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THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY
(APRIL, 1874.
The defeated party was compelled to flee, and at last the officials of Hyatlah made their appearance to settled in a Wady now known by the name Rud ask for the tribute, but returned disappointed M411&n, in a place called Kowastan A'lu. on beholding the strong fort of Shemshyrån, and wyán. After a while the conquerors ascertained reported to Hyatlah what they had seen; all his the whereabouts of the conquered, and annually efforts to obtain tribute now became abortive, so came from A obah, to take away the best part that he ceased to send persons to collect it. of the cattle as a tax. As the fugitives had no Meanwhile the people of the fort of Shemshystronghold, they were at first easily induced to | rân, which is in our times called Shemyrån, lived comply with these exactions, but when they had in it for a long time happily and comfortably : bocome well-nigh unbearable, and their own num. but during the reign of Menuchehr, when their bers and children had also increased, they eluded children and descendants had become very numethe tyranny of their foes by means of the stratagem rous, they went to Kharnus, under whose sway of an old woman of their own number. The they lived, and represented to him that as their conquered party had a female governor, a de- fort had become too small, he ought to send a scendant of Ferydan; she was called Shemshyrah, petition to the Shahanshåh to obtain permission was of agreeable person, manners, address, and for them to build another fort. King Kharnus adorned with the ornaments of learning :
complied, and having obtained a favourable reply A sea of shame, a mine of modesty,
from Menuchehr, he opened his treasury, and Her nature was composed of bashfulness :
having disbursed immense sums to masons The solar orb her shadow had not seen,
and builders, at & fortunate conjunction of the The moon beneath her grase had fallen far. In fino, Shemshyrah one day convoked a meet
stars and a propitious hour, he laid the foundaing and addressed it as follows:-"How long
tion of the town of Qandaz; he built ramparts shall we endure the disgrace of paying tribute ?
like mountains, with magnificent breast-works, If you will follow my advice, and obey me, I shall
and four castles around the fort, as well as two in a short time elevate you from a mean to an
gates, the one on the north and the other on the honourable position." The people unanimously
south side, so as to include the fort of Shemyran. agreed to obey, and she continued :-"At present
He built the walls thirty gaz broad and fifty high. the best plan is to give them the tribute of four
with a deep fosse around them. The building of years in advance; and as during that time no one
these works occupied nearly twelve years and * will come to ask it, we shall have ample leisure
half until they were completed. During the reign to build a strong fort." After this determination,
of Bahman Ebn Esfendyår many persons settled Shemshyrah indited the following letter to the
in that locality, but during the lapse of time it chief of the opposite party, whose name was
became too small to hold them; accordingly the Hyatlah :-"Your officials and tax-gatherers come
inhabitants of Qand ů z requested Aghaghash. annually to levy the tribute, and take a great deal
who was their governor, to ask permission from of trouble to do so; and we on our part are ashamed
the reigning Pâdeshâh to build a city larger than of the smallness of our contributions.
Qan d ů z: but they received an answer that no Your ghost arrived at midnight time,
funds were on hand for the purpose, and that if the My soul I gave, but was dismayed.
people wanted a town they were welcome to form A poor man must be put to shame
it at their own cost. The inhabitants agreed, and When guests untidy times select to come.
brought nearly four thousand able work people. Our proposal is, that we deliver at once the whom sixteen thousand men were ready to aid in stipulated amount of four years, and thus spare the labour. They brought astrologers to select trouble to your officials and shame to our the propitious hour, who chose the time when the selves." These tidings greatly rejoiced Hyatlah,
moon portonded good luck and was far from evil and he despatched Malak Farhan Ebn Kufan, influences : who was a descendant of Hoshang, to levy the
The astrolabes they poised in their hands, tribute. As soon as it had been received in the Endlestvouring to find the destined hour treasury of Hyatlah, and Shemshyrah had been
Which with the lucky time connected is, delivered of the trouble of paying it, at a propitious And fit to take the proper altitude. hour and a laudable season she laid the foundation
They held the astrolabes in their bands, waiting of the Qi'lah Shemshyrån, to the north of Heråt. for the coveted degree to make its appearance They constructed very strong ramparts and breast
above the eastern horizon, and numerous persons works and built the Sheb-Abkar wall, which was took up bricks and mortar, expecting to receive three farsangs long, inserting an iron gate at the signal from the astrologers to throw them each farsang and appointing two men to watch down for the foundations on four sides at the nick it. When the appointed time had elapsed of time. On that occasion, a woman who pos$088
