NOTES. TH Page 1. HESE particulars of the visit of the King of Bucharia to Aurungzebe are found in Dow's History of Hindostan, vol. iii. p. 392. Page 2. The mistress of Mejnoun, upon whose story so many Romances, in all the languages of the East, are founded. Page 2. For the loves of this celebrated beauty with Khosrou and with Ferhad, v. D'Herbelot, Gibbon, Oriental Collections, &c. Page 2. "The history of the loves of Dewildé and Chizer, the son of the Emperor Alla, is written in an elegant poem, by the noble Chusero." - Ferishta. Page 3. Those insignia of the Emperor's favour, &c. "One mark of honour or knighthood bestowed by the Emperor is the permission to wear a small kettledrum at the bows of their saddles, which at first was invented for the training of hawks, and to call them to the lure, and is worn in the field by all sportsmen to that end." Fryer's Travels. "Those on whom the King has conferred the privilege must wear an ornament of jewels on the right side of the turban, surmounted by a high plume of the feathers of a kind of egret. This bird is found only in Cashmeer, and the feathers are carefully collected for the King, who bestows them on his nobles." - Elphinstone's Account of Caubul. Page 3. Khedar Khan, &c. "Khedar Khan, the Khakan, or King of Turquestaq beyond the Gihon (at the end of the eleventh century) whenever he appeared abroad was preceded by seven hundred horsemen with silver battle-axes, and was followed by an equal number bearing maces of gold. He was a great patron of poetry, and it was he who used to preside at public exercises of genius, with four basins of gold and silver by him to distribute among the poets who excelled.” . Richardson's Dissertation prefixed to his Dictionary. Page 3. The gilt pine-apples, &c. "The kubdeh, a large golden knob, shape of a pine-apple, on the top of the generally in the canopy over the litter or palanquin." Scott's notes on the Bahardanush. Page 3. The rose-coloured veils of the Princess's litter. In the Poem of Zohair, in the Moallakat, there is the following lively description of "a company of maidens. seated on camels." "They are mounted in carriages covered with costly awnings, and with rose-coloured veils, the linings of which have the hue of crimson Andem-wood. "When they ascend from the bosom of the vale, they sit forward on the saddle-cloths, with every mark of a voluptuous gaiety. "Now, when they have reached the brink of yon blue gushing rivulet, they fix the poles of their tents like the Arab with a settled mansion." Page 4. A young female slave sat fanning her, &c. See Bernier's description of the attendants on RauchanaraBegum in her progress to Cashmere. Page 4. Religion, of which Aurungzebe was a munificent protector. This hypocritical Emperor would have made a worthy associate of certain Holy Leagues. "He held the cloak of religion (says Dow) between his actions and the vulgar; and impiously thanked the Divinity for a success which he owed to his own wickedness. When he was murdering and persecuting his brothers and their families, he was building a magnificent mosque at Delhi, as an offering to God for his assistance to him in the civil wars. He acted as high-priest at the consecration of this temple; and made a practice of attending divine service there, in the humble dress of a Fakeer. But when he lifted one hand to the Divinity, he, with the other, signed warrants for the assassination of his relations." — History of Hindostan, vol. iii. p. 335. See also the curious letter of Aurungzebe, given in the Oriental Collections, vol. i. p. 320. Page 5. The diamond eyes of the idol, &c. "The Idol at Jaghernat has two fine diamonds for eyes. No goldsmith is suffered to enter the Pagoda, one having stole one of these eyes, being locked up all night with the Idol.". Tavernier. Page 5. Gardens of Shalimar. See a description of these royal Gardens in " An Account of the present State of Delhi, by Lieut. W. Franklin." Asiat. Research. vol. iv. p. 417. Page 5. Lake of Pearl. · "In the neighbourhood is Notte Gill, or the Lake of Pearl, which receives this name from its pellucid water.". Pennant's Hindoostan. "Nasir Jung encamped in the vicinity of the Lake of Tonoor, amused himself with sailing on that clear and beautiful water, and gave it the fanciful name of Motee Talab, 'the Lake of Pearls,' which it still retains.” Wilks's South of India. |