ts, who were
always attached to the Kaan's body-guard, and he identifies them with the
_Quesitan_ of Polo, or rather with the captains of the latter; adding
expressly that the word _Kuesie_ is Mongol.

I see _Kishik_ is a proper name among the Kalmak chiefs; and _Keshikten_
also is the name of a Mongol tribe, whose territory lies due north of
Peking, near the old site of Shangtu. (Bk. I. ch. lxi.) [_Keshikhteng_,
a tribe (_pu_; mong. _aimak_) of the Chao Uda League (_meng_; mong.
_chogolgan_) among the twenty-four tribes of the _Nei Mung-ku_ (Inner
Mongols). (See _Mayers' Chinese Government_, p. 81.)--H. C.] In Kovalevsky,
I find the following:--

(No. 2459) "_Keshik_, grace, favour, bounty, benefit, good fortune,
charity."

(No. 2461) "_Keshikten_, fortunate, happy, blessed."

(No. 2541) "_Kichyeku_, to be zealous, assiduous, devoted."

(No. 2588) "_Kushiku_, to hinder, to bar the way to," etc.

The third of these corresponds closely with Polo's etymology of "knights
devoted to their lord," but perhaps either the first or the last may
afford the real derivation.

In spite of the different initials ([Arabic] instead of [Arabic]), it can
scarcely be doubted that the _Kalchi_ and _Kalakchi_ of Timur's Institutes
are mere mistranscriptions of the same word, e.g.: "I ordered that 12,000
_Kalchi_, men of the sword completely armed, should be cantoned in the
Palace; to the right and to the left, to the front, and in the rear of the
imperial diwan; thus, that 1000 of those 12,000 should be every night upon
guard," etc. The translator's note says of _Kalchi_, "A Mogul word
supposed to mean _guards_." We see that even the traditional number of
12,000, and its division into four brigades, are maintained. (See
_Timour's Inst._, pp. 299 and 235, 237.)

I must add that Professor Vambery does not assent to the form _Keshikan_,
on the ground that this Persian plural is impossible in an old Tartar
dialect, and he supposes the true word to be _Kechilan_ or _Kechiklen_,
"the night-watchers," from _Kiche_ or _Kichek_ (Chag. and Uighur), =
"night."

I believe, however, that Persian was the colloquial language of foreigners
at the Kaan's court, who would not scruple to make a Persian plural when
wanted; whilst Rashid has exemplified the actual use of this one.

(_D'Ohsson_, IV. 410; _Gold. Horde_, 228, 238; _Ilch._ II. 184; _Q. R._
pp. 308-309; _Ayeen Akb._ I. 270, and _Blochmann's_, p. 115; _J. As._ ser.
IV. tom. xix. 276; _Ole