a forgotten empire-vijayanagar-第40章

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in　this　river　there　is　that　which　passes　for　。。。　（SIC。　IN　ORIG。）；　other　streams　flow　into　it；　which　make　it　very　large。

Now　as　to　the　places　on　the　bank　of　this　river。　There　is　a　city　built　there　which　they　call　SENAGUMDYM；＇424＇　and　they　say　that　of　old　it　was　the　capital　of　the　kingdom；　but　there　now　live　in　it　few　people；　it　still　has　good　walls　and　is　very　strong；　and　it　lies　between　two　hill…ranges　which　have　only　two　entrances。　A　captain　lives　in　this　city　for　the　king。　People　cross　to　this　place　by　boats　which　are　round　like　baskets；＇425＇　inside　they　are　made　of　cane；　and　outside　are　covered　with　leather；　they　are　able　to　carry　fifteen　or　twenty　persons；　and　even　horses　and　oxen　can　cross　in　them　if　necessary；　but　for　the　most　part　these　animals　swim　across。　Men　row　them　with　a　sort　of　paddle；　and　the　boats　are　always　turning　round；　as　they　cannot　go　straight　like　others；　in　all　the　kingdom　where　there　are　streams　there　are　no　other　boats　but　these。＇426＇

There　are　also　in　this　city　places　where　they　sell　live　sheep；　you　will　see　the　fields　round　the　city　full　of　them；　and　also　of　cows　and　buffaloes　　it　is　a　very　pretty　sight　to　see；　　and　also　the　many　she…goats　and　kids；　and　the　he…goats　so　large　that　they　are　bridled　and　saddled。　Many　sheep　are　like　that　also；　and　boys　ride　them。

Outside　the　city　walls　on　the　north　there　are　three　very　beautiful　pagodas；　one　of　which　is　called　VITELLA；＇427＇　and　it　stands　over　against　this　city　of　Nagumdym；　the　other　is　called　AOPERADIANAR；＇428＇　and　this　is　the　one　which　they　hold　in　most　veneration；　and　to　which　they　make　great　pilgrimages。

In　this　pagoda；　opposite　to　its　principal　gate　which　is　to　the　east；　there　is　a　very　beautiful　street　of　very　beautiful　houses　with　balconies　and　arcades；　in　which　are　sheltered　the　pilgrims　that　come　to　it；　and　there　are　also　houses　for　the　lodging　of　the　upper　classes；　the　king　has　a　palace　in　the　same　street；　in　which　he　resides　when　he　visits　this　pagoda。　There　is　a　pomegranate　tree　＇429＇　above　this　first　gate；　the　gate　has　a　very　lofty　tower　all　covered　with　rows　of　men　and　women　and　hunting　scenes　and　many　other　representations；　and　as　the　tower　goes　narrowing　towards　the　top　so　the　images　diminish　in　size。　Passing　this　first　gate；　you　come　at　once　into　a　large　courtyard　with　another　gate　of　the　same　sort　as　the　first；　except　that　it　is　rather　smaller　throughout；　and　passing　this　second　gate；　there　is　a　large　court　with　verandahs　all　round　on　pillars　of　stone；　and　in　the　middle　of　this　court　is　the　house　of　the　idol。

Opposite　the　principal　gate　stand　four　columns；　two　gilded　and　the　other　two　copper；　from　which；　owing　to　their　great　age　as　it　seems　to　me；　the　gold　has　worn　off；　and　the　other　two　are　also　of　copper；　for　all　are　of　copper。　That　which　stands　nearest　the　gate　of　the　temple　was　given　by　this　King　Crisnarao　who　now　reigns　here；　and　the　others　by　his　predecessors。　All　the　outer　side　of　the　gate　of　the　temple　up　to　the　roof　is　covered　with　copper　and　gilded；　and　on　each　side　of　the　roof　on　the　top　are　certain　great　animals　that　look　like　tigers；　all　gilt。　As　soon　as　you　enter　this　idol…shrine；　you　perceive　from　pillar　to　pillar　on　which　it　is　supported　many　little　holes　in　which　stand　oil　lamps；　which　burn；　so　they　tell　me；　every　night；　and　they　will　be　in　number　two　thousand　five　hundred　or　three　thousand　lights。　As　soon　as　you　pass　this　shrine　you　enter　another　small　one　like　the　crypt　（CINZEYRO）＇430＇　of　some　church；　it　has　two　doors　at　the　sides；　and　thence　onward　this　building　is　like　a　chapel；　where　stands　the　idol　which　they　adore。　Before　you　get　to　it　there　are　three　doors；　the　shrine　is　vaulted　and　dark　without　any　light　from　the　sky；　it　is　always　lit　with　candles。　At　the　first　gate　are　doorkeepers　who　never　allow　any　one　to　enter　except　the　Brahmans　that　have　charge　of　it；　and　I；　because　I　gave　something　to　them；　was　allowed　to　enter。　Between　gate　and　gate　are　images　of　little　idols。　The　principal　idol　is　a　round　stone　without　any　shape；　they　have　great　devotion　for　it。　This　building　outside　is　all　covered　with　copper　gilt。　At　the　back　of　the　temple　outside；　close　to　the　verandahs　of　which　I　have　spoken；　there　is　a　small　idol　of　white　alabaster　with　six　arms；＇431＇　in　one　it　has　a　。。。＇432＇　and　in　the　other　a　sword；　and　in　the　others　sacred　emblems　（ARMAS　DE　CASA）；　and　it　has　below　its　feet　a　buffalo；　and　a　large　animal　which　is　helping　to　kill　that　buffalo。　In　this　pagoda　there　burns　continually　a　lamp　of　GHEE；　and　around　are　other　small　temples　for　houses　of　devotion。

The　other　temples　aforesaid　are　made　in　the　same　manner；　but　this　one　is　the　principal　one　and　the　oldest；　they　all　have　many　buildings　and　gardens　with　many　trees；　in　which　the　Brahmans　cultivate　their　vegetables＇433＇　and　the　other　herbs　that　they　eat。　Whenever　the　festival　of　any　of　these　temples　occurs　they　drag　along　certain　triumphal　cars　which　run　on　wheels；　and　with　it　go　dancing…girls　and　other　women　with　music　to　the　temple；　（conducting）　the　idol　along　the　said　street　with　much　pomp。　I　do　not　relate　the　manner　in　which　these　cars　are　taken；　because　in　all　the　time　that　I　was　in　this　city　none　were　taken　round。　There　are　many　other　temples　in　the　city　of　which　I　do　not　here　speak；　to　avoid　prolixity。

You　should　know　that　among　these　heathen　there　are　days　when　they　celebrate　their　feasts　as　with　us；　and　they　have　their　days　of　fasting；　when　all　day　they　eat　nothing；　and　eat　only　at　midnight。　When　the　time　of　the　principal　festival　arrives　the　king　comes　from　the　new　city　to　this　city　of　Bisnaga；　since　it　is　the　capital　of　the　kingdom　and　it　is　the　custom　there　to　make　their　feasts　and　to　assemble。　For　these　feasts　are　summoned　all　the　dancing…women　of　the　kingdom；　in　order　that　they　should　be　present；　and　also　the　captains　and　kings　and　great　lords　with　all　their　retinues；　　except　only　those　whom　the　king　may　have　sent　to　make　war；　or　those　who　are　in　other　parts；　or　at　the　far　end　of　the　kingdom　on　the　side　where　（an　attack）　is　feared；　such　as　the　kingdom　of　Oria　and　the　territories　of　the　Ydallcao；　and　even　if　such　captains　are　absent　in　such　places；　there　appear　for　them　at　the　feasts　those　whom　I　shall　hereafter　mention。

These　feasts　begin　on　the　12th　of　September；＇434＇　and　they　last　nine　days；　and　take　place　at　the　king's　palace。

The　palace　is　on　this　fashion：　it　has　a　gate　opening　on　to　the　open　space＇435＇　of　which　I　have　spoken；　and　over　this　gate　is　a　tower　of　some　height；　made　like　the　others　with　its　verandahs；　outside　these　gates　begins　the　wall　which　I　said　encircled　the　palace。　At　the　gate　are　many　doorkeepers＇436＇　with　leather　scourges　in　their　hands；　and　sticks；　and　they　let　no　one　enter　but　the　captains　and　chief　people；　and　those　about　whom　they　receive　orders　from　the　Chief　of　the　Guard。　Passing　this　gate　you　have　an　open　space；　and　then　you　have　another　gate　like　the　first；　also　with　its　doorkeepers　and　guards；　and　as　soon　as　you　enter　inside　this　you　have　a　large　open　space；　and　on　one　side　and　the　other　are　low　verandahs　where　are　seated　the　captains　and　chief　people　in　order　to　witness　the　feasts；　and　on　the　left　side　of　the　north　of　this　open　space　is　a　great　one…storeyed　building　（TERREA）；　all　the　rest　are　like　it。　This　building　stands　on　pillars　shaped　like　elephants　and　with　other　figures；　and　all　open　in　front；　and　they　go　up　to　it　by　staircases　of　stone；　around　it；　underneath；　is　a　terrace　（CORREDOR）　paved　with　very　good　flagstones；　where　stand　some　of　the　people　looking　at　the　feast。　This　house　is　called　the　House　of　Victory；　as　it　was　made　when　the　king　came　back　from　the　war　against　Orya；　as　I　have　already　told　you。　On　the　right　side　of　the　open　space　were　some　narrow　scaffoldings；　made　of　wood　and　so　lofty　that　they　could　be　seen　over　the　top　of　the　wall；　they　were　covered　at　the　top　with　crimson　and　green　velvet　and　other　handsome　cloths；　and　adorned　from　top　to　bottom。　Let　no　one　fancy　that　these　cloths　were　of　wool；　because　there　are　none　such　in　the　country；　but　they　are　of　very　fine　cotton。　These　scaffoldings　are　not　always　kept　at　that　place；　but　they　are　specially　made　for　these　feasts；　there　are　eleven　of　them。　Against　the　gates　there　were　two　circles　in　which　were　the　dancing…women；　richly　arrayed　with　many　jewels　of　gold　and　diamonds　and　many　pearls。　Opposite　the　gate　which　is　on　the　east　side　of　the　front　of　the　open　space；　and　in　the　middle　of　it；　there　are　two　buildings　of　the　same　sort　as　the　House　of　Victory　of　which　I　have　spoken；　these　buildings　are　served　by　a　kind　of　staircase　of　stone　beautifully　wrought；　　one　is　in　the　middle　and　the　other　at　the　end。　This　building　was　all　hung　with　rich　cloths；　both　the　walls　and　the　ceiling；　as　well　as　the　supports；　and　the　cloths　of　the　walls　were　adorned　with　figures　in　the　manner　of　embroidery；　these　buildings　have　two　platforms　one　above　the　other；　beautifully　sculptured；　with　their　sides　well　made　and　worked；　to　which　platforms　the　sons　of　the　king's　favourites　come　for　the　feasts；　and　sometimes　his　eunuchs。　On　the　upper　platform；　close　to　the　king；　was　Christovao　de　Figueiredo；　with　all　of　us　who　came　with　him；　for　the　king　commanded　that　he　should　be　put　in　such　a　place　as　best　to　see　the　feasts　and　magnificence。　That　I　may　not　forget　to　tell　of　the　streets　that　are　in　the　palace　I　here　mention　them。　You　must　know　that　inside　the　palace　that　I　have　spoken　of　is　the　dwelling　of　the　king　and　of　his　wives　and　of　the　other　women　who　serve　them；　as　I　have　already　said；　who　are　twelve　thousand　in　number；　and　they　have　an　entrance　to　these　rows　of　houses　so　that　they　can　go　inside。　Between　this　palace　and　the　House　of　Victory　is　a　gate　which　serves　as　passage　to　it。　Inside　there　are　thirty…four　streets。

Returning　to　the　feasts；　you　must　know　that　in　this　House　of　Victory　the　king　has　a　room　（CASA）　made　of　cloth；　with　its　door　closed；　where　the　idol　has　a　shrine；　and　in　the　other；　in　the　middle　（of　the　building）；　is　placed　a　dais　opposite　the　staircase　in　the　middle；　on　which　dais　stands　a　throne　of　state　made　thus；　　it　is　four…sided；　and　flat；　with　a　round　top；　and　a　hollow　in　the　middle　for　the　seat。　As　regards　the　woodwork　of　it；　you　must　know　that　it　is　all　covered　with　silk　cloths　（？SOAJES）；＇437＇　and　has　lions　all　of　gold；　and　in　the　spaces　between　the　cloths　（SOAJES）　it　has　plates　of　gold　with　many　rubies　and　seed…pearls；　and　pearls　underneath；　and　round　the　sides　it　is　all　full　of　golden　images　of　personages；　and　upon　these　is　much　work　in　gold；　with　many　precious　stones。　In　this　chair　is　placed　an　idol；　also　of　gold；　embowered　in　roses　and　flowers。　On　one　side　of　this　chair；　on　the　dais　below；　stands　a　head…dress；　this　also　is　made　in　the　same　manner；　it　is　upright　and　as　high　as　a　span；　the　top　is　rounded；　it　is　all　full　of　pearls　and　rubies　and　all　other　precious　stones；　and　on　the　top　of　it　is　a　pearl　as　large　as　a　nut；　which　is　not　quite　round。　On　the　other　side　is　an　anklet　for　the　foot　made　in　the　same　fashion；　it　is　another　state　jewel；　and　is　full　of　large　pearls　and　of　many　rubies；　emeralds；　and　diamonds；　and　other　stones　of　value；　it　will　be　of　the　thickness　of　a　man's　arm。　In　front　of　all　this；　at　the　edge＇438＇　of　the　dais；　resting　on　a　support　were　some　cushions　where　the　king　was　seated　during　all　these　feasts。　The　feasts　commence　thus：