Gaubil's time; the only relic of it now pointed out is a pagoda outside of the Kwang-An-Măn, or western gate of the Outer City, marked in the War Office edition of the Russian Map as "Tower." (Information from Dr. Lockhart.)

The "Great Palaces" over the gates and at the corner bastions are no doubt well illustrated by the buildings which still occupy those positions. There are two such lofty buildings at each of the gates of the modern city, the outer one (here shown) forming an elevated redoubt.

"Elle a douze portes, et sor chascune porte a une grandisme palais et biaus."

NOTE 4.-The French writer cited under Note 2 says of the city as it stands: "La ville est de la sorte coupée en échiquier à peu près régulier dont les quadres circonscrits par des larges avenues sont percés. eux-mêmes d'une multitude de rues et ruelles . . . qui toutes à peu près sont orientées N. et S., E. et O. Une seule volonté a evidemment présidé à ce plan, et jamais édilité n'a eu à exécuter d'un seul coup aussi vaste entreprise."

NOTE 5.-Martini speaks of the public clock-towers in the Chinese cities, which in his time were furnished with water-clocks. A watchman struck the hour on a great gong, at the same time exhibiting the hour in Large characters. The same person watched for fires, and summoned the public with his gong to aid in extinguishing them.

The tower indicated by Marco appears still to exist. It occupies the place which I have marked as Alarm Tower in the plan of Taidu. It was erected in 1272, but probably rebuilt on the Ming occupation of the city. 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 court-yard, with its instruments and aged trees, also ascribed to the Mongol time, will be found in Chapter XXXIII. (Atlas Sinensis, p. 10; Magaillans, 149-151; Chine Moderne, p. 26; Tour du Monde for 1864, vol. ii. p. 34.)

NOTE 6." Nevertheless," adds the Ramusian, "there does exist I know not what uneasiness about the people of Cathay."

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.-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, Quescitam. Recollecting the constant clerical confusion between and t, what follows will

leave no doubt I think that the true reading to which all these variations point is Quescican.*

In the Institutes of Ghazan Khan, we find established among other formalities for the authentication of the royal orders, that they should be stamped on the back, in black ink, with the seals of the Four Commanders of the Four Kiziks, or Corps of the Life Guard.

Wassáf also, in detailing the different classes of the great dignitaries of the Mongol monarchy, names (1) the Noyáns of the Ulus, or princes of the blood; (2) the great chiefs of the tribes; (3) the Amirs of the Four Keshik, or Corps of the Body Guard; (4) the officers of the army, commanding ten thousands, thousands, and so on.

Moreover, in Rashiduddin, we find the identical plural form used by our author. He says that, after the sack of Baghdad, Hulaku, who had escaped from the polluted atmosphere of the city, sent "Ilká Noyán and Karábúgá, with 3000 Moghul horse into Baghdad, in order to have the buildings repaired, and to put things generally in order. These chiefs posted sentries from the KISHIKÁN (), and from their own followings in the different quarters of the town, had the carcases of beasts removed from the streets, and caused the bazaars to be rebuilt."

We find Kishik still used at the court of Hindustan, under the great kings of Timur's House, for the corps on tour of duty at the palace; and even for the sets of matchlocks and sabres, which were changed weekly from Akbar's armoury for the royal use. The royal guards in Persia, who watch the king's person at night, are termed Keshikchi, and their captain Keshikchi Bashi.

Friar Odoric speaks of the four barons who kept watch by the Great Kaan's side as the Cuthé, which probably represents the Chinese form Kiesie (as in Demailla), or Kuesie (as in Gaubil). The latter applies the term to four devoted champions of Chinghiz, and their descendants, 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.) 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," &c.

The third of these corresponds closely with Polo's etymology of

One of the nearest readings is that of the Brandenburg Latin collated by Müller, which has Quaesicam.

"knights devoted to their lord," but perhaps either the first or the last may afford the real derivation.

In spite of the different initials (instead of ), 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 diwán; thus, that 1000 of those 12,000 should be every night upon guard," &c. 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., p. 299 and 235, 237).

I must add that Professor Vámbéry does not assent to the form Keshikán, 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. p. 308-9; Ayeen Akb. I. 270, and Blochmann's, p. 115; J. As. ser. 4, tom. xix. 276; Olearius, ed. 1659, I. 656; Cathay, 135; Demailla, ix. 106; Gaubil, p. 6; Pallas, Samml. I. 35.)

CHAPTER XIII.

THE FASHION OF THE GREAT KAAN'S TABLE AT HIS HIGH FEASTS.

AND when the Great Kaan sits at table on any great court occasion, it is in this fashion. His table is elevated a good deal above the others, and he sits at the north end of the hall, looking towards the south, with his chief wife beside him on the left. On his right sit his sons and his nephews, and other kinsmen of the Blood Imperial, but lower, so that their heads are on a level with the Emperor's feet. And then the other Barons sit at other tables lower still. So also with the women; for all the wives of the Lord's sons, and of his nephews and other kinsmen, sit at the