825 of the Hegira[12], and came in a few days to the Karaul at the
pass leading into the desert, where their baggage was searched. Leaving
this place on the nineteenth of Moharram, on purpose to avoid the obstacles
and dangers they were likely to encounter, on account of intestine war
among the tribes of the Mongals, they took the road through the desert[13],
where they suffered much distress on account of the scarcity of water. They
got out from the desert on the sixteenth of Rabiya-al-awal, and arrived at
the city of Khoten[14] on the ninth of Jomada-al-akher. Continuing their
journey from thence, they came to the city of Kashgar[15] on the sixth of
Rajeb. On the twenty-first of the same month, the ambassadors separated a
little way beyond the city of Endkoien[16], some taking the road towards
Samarkand, and the rest directing their way for Badakshan. Those of Shah
Rokh arrived at the castle of Shadman on the twenty-first of Shaaban; at
Balkh on the first of Ramazan; and on the tenth of that month at Herat, the
residence of their sovereign.

[1] Shankars, Shonkers, or Shongars, are birds of prey, famous among the
Tartars, and may probably have been the most esteemed species of
falcon, and which are said to have been white.--Astl.

[2] These silver _balishes_ seem to have come in place of the paper money
of the emperors of the race of Zingis, formerly mentioned; but its
value is nowhere described.--E.

[3] This surely must be an error for under garments--E.

[4] In Forsters account of these travels, the blank in the text is filled
up with Dzjau, or Tzjau; which he supposes to have been tea, and that
the numbers refer to certain Chinese weights or packages of that
commodity. Forster adds, that small pieces of tin were given to the
ambassadors, to some twenty-four, and to others as far as seventy
pieces; and he says that Witsen left many of the articles enumerated
in the original untranslated, as not understanding the terms.--Forst.

[5] This is the famous Timur-Beg, or Tamerlane the Great.--Astl.

[6] In the abstract of these travels, as given by Forster, this fire is
said to have been caused by lightning.--E.

[7] It is to be remarked, that the author of these travels was a Mahometan.
The circumstances of the idol temple, says the editor of Astleys
Collection, seems malicious; as, in his opinion, there are no images
in the imperial temples of Pe-king. I sus