a forgotten empire-vijayanagar-第69章

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oon　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　entrusted　and　ordered。　Outside　of　all　these　people；　in　a　camp　by　themselves；　were　the　scouts　of　whom　I　have　already　spoken；　whose　duty　it　is　to　patrol　all　night　through　the　camp　and　watch　to　see　if　they　can　catch　any　spies。　On　the　other　side　the　washermen；　（who　are　those　that　wash　clothes）　were　in　a　camp　by　themselves；　and　they　were　near　to　the　place　where　they　could　best　wash　clothes。

All　the　camp　was　divided　into　regular　streets。　Each　captain's　division　has　its　market；　where　you　found　all　kinds　of　meat；　such　as　sheep；　goats；　pigs；　fowls；　hares；　partridges　and　other　birds；　and　this　in　great　abundance；　so　much　so　that　it　would　seem　as　if　you　were　in　the　city　of　Bisnaga。　And　you　found　many　endless　kinds　of　rice；　grains；　Indian…corn；　vetches　（MINGUO）；＇546＇　and　other　seeds　that　they　eat。　Besides　these　things；　which　are　necessaries；　they　had　another　（market）　where　you　could　find　in　great　abundance　everything　that　you　wanted；　for　in　these　markets　they　sell　things　that　in　our　parts　are　sold　by　professional　hucksters。＇547＇　There　were　craftsmen；　also；　working　in　their　streets；　so　that　you　saw　made　there　golden　jewels　and　gewgaws；　and　you　will　find　all　kinds　of　rubies　and　diamonds　and　pearls；　with　every　other　kind　of　precious　stone　for　sale。　There　also　were　to　be　seen　sellers　of　cloths；　and　these　were　without　number　as　that　is　a　thing　so　many　want；　they　being　of　cotton。　There　were　also　to　be　seen　grass　and　straw　in　infinite　abundance。　I　do　not　know　who　could　describe　it　so　as　to　be　believed；　so　barren　a　country　is　this　Rachol　and　so　sandy。　It　is　a　mystery　how　there　should　be　an　abundance　of　everything　therein。　Any　one　can　imagine　what　grass　and　straw　would　be　required　each　day　for　the　consumption　of　thirty…two　thousand　four　hundred　horses　and　five　hundred　and　fifty…one　elephants；＇548＇　to　say　nothing　of　the　sumpter…mules　and　asses；　and　the　great　numbers　of　oxen　which　carry　all　the　supplies　and　many　other　burdens；　such　as　tents　and　other　things。　Indeed　no　one　who　did　not　understand　the　meaning　of　what　he　saw　would　ever　dream　that　a　war　was　going　on；　but　would　think　that　he　was　in　a　prosperous　city。　Then　to　see　the　numbers　of　drums　and　trumpets；　and　other　musical　instruments　that　they　use。　When　they　strike　up　their　music　as　sign　that　they　are　about　to　give　battle　it　would　seem　as　if　the　heavens　must　fall；　and　if　it　happened　that　a　bird　came　flying　along　at　the　time　when　they　made　such　a　terrific　noise；　it　used　to　come　down　through　terror　of　not　being　able　to　get　clear　of　the　camp；　and　so　they　would　catch　it　in　their　hands；　principally　kites；　of　which　they　caught　many。

But　I　cease　to　speak　more　of　this　because　I　should　never　finish；　and　so　I　turn　to　tell　of　the　battle。


CHAPTER　9


How　the　King　attacked　the　city　of　Rachol。

The　King；　being　as　I　have　said　at　the　siege　of　the　city　of　Rachol；　there　came　to　him　sure　news　that　the　Ydallcao　had　arrived　at　the　river　on　the　northern　side；　and　that　there　he　had　pitched　his　camp。　The　King　therefore　sent　his　spies　to　keep　watch　over　the　foe；　to　see　what　he　was　doing　and　to　send　w