a forgotten empire-vijayanagar-第44章

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railing　of　pearls　a　span　wide；　on　it　were　two　cushions　and　no　other　covering。　Of　the　chamber　above　it　I　shall　not　say　if　it　held　anything　because　I　did　not　see　it；　but　only　the　one　below　on　the　right　side。　In　this　house　there　is　a　room　with　pillars　of　carved　stone；　this　room　is　all　of　ivory；　as　well　the　chamber　as　the　walls；　from　top　to　bottom；　and　the　pillars　of　the　cross…timbers　at　the　top　had　roses　and　flowers　of　lotuses　all　of　ivory；　and　all　well　executed；　so　that　there　could　not　be　better；　　it　is　so　rich　and　beautiful　that　you　would　hardly　find　anywhere　another　such。　On　this　same　side　is　designed　in　painting　all　the　ways　of　life　of　the　men　who　have　been　here　even　down　to　the　Portuguese；　from　which　the　king's　wives　can　understand　the　manner　in　which　each　one　lives　in　his　own　country；　even　to　the　blind　and　the　beggars。　In　this　house　are　two　thrones　covered　with　gold；　and　a　cot　of　silver　with　its　curtains。　Here　I　saw　a　little　slab　of　green　jasper；　which　is　held　for　a　great　thing　in　this　house。　Close　to　where　this　jasper　is；　I。E。　underneath　some　arches　where　is　the　entrance　into　the　palace；　there　is　a　little　door　closed　with　some　padlocks：　they　told　us　that　inside　it　there　was　a　treasury　of　one　of　the　former　kings。

As　soon　as　we　left　this　house　we　entered　a　courtyard　as　large　as　an　arena　for　beast…fights；　very　well　plastered；　and　almost　in　the　middle　are　some　pillars　of　wood；　with　a　cross　beam　at　the　top　all　covered　with　copper　gilt；　and　in　the　middle　four　chains　of　silver　links　with　hooks　which　are　caught　one　into　the　other；　this　serves　for　a　swing　for　the　wives　of　the　king。　At　the　entrance　of　this　courtyard　on　the　right　hand　we　mounted　four　or　five　steps　and　entered　some　beautiful　houses　made　in　the　way　I　have　already　told　you　　for　their　houses　are　single…storeyed　houses　with　flat　roofs　on　top；　although　on　top　there　may　be　other　houses；　the　plan　is　good；　and　they　are　like　terraces。　There　is　a　building　there　built　on　many　pillars；　which　are　of　stone…work；　and　so　also　is　all　the　work　of　the　roof；　with　all　the　rest　of　wood　（MANERIA）；　and　all　the　pillars　（with　all　the　other　work）　are　gilded　so　that　they　seem　as　if　covered　with　gold。

Then　at　the　entrance　of　this　building　in　the　middle　nave；　there　is；　standing　on　four　pillars；　a　canopy　covered　with　many　figures　of　dancing…women；　besides　other　small　figures＇460＇　which　are　placed　in　the　stone…work。　All　this　is　also　gilded；　and　has　some　red　colour　on　the　under…sides　of　the　leaves　which　stand　out　from　the　sculpture。　You　must　know　that　they　make　no　use　of　this　building　because　it　belongs　to　their　idol　and　to　the　temple。　At　the　end　of　this　is　a　little　closed　door　where　the　idol　is。　Whenever　they　celebrate　any　festival　of　this　idol；　they　carry　it　on　a　golden　throne　and　put　it　underneath　that　canopy　which　is　made　for　that　purpose；　and　then　come　the　Brahmans　to　perform　their　ceremonies　there；　and　the　dancing…girls　come　to　dance。

Descending　from　this　building；　we　passed　on　the　left　side　of　the　courtyard；　and　we　entered　a　corridor　which　runs　the　whole　length　of　it；　in　which　we　saw　some　things。　On　entering　the　corridor　was　a　cot　suspended　in　the　air　by　silver　chains；　the　cot　had　feet　made　of　bars　of　gold；　so　well　made　that　they　could　not　be　better；　and　the　cross…bars　of　the　cot　were　covered　with　gold。　In　front　of　this　cot　was　a　chamber　where　was　another　cot　suspended　in　the　air　by　chains　of　gold；　this　cot　had　feet　of　gold　with　much　setting　of　precious　stones；　and　the　cross…bars　were　covered　with　gold。　Above　this　chamber　was　another；　smaller；　and　with　nothing　in　it　save　only　that　it　was　gilt　and　painted。　Passing　this　chamber；　along　the　same　corridor　in　front　was　a　chamber　which　this　king；　commanded　to　be　made；　on　the　outside　were　figures　of　women　with　bows　and　arrows　like　amazons。　They　had　begun　to　paint　this　chamber；　and　they　told　us　that　it　had　to　be　finer　than　the　others；　and　that　it　was　to　be　all　plated　with　gold；　as　well　the　ground　below　as　all　the　rest。　Passing　this　corridor　and　mounting　up　into　another　which　is　higher；　we　saw　at　one　end　three　caldrons　of　gold；　so　large　that　in　each　one　they　could　cook　half　a　cow；　and　with　them　were　others；　very　large　ones；　of　silver；　and　also　little　pots　of　gold　and　some　large　ones。　Thence　we　went　up　by　a　little　staircase；　and　entered　by　a　little　door　into　a　building　which　is　in　this　manner。　This　hall　is　where　the　king　sends　his　women　to　be　taught　to　dance。　It　is　a　long　hall　and　not　very　wide；　all　of　stone　sculpture　on　pillars；　which　are　at　a　distance　of　quite　an　arm's　length　from　the　wall；　between　one　and　another　is　an　arm's　length　and　a　half；　perhaps　a　little　more。　These　pillars　stand　in　that　manner　all　around　the　building；　they　are　half…pillars　（？）＇461＇　made　with　other　hollows　（？）　all　gilt。＇462＇　In　the　supports　（or　pedestals）　on　the　top＇463＇　are　many　great　beasts　like　elephants；　and　of　other　shapes；　it　is　open　so　that　the　interior　is　seen；　and　there　are　on　the　inner　side　of　these　beasts　other　images；　each　placed　according　to　its　character；　there　are　also　figures　of　men　turned　back　to　back；　and　other　beasts　of　different　sorts。　In　each　case　from　pillar　to　pillar　is　a　cross…bar　（the　architrave）　which　is　like　a　panel；　and　from　pillar　to　pillar　are　many　such　panels；　there　are　images　of　old　men；　too；　gilded　and　of　the　size　of　a　cubit。　Each　of　the　panels　has　one　placed　in　this　way。　These　images　are　over　all　the　building。　And　on　the　pillars　are　other　images；　smaller；　with　other　images　yet　more　subordinate；　and　other　figures　again；　in　such　a　way　that　I　saw　this　work　gradually　diminishing　in　size　on　these　pillars　with　their　designs；　from　pillar　to　pillar；　and　each　time　smaller　by　the　size　of　a　span　as　it　went　on；　becoming　lost；　so　it　went　dwindling　gradually　away　till　there　remained　of　all　the　sculptured　work　only　the　dome；　the　most　beautiful　I　ever　saw。　Between　these　images　and　pillars　runs　a　design　of　foliage；　like　plates　（A　MANEYRA　DE　LAMINES）；　all　gilt；　with　the　reverses　of　the　leaves　in　red　and　blue；　the　images　that　are　on　the　pillars　are　stags　and　other　animals；　they　are　painted　in　colours　with　the　pink　on　their　faces；　but　the　other　images　seated　on　the　elephants；　as　well　as　those　on　the　panels；　are　all　dancing　women　having　tattle　drums　（tom…toms）。

The　designs　of　these　panels　show　the　positions　at　the　ends　of　dances　in　such　a　way　that　on　each　panel　there　is　a　dancer　in　the　proper　position　at　the　end　of　the　dance；　this　is　to　teach　the　women；　so　that　if　they　forget　the　position　in　which　they　have　to　remain　when　the　dance　is　done；　they　may　look　at　one　of　the　panels　where　is　the　end　of　that　dance。　By　that　they　keep　in　mind　what　they　have　to　do。

At　the　end　of　this　house　on　the　left　hand　is　a　painted　recess　where　the　women　cling　on　with　their　hands　in　order　better　to　stretch　and　loosen　their　bodies　and　legs；　there　they　teach　them　to　make　the　whole　body　supple；　in　order　to　make　their　dancing　more　graceful。　At　the　other　end；　on　the　right；　in　the　place　where　the　king　places　himself　to　watch　them　dancing；　all　the　floors　and　walls　where　he　sits　are　covered　with　gold；　and　in　the　middle　of　the　wall　is　a　golden　image　of　a　woman　of　the　size　of　a　girl　of　twelve　years；　with　her　arms　in　the　position　which　she　occupies　in　the　end　of　a　dance。

They　did　not　show　us　more　than　this。　The　residence　of　the　women　no　one　may　see　except　the　eunuchs；　of　whom　I　have　already　told　you。　From　here　we　returned　by　the　way　we　had　entered　to　the　second　gate；　and　there　they　again　counted　us。

Of　the　city　of　Bisnaga　they　say　that　there　are　more　than　a　hundred　thousand　dwelling…houses　in　it；　all　one…storeyed　and　flat…roofed；　to　each　of　which　there　is　a　low　surrounding　wall；　and　in　this　city　the　king　lives　most　of　the　time。　On　the　north　side　are　rocky　hills；　a　river　runs　between　them；　and　the　wall　runs　along　the　top　of　them；　and　on　the　farther　side　is　a　city　called　Nagumdym；　and　it　has　only　three　gates；　namely　one　by　the　river；　which　they　cross　in　boats　embarking　just　at　this　gate；＇464＇　one　on　the　other　side　which　is　to　the　north；　this　is　a　stronger　gate；　and　one　on　the　north…west　side；　a　little　gate　between　two　very　high　ridges；　and　it　is　such　a　bad　road　that　only　one　horseman　can　pass　out　a　time。

And　on　the　north…west　side　（of　Bisnaga）　is　another　city　called　Crisnapor＇465＇　connected　with　Bisnaga；　in　which　are　all　their　pagodas；　those　in　which　they　most　worship；　and　all　the　revenue　of　this　city　is　granted　to　them；　and　they　say　that　they　have　a　revenue　of　a　hundred　thousand　PARDAOS　OF　gold。　The　pagodas　are　high　and　have　great　buildings　with　many　figures　of　men　and　women；　all　in　lascivious　attitudes。

On　the　south　side　is　the　other　city　called　Nagalapor　in　a　plain；　in　it　the　Ydalcao　stopped　with　all　his　forces　when　he　besieged　Bisnaga；　and　he　razed　it　to　the　ground；　but　already　it　is　again　rebuilt；　and　this　is　a　league　from　Bisnaga。＇466＇

On　the　east　side　is　another　city　called　Ardegema；＇467＇　which　is　the　name　of　the　principal　wife　of　this　king；　and　it　is　new；　and　he　built　it　for　love　of　her。



Chronicle　of　Fernao　Nuniz

（Written；　Probably；　A。D。　1535　　37）


CHAPTER　1


Copy　and　Summary　of　a　Chronicle　of　the　Kings　of　Bisnaga；　who　reigned　（ORIG。　were）　from　the　era　one　thousand　two　hundred　and　thirty；　which　was　after　the　general　destruction　of　the　kingdom　of　Bisnaga。＇468＇

In　the　year　twelve　hundred　and　thirty＇469＇　these　parts　of　India　were　ruled　by　a　greater　monarch　than　had　ever　reigned。　This　was　the　King　of　Dili；＇470＇　who　by　force　of　arms　and　soldiers　made　war　on　Cambaya　for　many　years；　taking　and　destroying　in　that　period　the　land　of　Guzarate　which　belongs　to　Cambaya；＇471＇　and　in　the　end　he　became　its　lord。

And　this　taken；　not　being　content　with　the　victory　which　he　had　already　gained；　he　made　ready　a　large　army　of　foot　and　horse；　and　determined　to　make　war　on　the　King　of　Bisnaga；　leaving　his　captains　in　his　lands　and　fortresses　to　defend　themselves　against　his　enemies；　of　whom　there　were　many；　for　this　King＇472＇　was　at　that　time　at　war　with　Bemgalla；　and　with　the　Turkomans　on　the　confines　of　the　country　of　Sheikh　Ismael。＇473＇　These　men　are　fair　and　large　of　body；　in　their　lands　are　many　horses　with　which　this　King　of　Delly　made　war　on　Cambaya　and　laid　it　waste；　and　after　the　country　was　taken　and　he　lord　of　it；　there　still　remained　to　him　as　many　as　eight　hundred　thousand　horsemen　with　whom　he　passed　on　to　Bisnaga；　of　the　number　of　people　on　foot　nothing　is　said　here　because　no　one　counted　them。

And；　determining　to　make　war　on　the　King　of　Bisnaga　and　to　reduce　him　under　his　rule；　he　passed　out　of　the　lands　which　he　had　newly　gained；　entering　into　those　of　the　King　of　Bisnaga；　which　at　that　time　were　many；　and　quitting　the　kingdom　of　Cambaya；　he　began　to　invade　and　make　war　on　the　Ballagate；＇474＇　whose　lands　now　belong　to　the　Idalcao；＇475＇　taking　and　destroying　many　towns　and　places　in　such　a　way　that　the　people　of　the　country　surrendered　to　him　their　persons　and　property；　though　he　left　to　them　their　weapons　which　he　could　not　prevent　their　carrying。

And　after　he　had　become　lord　of　all　the　country　of　the　Ballagate；　he　passed　the　river　of　Duree；＇476＇　which　forms　the　boundary　of　the　territories　of　the　Ballagate　and　of　those　of　the　King　of　Bisnaga；　which　river　he　passed　in　basket…boats　without　finding　any　one　to　oppose　the　passage。　Up　to　that　time；　in　all　that　was　（af