a forgotten empire-vijayanagar-第39章

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anded　us　to　be　lodged　in　some　very　good　houses；　and　Figueiredo　was　visited　by　many　lords　and　captains；　and　other　persons　who　came　on　behalf　of　the　king。　And　the　king　sent　him　many　sheep　and　fowls；　and　many　vessels　（CALOEES）　full　of　butter　and　honey　and　many　other　things　to　eat；　which　he　at　once　distributed　amongst　all　the　foot…soldiers　and　people　whom　he　had　brought　with　him。　The　king　said　many　kind　and　pleasant　things　to　him；　and　asked　him　concerning　the　kind　of　state　which　the　king　of　Portugal　kept　up；　and　having　been　told　about　it　all　he　seemed　much　pleased。

Returning　then　to　the　city　of　Bisnaga；　you　must　know　that　from　it　to　the　new　city　goes　a　street　as　wide　as　a　place　of　tourney；　with　both　sides　lined　throughout　with　rows　of　houses　and　shops　where　they　sell　everything；　and　all　along　this　road　are　many　trees　that　the　king　commanded　to　be　planted；　so　as　to　afford　shade　to　those　that　pass　along。　On　this　road　he　commanded　to　be　erected　a　very　beautiful　temple　of　stone；＇410＇　and　there　are　other　pagodas　that　the　captains　and　great　lords　caused　to　be　erected。

So　that；　returning　to　the　city　of　Bisnaga；　you　must　know　that　before　you　arrive　at　the　city　gates　there　is　a　gate　with　a　wall　that　encloses　all　the　other　enclosures　of　the　city；　and　this　wall　is　a　very　strong　one　and　of　massive　stonework；　but　at　the　present　time　it　is　injured　in　some　places。　They　do　not　fail　to　have　citadels＇411＇　in　it。　This　wall　has　a　moat　of　water　in　some　places；　and　in　the　parts　where　it　was　constructed　on　low　ground。　And　there　is；　separate　from　it；　yet　another　（defence）　made　in　the　following　manner。　Certain　pointed　stones　of　great　height　are　fixed　in　the　ground　as　high　as　a　man's　breast；　they　are　in　breadth　a　lance…shaft　and　a　half；　with　the　same　distance　between　them　and　the　great　wall。　This　wall　rises　in　all　the　low　ground　till　it　reaches　some　hill　or　rocky　land。　From　this　first　circuit　until　you　enter　the　city　there　is　a　great　distance；　in　which　are　fields　in　which　they　sow　rice　and　have　many　gardens　and　much　water；　which　water　comes　from　two　lakes。　The　water　passes　through　this　first　line　of　wall；　and　there　is　much　water　in　the　lakes　because　of　springs；　and　here　there　are　orchards　and　a　little　grove　of　palms；　and　many　houses。

Returning；　then；　to　the　first　gate　of　the　city；　before　you　arrive　at　it　you　pass　a　little　piece　of　water　and　then　you　arrive　at　the　wall；　which　is　very　strong；　all　of　stonework；　and　it　makes　a　bend　before　you　arrive　at　the　gate；　and　at　the　entrance　of　this　gate　are　two　towers；　one　on　each　side；　which　makes　it　very　strong。　It　is　large　and　beautiful。　As　soon　as　you　pass　inside　there　are　two　little　temples；　one　of　them　has　an　enclosing　wall　with　many　trees；　while　the　whole　of　the　other　consists　of　buildings；　and　this　wall　of　the　first　gate　encircles　the　whole　city。　Then　going　forward　you　have　another　gate　with　another　line　of　wall；　and　it　also　encircles　the　city　inside　the　first；　and　from　here　to　the　king's　palace　is　all　streets　and　rows　of　houses；　very　beautiful；　and　houses　of　captains　and　other　rich　and　honourable　men；　you　will　see　rows　of　houses　with　many　figures　and　decorations　pleasing　to　look　at。　Going　along　the　principal　street；　you　have　one　of　the　chief　gateways；＇412＇　which　issues　from　a　great　open　space＇413＇　in　front　of　the　king's　palace；　opposite　this　is　another　which　passes　along　to　the　other　side　of　the　city；　and　across　this　open　space　pass　all　the　carts　and　conveyances　carrying　stores　and　everything　else；　and　because　it　is　in　the　middle　of　the　city　it　cannot　but　be　useful。

This　palace　of　the　king　is　surrounded　by　a　very　strong　wall　like　some　of　the　others；　and　encloses　a　greater　space　（TERAA　MOOR　CERCA）　than　all　the　castle　of　Lisbon。

Still　going　forward；　passing　to　the　other　gate　you　see　two　temples　connected　with　it；　one　on　each　side；　and　at　the　door　of　one　of　these　they　kill　every　day　many　sheep；　for　in　all　the　city　they　do　not　kill　any　sheep　for　the　use　of　the　heathen　（Hindus）；　or　for　sale　in　the　markets；　except　at　the　gate　of　this　pagoda。　Of　their　blood　they　make　sacrifices　to　the　idol　that　is　in　the　temple。　They　leave　the　heads　to　him；　and　for　each　sheep　they　give　a　SACO　（CHAKRAM）；　which　is　a　coin　like　a　CARTILHA　（QUARTILHA　　a　farthing）。

There　is　present　at　the　slaughter　of　these　beasts　a　JOGI　（priest）　who　has　charge　of　the　temple；　and　as　soon　as　they　cut　off　the　head　of　the　sheep　or　goat　this　JOGI　blows　a　horn　as　a　sign　that　the　idol　receives　that　sacrifice。　Hereafter　I　shall　tell　of　these　JOGIS；　what　sort　of　men　they　are。＇414＇

Close　to　these　pagodas　is　a　triumphal　car　covered　with　carved　work　and　images；　and　on　one　day　in　each　year　during　a　festival　they　drag　this　through　the　city　in　such　streets　as　it　can　traverse。　It　is　large　and　cannot　turn　corners。

Going　forward；　you　have　a　broad　and　beautiful　street；　full　of　rows　of　fine　houses　and　streets　of　the　sort　I　have　described；　and　it　is　to　be　understood　that　the　houses　belong　to　men　rich　enough　to　afford　such。　In　this　street　live　many　merchants；　and　there　you　will　find　all　sorts　of　rubies；　and　diamonds；　and　emeralds；　and　pearls；　and　seed…pearls；　and　cloths；　and　every　other　sort　of　thing　there　is　on　earth　and　that　you　may　wish　to　buy。　Then　you　have　there　every　evening　a　fair　where　they　sell　many　common　horses　and　nags　（ROCIS　E　SEMDEIROS）；　and　also　many　citrons；　and　limes；　and　oranges；　and　grapes；　and　every　other　kind　of　garden　stuff；　and　wood；　you　have　all　in　this　street。　At　the　end　of　it　you　have　another　gate　with　its　wall；　which　wall　goes　to　meet　the　wall　of　the　second　gate　of　which　I　have　spoken　in　such　sort　that　this　city　has　three　fortresses；　with　another　which　is　the　king's　palace。　Then　when　this　gate　is　passed　you　have　another　street　where　there　are　many　craftsmen；　and　they　sell　many　things；　and　in　this　street　there　are　two　small　temples。　There　are　temples　in　every　street；　for　these　appertain　to　institutions　like　the　confraternities　you　know　of　in　our　parts；＇415＇　of　all　the　craftsmen　and　merchants；　but　the　principal　and　greatest　pagodas　are　outside　the　city。　In　this　street　lodged　Christovao　de　Figueiredo。　On　every　Friday　you　have　a　fair　there；　with　many　pigs　and　fowls　and　dried　fish　from　the　sea；　and　other　things　the　produce　of　the　country；　of　which　I　do　not　know　the　name；　and　in　like　manner　a　fair　is　held　every　day　in　different　parts　of　the　city。　At　the　end　of　this　street　is　the　Moorish　quarter；　which　is　at　the　very　end　of　the　city；　and　of　these　Moors　there　are　many　who　are　natives　of　the　country＇416＇　and　who　are　paid　by　the　king　and　belong　to　his　guard。　In　this　city　you　will　find　men　belonging　to　every　nation　and　people；　because　of　the　great　trade　which　it　has；　and　the　many　precious　stones　there；　principally　diamonds。

The　size　of　this　city　I　do　not　write　here；　because　it　cannot　all　be　seen　from　any　one　spot；　but　I　climbed　a　hill　whence　I　could　see　a　great　part　of　it；　I　could　not　see　it　all　because　it　lies　between　several　ranges　of　hills。　What　I　saw　from　thence　seemed　to　me　as　large　as　Rome；　and　very　beautiful　to　the　sight；　there　are　many　groves　of　trees　within　it；　in　the　gardens　of　the　houses；　and　many　conduits　of　water　which　flow　into　the　midst　of　it；　and　in　places　there　are　lakes　（TAMQUES）；　and　the　king　has　close　to　his　palace　a　palm…grove　and　other　rich…bearing　fruit…trees。　Below　the　Moorish　quarter　is　a　little　river；　and　on　this　side　are　many　orchards　and　gardens　with　many　fruit…trees；　for　the　most　part　mangoes　and　areca…palms　and　jack…trees；　and　also　many　lime　and　orange　trees；　growing　so　closely　one　to　another　that　it　appears　like　a　thick　forest；　and　there　are　also　white　grapes。　All　the　water　which　is　in　the　city　comes　from　the　two　tanks　of　which　I　have　spoken；　outside　the　first　enclosing　wall。

The　people　in　this　city　are　countless　in　number；　so　much　so　that　I　do　not　wish　to　write　it　down　for　fear　it　should　be　thought　fabulous；　but　I　declare　that　no　troops；　horse　or　foot；　could　break　their　way　through　any　street　or　lane；　so　great　are　the　numbers　of　the　people　and　elephants。

This　is　the　best　provided　city　in　the　world；　and　is　stocked　with　provisions　such　as　rice；　wheat；　grains；　Indian…corn；　and　a　certain　amount　of　barley　and　beans；　MOONG；＇417＇　pulses；　horse…gram；＇418＇　and　many　other　seeds　which　grow　in　this　country　which　are　the　food　of　the　people；　and　there　is　large　store　of　these　and　very　cheap；　but　wheat　is　not　so　common　as　the　other　grains；　since　no　one　eats　it　except　the　Moors。　But　you　will　find　what　I　have　mentioned。　The　streets　and　markets　are　full　of　laden　oxen　without　count；　so　that　you　cannot　get　along　for　them；　and　in　many　streets　you　come　upon　so　many　of　them　that　you　have　to　wait　for　them　to　pass；　or　else　have　to　go　by　another　way。　There　is　much　poultry；　they　give　three　fowls　in　the　city　for　a　coin　worth　a　VINTEM；＇419＇　which　coins　are　called　FAVAOS；＇420＇　outside　the　city　they　give　four　fowls　for　a　VINTEM。

In　this　country　there　are　many　partridges；　but　they　are　not　of　the　same　sort　or　quality　as　ours：　they　are　like　the　ESTARNAS＇421＇　of　Italy。

There　are　three　sorts　of　these：　one　class　has　only　a　small　spur　such　as　those　of　Portugal　have；　another　class　has　on　each　foot　two　very　sharp　spurs；　almost　as　long　and　thick　as　one's　finger；　the　other　class　is　painted；　and　of　these　you　will　find　the　markets　full；　as　also　of　quails；　and　hares；　and　all　kinds　of　wild　fowl；　and　other　birds　which　live　in　the　lakes　and　which　look　like　geese。　All　these　birds　and　game　animals　they　sell　alive；　and　they　are　very　cheap；　for　they　give　six　or　eight　partridges　for　a　VINTEM；　and　of　hares　they　give　two　and　sometimes　one。　Of　other　birds　they　give　more　than　you　can　count；　for　even　of　the　large　ones　they　give　so　many　that　you　would　hardly　pay　any　attention　to　the　little　ones　they　give　you；　such　as　doves　and　pigeons　and　the　common　birds　of　the　country。　The　doves　are　of　two　kinds；　some　are　like　those　in　Portugal；　others　are　as　large　as　thrushes；　of　the　doves　they　give　twelve　or　fourteen　for　a　FAVAO；　the　pigeons　are　the　same　price　as　the　other　birds。　Then　the　sheep　that　they　kill　every　day　are　countless；　one　could　not　number　them；　for　in　every　street　there　are　men　who　will　sell　you　mutton；　so　clean　and　so　fat　that　it　looks　like　pork；　and　you　also　have　pigs　in　some　streets　of　butchers'　houses　so　white　and　clean　that　you　could　never　see　better　in　any　country；　a　pig　is　worth　four　or　five　FANAMS。＇422＇　Then　to　see　the　many　loads　of　limes　that　come　each　day；　such　that　those　of　Povos　are　of　no　account；＇423＇　and　also　loads　of　sweet　and　sour　oranges；　and　wild　BRINJALS；　and　other　garden　stuff　in　such　abundance　as　to　stupefy　one。　For　the　state　of　this　city　is　not　like　that　of　other　cities；　which　often　fail　of　supplies　and　provisions；　for　in　this　one　everything　abounds；　and　also　the　quantity　of　butter　and　oil　and　milk　sold　every　day；　that　is　a　thing　I　cannot　refrain　from　mentioning；　and　as　for　the　rearing　of　cows　and　buffaloes　which　goes　on　in　the　city；　there　is　so　much　that　you　will　go　very　far　before　you　find　another　like　it。　There　are　many　pomegranates　also；　grapes　are　sold　at　three　bunches　a　FANAM；　and　pomegranates　ten　for　a　FANAM。

On　the　north　side　of　the　city　is　a　very　great　river　with　much　water；　in　which　are　many　fish；　which　fish　are　very　unwholesome；　and　in　this　river　there　is　that　which　passes　for　。。。　（SIC。　IN　ORIG。）；　other　streams　flow　into　it；　which