When this entertainment was finished, they were conducted to their lodgings, in which the principal chamber was furnished with a large sofa or raised platform, laid with fine silk cushions, a great basin, and a pan for fire.  On the right and left of this, there were other chambers, with beds, silk cushions, and foot carpets or fine mats, for lodging the ambassadors separately.  Each person had a kettle, a dish, a spoon, and a table.  Every day, for six persons, there were allowed a sheep, a goose, and two fowls; and to each person two measures of flour, a large dish of rice, two great basins full of things preserved with sugar, a pot of honey, some garlic, onions, salt, several sorts of herbs, a bottle of dirapum[36], and a basin of walnuts, filberts, chesnuts, and other dried fruits.  They were likewise attended from morning till night by a number of handsome servants.

[1] The capital of Khorassan, or Corassan, in the north-east of Persia,
    then the residence of Shah Rokh.—­Astl.

[2] Or Zu’lkaadeh, as pronounced by the Persians, called Dhu’lkaddeh by the
    Arabians, which is the eleventh month of the Mahometan year.  As this
    year is lunar, the months run through all the seasons, for want of a
    properly regulated kalendar, or a period like the Julian or Gregorian. 
    To enable the reader to understand the journal, we give the Persian
    names of the months in their order:  1.  Moharram; 2.  Safar; 3. 
    Rabiya-al-awal, or Prior; 4, Rabiya-al-Akher, or Latter; 5.  Jomada-al-
    awal; 6.  Jomada-al-akher; 7.  Rajeb; 8.  Shaaban; 9.  Ramazan; 10. 
    Shawal; 11.  Zu’lkaadeh; 12.  Zu’lhejjeh.—­Astl.

[3] This year began on Thursday, 16th January, 1420.—­Astl.

[4] Ulug-Beg was the son and successor of Shah-Rokh, and was famous for his
    astronomical tables.—­Astl.

The Kathayans of Ulug-Beg, here mentioned, were probably Chinese astronomers in the service of that prince, sent on the present occasion to ascertain and report the geographical circumstances of the journey.—­E.

[5] The text here is obscure, as appearing to indicate Kathayan ambassadors
    going to Kathay.  They may have been ambassadors from Yong-lo to
    Shakh-Rokh, now on their return.—­E.

[6] Called Asperah by Forster.—­E.

[7] From this description of the route, and the implied division of empire,
    it would appear that Shah-Rokh ruled over a very ample portion of the
    vast conquests of Timur, having under has command the countries of
    Iran and Touran; or Persia, Chorassan, Balkh, Kharism, Great Bucharia,
    and Fergaana; even including Samarkand, the imperial residence of
    Timur.—­E.

[8] Mr Forster calls this place Pielgutu, and explains the name by the
    substitution of Palchas with a mark of interrogation as doubtful. 
    The geography of the East is rendered difficult and obscure, by the
    frequent recurrence of names in different languages, and by a lax
    orthography.  Perhaps Pielgutu or Palchas, may have been situated on
    the lake Balcash, otherwise named Palkati-nor, and Tengis—­E.