tands. This
temple is nearly in the middle of the position I (Bretschneider) assign to
Khanbaligh." (_Bretschneider, Peking_, 20.)--H. C.] In the Court of the
Old Observatory at Peking there is preserved, with a few other ancient
instruments, which date from the Mongol era, a very elaborate water-clock,
provided with four copper basins embedded in brickwork, and rising in
steps one above the other. A cut of this courtyard, with its instruments
and aged trees, also ascribed to the Mongol time, will be found in ch.
xxxiii. (_Atlas Sinensis_, p. 10; _Magaillans_, 149-151; _Chine Moderne_,
p. 26; _Tour du Monde_ for 1864, vol. ii. p. 34.)

NOTE 7.--"Nevertheless," adds the Ramusian, "there does exist I know not
what uneasiness about the people of Cathay."

[1] Mr. Wylie confirms my assumption: "Whilst in Peking I traced the old
mud wall,... and found it quite in accordance with the outline in your
map. Mr. Gilmour (a missionary to the Mongols) and I rode round it, he
taking the outside and I the inside.... Neither of us observed the
arch that Dr. Lockhart speaks of.... _There_ are _gate-openings about
the middle of the east and west sides_, but no barbicans." (4th
December 1873.)

CHAPTER XII.

HOW THE GREAT KAAN MAINTAINS A GUARD OF TWELVE THOUSAND HORSE, WHICH ARE
CALLED KESHICAN.

You must know that the Great Kaan, to maintain his state, hath a guard of
twelve thousand horsemen, who are styled KESHICAN, which is as much as to
say "Knights devoted to their Lord." Not that he keeps these for fear of
any man whatever, but merely because of his own exalted dignity. These
12,000 men have four captains, each of whom is in command of 3000; and
each body of 3000 takes a turn of three days and nights to guard the
palace, where they also take their meals. After the expiration of three
days and nights they are relieved by another 3000, who mount guard for the
same space of time, and then another body takes its turn, so that there
are always 3000 on guard. Thus it goes until the whole 12,000, who are
styled (as I said) Keshican, have been on duty; and then the tour begins
again, and so runs on from year's end to year's end.[NOTE 1]

NOTE 1.--I have _deduced_ a reading for the word _Quescican_ (Keshican),
which is not found precisely in any text. Pauthier reads _Questiau_ and
_Quesitau_; the G. Text has _Quesitam_ and _Quecitain_; the Crusca _Questi
Tan_; Ramusio, _Casitan_; the Riccardiana,