these. * * *

Tenth Mukaddama.—Hunting Excursions.

* * * The author proposes to describe, in succession, how the various kinds of hunting were carried on.* The chase of the gor-khar or wild ass was pursued in the deserts between Dípálpúr and Sarsutí * * * during the hot season, when these animals congregate. * * * The chase of the deer, níl-gáos, etc., was carried on principally in the neighbourhood of Badáún and Anwála,* where these animals were found in great numbers. This district was waste, but well furnished with water and grass. No other such waste was to be found near Dehlí. * * * Orders were given for its being retained waste for hunting purposes, other­wise it would quickly have become peopled and cultivated under the prosperous and fostering government of Fíroz. * * * If a lion, tiger, or wolf was surrounded, the Sultán used to kill it first, and then pursue the other animals.

Eleventh Mukaddama.—Buildings erected by Fíroz Sháh.

Sultán Fíroz excelled all his predecessors on the throne of Dehlí in the erection of buildings, indeed no monarch of any country surpassed him. He built cities, forts, palaces, bands, mosques, and tombs, in great numbers. Of cities, there were Hisár Fírozah and Fath-ábád, of which the author has given an account in a previous chapter. Fíroz-ábád, Fíroz-ábád Hární Khíra, Tughlikpúr-i Kásna, Tughlikpúr-i Mulúk-i Kamút, and Jaunpúr, besides sundry other places and forts which he re­paired and strengthened. His palaces (kushk) were those of Fíroz, Nuzúl, Mahandwárí, Hisár Fírozah, Fath-ábád, Jaunpúr, Shikár, Band-i Fath Khán and Salaura. Bands: Fath Khán, Málja (into which he threw a body of fresh water, áb-i zamzam), Mahpálpúr, Shukr Khán, Salaura, Wazírábád, and other similar strong and substantial bands. He also built monasteries, and inns for the accommodation of travellers. One hundred and twenty khánkáhs (monasteries) were built in Dehlí and Fíroz-ábád for the accommodation of the people of God, in which travellers from all directions were receivable as guests for three days. These one hundred and twenty buildings were full of guests on all the three hundred and sixty days of the year. Superintendents and officers of the Sunní persuasion were ap­pointed to these khánkáhs, and the funds for their expenses were furnished from the public treasury. Malik Ghází Shahna was the chief architect, and was very efficient; he held the gold staff (of office). 'Abdu-l Hakk, otherwise Jáhir Sundhár (was deputy, and) held the golden axe. A clever and qualified superintendent was appointed over every class of artisans. * * * The Sultán also repaired the tombs of former kings. * * * It is a custom among kings while they are on the throne to appropriate villages and lands to religious men in order to provide means for the maintenance and repair of their tombs. But these endowments had all been destroyed, and the grantees being divested of them, were reduced to distress. * * * The Sultán carefully repaired all the tombs and restored the lands and villages after bringing into cultivation such as had been laid waste. He also sought out and restored the superintendents and officers of these endowments who had been driven out of them. * * * The financial officer (díwán-i wizárat) examined the plan of every proposed building, and made provision so that the work should not be stopped for want of funds. The necessary money was issued from the royal treasury to the managers of the build­ing, and then the work was begun. Thus it was that so many buildings of different kinds were erected in the reign of Fíroz Sháh.

* * * The Sultán gave directions that when there were any workmen out of employ in the city they were to be sent to him. The kotwál used to call his district officers before him, and make enquiries of them. The most respectable people, out of shame, would not make their necessities known, and such gentlemen as these were brought to the kotwál by his officers. * * * When they were brought before the Sultán they were all placed in employ. Men of the pen were sent into the Government estab­lishments (kár-khána), intelligent men of business were placed under the Khán-i Jahán, if any one expressed a desire to be made the slave (banda) of any particular nobleman, the Sultán himself used to send a letter of recommendation to that noble; and if one desired to be made the slave (banda) of an amír who held a fief (iktá'), a farmán was sent to that amír, and the applicant proceeded thither. So, few persons remained without employment, and wherever one of the unemployed was sent, there he found a comfortable settlement. * * *

Sultán Fíroz had thirty-six royal establishments, for which enormous supplies of articles were collected, * * * and the annual outlay on which was very large. Some of them were in receipt of a regular payment (ráyatí); others had no fixed income (ghair-ráyatí). Thus among the ráyatí establishments there were the elephant, horse, and camel stables, the kitchen, the butlery, the candle department, the dog-kennels, the water-cooling department and other similar establishments. These received a regular monthly allowance of one lac and sixty thou­sand tankas for their expenses, in addition to which there was the cost of their furniture,* and the monthly salaries of the ac­countants * and other officers, which also amounted to one lac and sixty thousand silver tankas. In the establishments which received no regular allowance, such as the wardrobe, the 'alam-khána or insignia, the carpet stores, and the like, new goods were procured every year according to orders given. In the winter season six lacs of tankas were expended on the wardrobe, besides the outlay for the spring and summer. 80,000 tankas were expended on the 'alam-khána in the purchase of articles, besides the salaries of the accountants and the wages of the work­people. About two lacs of tankas were expended in the carpet department. Each of these establishments was under the charge of a khán or malik of high rank; thus the wardrobe was under the superintendence of Malik 'Ali and Malik Isma'íl. * * *

Khwája Abú-l Hasan Khán was charged with the general superintendence of all the kár-khánas, and through him all orders were issued to the respective establishments. There was a separate financial department (díwán-khána) for the kár-khánas, in which the general accounts were kept, but the accounts were rendered to and recorded in the exchequer (díwán-i wizárat). So that the exchequer not only kept an account of the land revenues (iktá'), but also of the expenditure of the kár-khánas. There were many accountants in the various kár-khánas who received monthly pay. * * The royal stables were in five different places, * * * and, beside these, some thousands of horses grazed in the neighbourhood of Dehlí, and were called sih-panj. The camel establishment was distinct, * * * and was in the district of Dub-láhan, where whole villages were appropriated to them and their keepers. * * * Their numbers increased every year, because the great feudatories, when they came to Court, brought camels of all sorts among their presents to the throne. * * *