of the "Bombay Gazetteer," RE Poonah, assigns the period 1468 to 1474
as that of Nikitin's stay in India.

Nikitin first went to Chaul, and thence travelled by land to Junir.

"Here resides Asat, Khan of Indian Jooneer, a tributary of
Meliktuchar.... He has been fighting the Kofars for twenty years,
being sometimes beaten but mostly beating them."

By "Meliktuchar" is probably meant the celebrated minister Mahmud
Gawan, who in 1457 A.D. received the title "Mallik-al-Tijar,"
a title which was borne by the chief amongst the nobility at the
Bahmani court. It meant literally "chief of the merchants." The
"Kofars" are, of course, the Kaffirs or Hindus. Firishtah tells us of
fighting having taken place in 1469 between the Mallik-al-Tijar and
"the roles of Songeer, Khalneh, and rebels in Kokun," when the troops
of Junir were under the Mallik's command. During the war he captured
Goa, as already stated. There were campaigns also against the Hindus
of Rajahmundry, Vinukonda, and other places, and in 1472 one against
Belgaum, which has been already described. Firishtah tells us that the
Daulatabad and Junir troops were sent against the powerful Hindu Raja
Narasimha on the east coast.[163] As to Kulbarga and his experiences
there, Nikitin writes as follows: --

"The Hindus ... are all naked and bare-footed. They carry a shield
in one hand and a sword in the other. Some of the servants are
armed with straight bows and arrows. Elephants are greatly used
in battle.... Large scythes are attached to the trunks and tusks
of the elephants, and the animals are clad in ornamental plates of
steel. They carry a citadel, and in the citadel twelve men in armour