Descending from this building,we passed on the left side of the courtyard,and we entered a corridor which runs the whole length of it,in which we saw some things.On entering the corridor was a cot suspended in the air by silver chains;the cot had feet made of bars of gold,so well made that they could not be better,and the cross-bars of the cot were covered with gold.In front of this cot was a chamber where was another cot suspended in the air by chains of gold;this cot had feet of gold with much setting of precious stones,and the cross-bars were covered with gold.Above this chamber was another,smaller,and with nothing in it save only that it was gilt and painted.Passing this chamber,along the same corridor in front was a chamber which this king,commanded to be made;on the outside were figures of women with bows and arrows like amazons.They had begun to paint this chamber,and they told us that it had to be finer than the others,and that it was to be all plated with gold,as well the ground below as all the rest.Passing this corridor and mounting up into another which is higher,we saw at one end three caldrons of gold,so large that in each one they could cook half a cow,and with them were others,very large ones,of silver,and also little pots of gold and some large ones.Thence we went up by a little staircase,and entered by a little door into a building which is in this manner.This hall is where the king sends his women to be taught to dance.It is a long hall and not very wide,all of stone sculpture on pillars,which are at a distance of quite an arm's length from the wall;between one and another is an arm's length and a half,perhaps a little more.These pillars stand in that manner all around the building;they are half-pillars (?)[461]made with other hollows (?)all gilt.[462]In the supports (or pedestals)on the top[463]are many great beasts like elephants,and of other shapes;it is open so that the interior is seen,and there are on the inner side of these beasts other images,each placed according to its character;there are also figures of men turned back to back,and other beasts of different sorts.In each case from pillar to pillar is a cross-bar (the architrave)which is like a panel,and from pillar to pillar are many such panels;there are images of old men,too,gilded and of the size of a cubit.Each of the panels has one placed in this way.These images are over all the building.And on the pillars are other images,smaller,with other images yet more subordinate,and other figures again,in such a way that I saw this work gradually diminishing in size on these pillars with their designs,from pillar to pillar,and each time smaller by the size of a span as it went on,becoming lost;so it went dwindling gradually away till there remained of all the sculptured work only the dome,the most beautiful I ever saw.Between these images and pillars runs a design of foliage,like plates (AMANEYRA DE LAMINES),all gilt,with the reverses of the leaves in red and blue,the images that are on the pillars are stags and other animals,they are painted in colours with the pink on their faces;but the other images seated on the elephants,as well as those on the panels,are all dancing women having tattle drums (tom-toms).
The designs of these panels show the positions at the ends of dances in such a way that on each panel there is a dancer in the proper position at the end of the dance;this is to teach the women,so that if they forget the position in which they have to remain when the dance is done,they may look at one of the panels where is the end of that dance.By that they keep in mind what they have to do.
At the end of this house on the left hand is a painted recess where the women cling on with their hands in order better to stretch and loosen their bodies and legs;there they teach them to make the whole body supple,in order to make their dancing more graceful.At the other end,on the right,in the place where the king places himself to watch them dancing,all the floors and walls where he sits are covered with gold,and in the middle of the wall is a golden image of a woman of the size of a girl of twelve years,with her arms in the position which she occupies in the end of a dance.
They did not show us more than this.The residence of the women no one may see except the eunuchs,of whom I have already told you.From here we returned by the way we had entered to the second gate,and there they again counted us.
Of the city of Bisnaga they say that there are more than a hundred thousand dwelling-houses in it,all one-storeyed and flat-roofed,to each of which there is a low surrounding wall,and in this city the king lives most of the time.On the north side are rocky hills;a river runs between them,and the wall runs along the top of them,and on the farther side is a city called Nagumdym;and it has only three gates,namely one by the river,which they cross in boats embarking just at this gate;[464]one on the other side which is to the north,this is a stronger gate;and one on the north-west side,a little gate between two very high ridges;and it is such a bad road that only one horseman can pass out a time.
And on the north-west side (of Bisnaga)is another city called Crisnapor[465]connected with Bisnaga,in which are all their pagodas,those in which they most worship,and all the revenue of this city is granted to them,and they say that they have a revenue of a hundred thousand PARDAOS OF gold.The pagodas are high and have great buildings with many figures of men and women,all in lascivious attitudes.
On the south side is the other city called Nagalapor in a plain;in it the Ydalcao stopped with all his forces when he besieged Bisnaga,and he razed it to the ground;but already it is again rebuilt,and this is a league from Bisnaga.[466]
On the east side is another city called Ardegema,[467]which is the name of the principal wife of this king,and it is new,and he built it for love of her.
Chronicle of Fernao Nuniz (Written,Probably,A.D.1535--37)
