a forgotten empire-vijayanagar-第61部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！

wenty　thousand　foot　six　thousand　horse　and　sixty　elephants；　after　him　went　Comara；　and　he　had　eighty　thousand　foot　and　of　horse　two　thousand　five　hundred；　and　forty　elephants；　after　him　the　forces　of　Ogemdraho；＇537＇　the　governor　of　the　city　of　Bisnaga；　with　one　of　his　captains；　who　had　one　thousand　horse　and　thirty　thousand　foot　and　ten　elephants。　After　him　went　three　eunuchs；　favourites　of　the　King；　who　had　forty　thousand　foot　and　one　thousand　horse　and　fifteen　elephants。　The　page　who　served　the　King　with　betel＇538＇　had　fifteen　thousand　foot　and　two　hundred　horse；　but　he　had　no　elephants。　Comarberca＇539＇　had　eight　thousand　foot　and　four　hundred　horse　and　twenty　elephants。　The　people　of　the　chief　of　Bengapor＇540＇　went　by　another　route　with　the　people　of　Domar；　who　were　very　numerous；　and　in　the　same　way　went　other　captains　of　ten　or　twelve　thousand　men；　of　whom　I　make　no　mention；　not　knowing　their　names。　The　King　took　of　his　guard　six　thousand　horse　and　forty　thousand　foot；　the　pick　of　all　his　kingdom；　men　with　shields；　archers；　and　three　hundred　elephants。

All　were　equally　well　armed；　each　after　his　own　fashion；　the　archers　and　musqueteers　with　their　quilted　tunics；＇541＇　and　the　shieldmen　with　their　swords　and　poignards＇542＇　in　their　girdles；　the　shields　are　so　large　that　there　is　no　need　for　armour　to　protect　the　body；　which　is　completely　covered；　the　horses　in　full　clothing；　and　the　men　with　doublets；＇543＇　and　weapons　in　their　hands；　and　on　their　heads　headpieces　after　the　manner　of　their　doublets；　quilted　with　cotton。　The　war…elephants　go　with　their　howdahs　（CASTELLOS）　from　which　four　men　fight　on　each　side　of　them；　and　the　elephants　are　completely　clothed；　and　on　their　tusks　they　have　knives　fastened；　much　ground　and　sharpened；　with　which　they　do　great　harm。　Several　cannon　were　also　taken。　I　do　not　speak　here　of　the　washermen；　who　are　numberless　here　　they　wash　clothes　　nor　of　the　public　women　who　accompanied　the　army；　there　were　twenty　thousand　of　them　with　the　king　during　his　journey。　Any　one　can　imagine　the　amount　of　baggage　that　such　a　large　number　of　people　would　take。　In　the　rear　with　the　king；　but　always　on　the　road　in　front　of　him；　some　ten　or　twelve　thousand　men　with　water…skins　who　go　seeking　water；　and　place　themselves　along　the　road　to　give　water　to　those　who　have　no　one　to　bring　it　to　them；　this　is　done　so　that　none　of　the　people　should　die　of　thirst。　Three　or　four　leagues　in　front　of　all　this　multitude　go　some　fifty　thousand　men　who　are　like　scouts；　they　have　to　spy　out　the　country　in　front；　and　always　keep　that　distance；　and　on　their　flanks　there　are　two　thousand　horse　of　the　cavalry　of　that　country。　These　are　all　bowmen；　and　they　always　advance　on　the　flanks　of　the　scouts。

In　this　order；　as　I　have　stated；　they　left　the　city　of　Bisnaga；　and　with　them　a　great　number　of　merchants；　besides　many　others　who　were　already　in　advance　with　all　supplies；　so　that　wherever　you　may　be　you　will　at　once　find　all　you　want。　Every　captain　has　his　merchants　who　are　compelled　to　give　him　all　supplies　requisite　for　all　his　people；　and　in　the　same　way　they　carry　all　other　necessaries

According　to　the　King's　custom；　when　he　wishes　to　lie　down　and　sleep；　they　make　for　him　a　hedge　of　brush…wood　and　of　thorns　behind　which　his　tent　is　pitched；　which　was　done　for　him　all　along　this　route；　on　which　route　was　seen　a　wonderful　thing；　namely　that　on　passing　a　river　which；　when　they　reached　it；　came　half…way　up　to　the　knee；　before　half　the　people　had　passed　it　was　totally　dry　without　a　drop　of　water；　and　they　went　about　in　the　sand　of　it　making　pits　to　find　some　water。　In　this　order　the　King　proceeded　till　he　arrived　at　the　town　of　Mollabamdym；＇544＇　which　is　a　league　from　the　city　of　Rachol；　where　he　pitched　his　camp　so　as　to　give　a　rest　to　the　people　after　the　fatigues　of　the　march。

And　the　King　being　in　the　city　of　Mollabamdyn；　settling　all　that　was　necessary　for　the　siege　of　Rachol；　there　came　to　him　people　of　the　King　of　Bisnaga；　and　the　people　of　Domaar；　and　also　many　other　captains　with　an　infinitude　of　people。　As　soon　as　they　had　joined　and　everything　was　put　in　order；　and　after　his　Brahmans　had　finished　their　ceremonies　and　sacrifices；　they　told　the　King　that　it　was　now　time；　that　the　pagodas　had　given　sign　of　conquest；　and　that　he　should　advance。

Then　he　sent　the　Moors　in　the　royal　service　to　lead　the　van；　and　Camanayque；　the　chief　of　the　guard；　pitched　the　camp　very　near　the　ditches　of　the　city　of　Rachol；　and　every　captain　halted　his　people　according　to　the　commands　given。　The　people　of　the　City　received　them　with　many　shots　from　heavy　cannon　that　they　had；　and　from　many　firelocks；　and　many　arrows　and　musket…shots；　so　that　those　of　the　besiegers　who　arrived　close　to　the　ditches　suffered　heavily　and　wanted　to　retreat。　But　the　King　would　not　permit　this；　saying　that　he　would　not　have　sent　them　there　were　it　not　that　he　would　soon　effect　an　entry　into　the　city；　and　if　not；　that　they　should　all　die；　wherefore　his　men　were　compelled　to　attack　the　city；　and　did　so　in　many　brave　and　severe　fights。　In　these　many　of　them　lost　their　lives；　since　those　of　the　city　were　in　very　strong　position　and　well　acquainted　with　everything　that　was　necessary　for　their　defence；　while　the　King's　troops　never　ceased　their　attacks　on　the　city。　The　captains；　seeing　how　badly　the　attack　was　going　in　consequence　of　the　number　of　soldiers　killed；　had　recourse　to　lavish　gifts　and　stratagems；　as　thus：　　They　began　to　buy　（from　the　soldiers）　the　stones　which　they　took　from　the　walls　and　towers；　and　they　paid　them　according　to　the　value　of　the　stone；　so　that　the　stones　were　worth　ten；　twenty；　thirty；　forty；　and　fifty　FANAMS。＇545＇　By　this　device　they　contrived　to　dismantle　the　wall　in　many　places；　and　laid　the　city　open；　but　since　the　city　was　in　itself　so　strong；　and　the　soldiers　who　were　in　it　were　such　chosen　men　and　so　used　to　warfare；　they　killed　many　of　the　King's　people。　Yet　not　for　that　did　they　cease　fighting；　but　every　day　and　at　every　attack　they　became　bolder；　in　consequence　of　their　greed　for　what　the　captains　gave　them；　for　the　money　had　the　power　of　taking　from　them　the　terror　of　death　which　had　inspired　them　before。　They　also　gave　them　something　for　dragging　away　a　dead　man　from　the　foot　of　the　wall。　So　the　fight　dragged　on　for　a　space　of　three　months　till　the　Ydallcao　came　up　with　reinforcements。

Now　I　wish　you　to　know　more　of　the　situation；　and　of　the　city；　and　the　people　which　it　held。　This　city　of　Rachol　lies　between　two　great　rivers；　and　in　the　midst　of　a　great　plain　where　there　are　no　trees　except　very　small　ones；　and　there　are　great　boulders　there；　from　each　river　to　the　city　is　three　leagues。　One　of　these　rivers　is　the　northern　boundary；　and　beyond　it　the　country　belongs　to　the　Ydallcao；　and　the　other　is　the　boundary　to　the　south　which　is　the　boundary　of　Narsymga。　This　plain　lies　in　the　middle　of　these　two　rivers；　and　there　are　large　lakes　therein　and　wells　and　some　little　streams　where　the　city　is　situated；　and　a　hill　which　looks　like　a　woman's　breast　and　is　of　natural　formation。　The　city　has　three　lines　of　strong　walls　of　heavy　masonry　made　without　lime；　the　walls　are　packed　with　earth　inside；　and　it　has　on　the　highest　point　a　fortress　like　a　tower；　very　high　and　strong；　at　the　top　where　the　fortress　stands　is　a　spring　of　water　which　runs　all　the　year　round。　It　is　held　to　be　a　holy　and　mysterious　thing　that　a　spring　which　is　in　a　lofty　situation　should　in　some　way　never　be　without　water。　Besides　this　spring　there　are　several　tanks　of　water　and　wells；　so　that　the　citizens　had　no　fear　of　being　ever　taken　for　lack　of　water；　and　there　were　in　the　city　supplies　for　five　years。　There　were　eight　thousand　men　as　garrison　and　four　hundred　horse　and　twenty　elephants；　and　thirty　catapults　（TRABUCOS）　which　hurled　heavy　stones　and　did　great　damage。　The　towers　which　are　on　the　walls　are　so　close　together　that　one　can　hear　words　spoken　from　one　to　the　other。　Between　these　and　all　around　they　posted　their　artillery；　which　consisted　of　two　hundred　heavy　pieces；　not　to　mention　small　ones。　As　soon　as　the　people　of　the　city　knew　of　the　arrival　of　the　King's　troops；　and　after　they　had　received　a　captain　of　the　Ydallcao　who　came　with　some　soldiers　to　the　city；　they　closed　the　gates　with　stone　and　mortar。　The　chief　fight　which　takes　place　is　on　the　east　side；　because　on　the　north　and　south　sides　it　stands　on　huge　rocks　which　make　it　very　strong；　and；　the　city　being　besieged　on　all　sides；　the　camp　of　the　King　was　on　the　east　side；　and　so　was　the　strength　of　the　attack。


CHAPTER　8


Of　the　manner　in　which　the　King　had　his　camp；　&c。

The　tent　of　the　King　was　surrounded　by　a　great　hedge　of　thorns　with　only　one　entrance；　and　with　a　gate　at　which　stood　his　guards。　Inside　this　hedge　lodged　the　Brahman　who　washes　him　and　has　charge　of　the　idol　that　he　always　carries　about　with　him；　and　also　other　persons　who　hold　offices　about　the　King's　person；　and　eunuchs　who　are　always　to　be　found　in　his　chamber。　And　outside　this　circle　all　around　are　his　guards；　who　watch　all　night　at　fixed　spots；　with　this　guard　are　quartered　the　officers　of　the　household；　and　from　thence　to　the　front　were　all　the　other　captains　in　their　appointed　posts；　according　as　each　one　was　entr