Wali de and Behlûl Ayûb, joined me in like manner at the same place. Other two of these bodies, the one from Khutlân, under the command of Wali, the brother of Khosrou ; the other from Ilanchuk, Nûkderi, and Kakshal, with the Aimâks that had settled in feated, and Kundez, advanced by the route of Anderâb and Seirâb, with an intention of passing put to death. by the straits of Penjhir. The Aimâks reached Seirab first; and as Wali was advancing in their rear, they took possession of the road, engaged and defeated him. Wali himself, after his discomfiture, fled for refuge to the Uzbeks; but his head was struck off in the public market1 of Samarkand by the orders of Sheibâni Khan; all the rest of his servants and officers, being discomfited, plundered, and destitute, came and joined me, along with the Aimâks, at this same stage. Syed Yûsef Beg Ughlâkchi also came along with the Aimâks to this place. Khosrou Shah expelled from Marching thence, we halted in the auleng, or meadow, of Ak-Serâi,2 which is situated close upon Karabagh: Khosrou Shah's men, who had long been inured to the practice of violence, and to disregard of discipline, now began to oppress the people of the country. At last an active retainer of Sîdîm Ali Derbân having carried off a jar of oil from some person by force, I ordered him to be brought out and beaten with sticks. He expired under the punishment. This example put an end to such practices. We here held a consultation whether or not it was advisable to proceed against Kâbul. Syed Yûsef Beg and others were of opinion that, as the winter was at hand, we should proceed to Lamghân, and there act as circumstances might require. Bâki Cheghâniâni and several others were for marching directly on Kâbul; and that plan being finally adopted, we marched off from our station, and stopped at the Kûrûk (or Park) of Ama. I was here joined by my mother the Khanum, and the rest of the household that had been left behind at Kehmerd. They had endured great hardships in their march to meet me. The incidents were as follows:-I had sent Shîrîm Kehmerd. Taghâi to conduct Khosrou Shah on the route to Khorasân, and directed him afterwards to bring on my household. By the time, however, that they reached Dehâneh, Shîrîm Taghâi found that he was not his own master, and Khosrou Shah took the resolution of accompanying him to Kehmerd. Ahmed Kâsim, the sister's son of Khosrou Shah, was then in Kehmerd. Khosrou Shah prevailed upon Ahmed Kâsim to behave very ill to the families left in the place. Many of the Moghul retainers of Bâki Cheghâniâni were in Kehmerd along with these families. They privately, in concert with Shîrîm Taghâi, prepared to seize both Khosrou Shah and Ahmed Kâsim, who, however, taking the alarm, fled away by the road which leads by the skirts of the valley of Ajer, and took the route of Khorasan. The effect of this firmness of the Moghuls having been to rid themselves of these enemies, the guard which was with the families being now freed from any danger from Khosrou Shah, left Ajer. By the time they reached Kehmerd, however, the Sighânchi clan were up in arms, seized the passes on the road, and plundered a number of the families, and of the Ils and Ulûses (or wandering clans), who had followed the fortunes of Bâki Beg. The son of Kûl Bayezîd Tûrk, who was young, was made a prisoner by them. He came to Kâbul three or four years after. The families which had been plundered and dispersed, 1 Charsu. 2 White-house. It is about twelve or fourteen miles north-west from Kâbul. came on by way of the pass of Kipchâk, the same by which I had come, and joined me in the Kûrûk of Ama. siege Kâbul. Leaving this station, the second march brought us to the Auleng (or pasture grounds) Baber reof Châlâk, where we halted. Having held a consultation, in which the siege of Kâbul solves to bewas determined on, we marched forward. I, with the main body, halted between Haider Taki's garden and the tomb of Kûl Bayezîd, the cup-bearer. Jehangîr Mirza, with the right wing, took his station at my great Char-bagh. Nâsir Mirza, with the left wing, took post in an auleng (or meadow) behind the tomb of Kûtluk Kedem. I I repeatedly sent persons to confer with Mokîm; they sometimes brought back insincere excuses, sometimes conciliatory answers. But his real object, all the while, was to gain time; for, when I took Shirkeh prisoner, he had dispatched expresses to his father and elder brother, and he now attempted to create delays, in hopes of getting succour from them. 3 One day I ordered that the whole host, main body, right wing, and left, after arraying themselves in complete armour, and clothing their horses in mail, should advance close up to the city, display their arms, and inflict a little chastisement on the town's people. Jehangîr Mirza, with the right wing, marched forward towards the Kucheh Bagh. As there was a river in front of the main body, I proceeded by the tomb of Kutluk Kedem, and stationed myself on an eminence in front of a rising ground. The advanced body spread themselves out above Kutluk Kedem's bridge; at that time, however, there was no bridge there. Our troops galloped insultingly close up to the Currier's gate. The men who had advanced out of the town, being few in number, could not stand their ground, but took to flight, and sought shelter in the city. A number of the town's people of Kâbul had gone out on the glacis of the citadel, on the side of an eminence, in order to witness the sight. As they fled, a great dust arose, and many of them were thrown down. Between the gate and the bridge, on a rising ground, and in the high road, pits had been dug, in which pointed stakes had been fixed, and then the whole covered over with grass. Sultan Kuli Chenâk, and several other cavaliers, fell into these pits as they pushed on at full speed. On the right wing, one or two cavaliers exchanged a few sabre blows with a part of the garrison who sallied out on the side of the Kucheh Bagh, but soon returned, as they had no orders to engage. renders it. The men in the town were now greatly alarmed and dejected, when Mokîm, through Mokim sursome of the Begs, offered to submit, and agreed to surrender Kâbul; on which he was introduced by the mediation of Bâki Beg Cheghâniâni, and tendered his allegiance. I did all that I could to dispel his apprehensions, and received him with affability and kindness. It was arranged that he should next day march out with all his soldiers, adherents, effects, and property, and surrender the fortress. As the retainers of Khosrou Shah had not, for a long period, been subjected to discipline, but, on the contrary, had indulged in all kind of injustice and rapine, I appointed Jehangîr Mirza, and 1 That is, the ground which Baber afterwards laid out as a grand garden or Char-bagh. 2 Suburb Garden. The Kucheh Bagh is still a garden about four miles from Kâbul, on the northwest, and divided from it by a low kotal or pass. There is still a bridge on the way. 3 Derwâzeh Chermgerân. Description of Kâbul Nasir Mirza, with some of the principal Begs, and my most trusty servants, to guard 2 The country of Kâbul is situate in the fourth climate, in the midst of the inhabited and Ghazni. part of the world. On the east it has the Lamghanât, Pershâwer, Hashnaghar, and some of the countries of Hind. On the west it has the mountain districts, in which are situated Karnûd and Ghûr. This mountainous tract is at present occupied and inhabited by the Hazâra and Nûkderi tribes. On the north are the countries of Kundez and Anderâb, from which it is separated by the mountain of Hindû-Kûsh. On the south are Fermul and Naghz,3 and Banû and Afghanistân. It is a narrow country, but stretching to a considerable extent. Its length is in the direction of east and west. It is surrounded on all sides by hills. The walls of the town extend up a hill. To the south-west of the town there is a small hill, which is called Shah-Kâbul," from the circumstance of a King of Kâbul's having built a palace on its summit. This hill begins at the defile of Deveren, and reaches all the way to that of Deh-Yakub. It may be about a farsang o in circumference. The skirts of this hill are entirely covered with gardens. In the time of my paternal uncle Ulugh Beg Mirza, Weis Atkeh City of 6 con 1 Tibâh is about three miles south of Akserâi, and to the left of the road from that place to Kabul. 2 About the beginning of October 1504. 3 This word is sometimes written Naghz, sometimes Naghr, but generally Naghr. ✦ Baber confines the term Afghanistân to the countries inhabited by the Afghan tribes. These were chiefly the hill tracts to the south of the road from Kâbul to Pershâwer. Kâbul, Ghazni, the low country of Lamghân, and in general all the plains and lower grounds, with the towns, were inhabited by Tajiks, or men of a different race. Forster, vol. II. p. 79, describes Kâbul" as a walled town of about a mile and a half in circumference, and situated on the eastern side of a range of two united hills, describing generally the figure of a semi-circle." "Balausir," he adds (p. 80), "the name of the Shah's palace, where also the household servants, guards, and the slaves are lodged, stands on a rising ground in the eastern quarter of the city, and exhibits but a slender testimony of the dignity of its master."-" Kâbul stands near the foot of two conjoined hills, whose length has nearly an east and west direction. Towards the base of the eastern, stands, on a flat projection, a fortified palace, which was formerly the habitation of the governors of the city; but it has been converted by Timur Shah into a state prison, where the brothers of this prince, and other branches of his family, are kept in confinement. Above this building is seen a small tower on a peak, whence the ground rises to a considerable height, and is united by a neck of lower land to the other hill. From the peak a stone wall extends over the summit of the two hills, and is terminated at the bottom of the westernmost by an ordinary redoubt." P. 83, 84. * There is a hill south of Kâbul, on which Kâbul (Cain, the son of Adam), the founder of the city, is said to be buried; but the only hill south-west is that where Baber himself is interred. It is now known by no name but that of Baber Bâdshâh, and is the great holiday resort of the people of the city. Nearly four miles. ducted a stream of water along the bottom of it; and all the gardens about the hill are O for the happy times, when, free and uncontroll'd, 2 Southward from the town, and to the east of Shah-Kâbul, there is a lake nearly a farsang in circumference. Three springs of water issue from Shah-Kâbul, and flow towards the city; two of them are in the vicinity of Kelkeneh. One of these runs by the tomb of Khwâjeh Shems, and the other by the Kedemgâh 3 (place of the footsteps) of Khwâjeh Khezer. These two places are the favourite resorts of the people of Kâbul. The third fountain is opposite to Khwâjeh Abd-al-Simd, and bears the name of Khwâjeh Roushenâi. There is a small ridge which runs out from the hill of ShahKâbul, and is called Akâbein;1 and there is besides another small hill, on which stands the citadel of Kâbul. The fortified town lies on the north of the citadel. The citadel is of surprising height, and enjoys an excellent climate, overlooking the large lake, the three aulengs (or meadows) called Siah-seng, Sung-Korghan, and Châlâk, which stretch below it. These aulengs present a very beautiful prospect when the plains are green. In the spring, the north-wind blows incessantly; they call it bade-perwân (the pleasant breeze). In the north part of the citadel there are houses with windows, which enjoy a delightful atmosphere. Mûlla Muhammed Tâleb Maamâi composed the following distich in praise of the citadel of Kâbul, under the character of Badia-ez-zemân Mirza: (Persian.) Drink wine in the citadel of Kâbul, and send round the cup without stopping; For it is at once a mountain and a sea, a town and a desert. The people of Hindustân call every country beyond their own Khorasân, in the same manner as the Arabs term all except Arabia, Ajem. On the road between Hindustân and Khorasân, there are two great marts; the one Kâbul, the other Kandahâr. Caravans, from Ferghâna, Tûrkestân, Samarkand, Balkh, Bokhâra, Hissâr, and Badakhshân, all resort to Kâbul; while those from Khorasân repair to Kandahâr. This Its trade. country lies between Hindustân and Khorasân. It is an excellent and profitable market for commodities. Were the merchants to carry their goods as far as Khitâ or Rûm, they would scarcely get the same profit on them. Every year, seven, eight, or ten thousand horses arrive in Kâbul. From Hindustân, every year, fifteen or twenty 1 Kelkeneh, or Gulguneh, for it may be either, cannot now be discovered. 2 This lake is now called Kheirâbâd. It is about three miles round. 3 The spot on which a Musulman saint lived, or on which he is supposed to have stood while he performed any celebrated act, becomes his kedemgah, the place of his footsteps, and is visited and circumambulated by the pious Mahommedan with great veneration. 3 • The hill called Akâbein seems to be that now called Ashikân Arifân, which connects with Baber Bâdshâh. The Bâla Hissâr, or citadel, is on the same ridge, farther east, and south-east of the town. May it not mean the breeze of Perwân, from the town of that name which lies north from Kâbul? "Khitâ is Northern China, and its dependent provinces. Rûm is Turkey, particularly the provinces about Trebizond. Kabul. Produce. thousand pieces of cloth are brought by caravans. The commodities of Hindustân are slaves, white clothes, sugar-candy, refined and common sugar, drugs, and spices. There are many merchants that are not satisfied with getting thirty or forty for ten.1 The productions of Khorasan, Rûm, Irâk, and Chîn,2 may all be found in Kâbul, Climate of which is the very emporium of Hindustân. Its warm and cold districts are close by each other. From Kâbul you may in a single day go to a place where snow never falls, and in the space of two astronomical hours, you may reach a spot where snow lies always, except now and then when the summer happens to be peculiarly hot. In the districts dependant on Kâbul, there is great abundance of the fruits both of hot and cold climates, and they are found in its immediate vicinity. The fruits of the cold districts in Kâbul are grapes, pomegranates, apricots, peaches, pears, apples, quinces, jujubes, damsons, almonds, and walnuts; all of which are found in great abundance. I caused the sour-cherry-tree to be brought here and planted; it produced excellent fruit, and continues thriving. The fruits it possesses peculiar to a warm climate, are the orange, citron,1 the amlûk, and sugar-cane, which are brought from the Lamghanât. I caused the sugar-cane to be brought, and planted it here. They bring the Jelghûzek from Nijrow. They have numbers of bee-hives, but honey is brought only from the hill-country on the west. The rawâsh of Kâbul is of excellent quality; its quinces and damask plums are excellent, as well as its bâdrengs. There is a species of grape which they call the water-grape, that is very delicious; its wines are strong and intoxicating. That produced on the skirt of the mountain of Khwâjeh KhanSaaîd is celebrated for its potency, though I describe it only from what I have heard; The Au. lengs of Kabul. 3 6 The drinker knows the flavour of the wine; how should the sober know it? Kâbul is not fertile in grain; a return of four or five to one is reckoned favourable. The melons too are not good, but those raised from seed brought from Khorasân are tolerable. The climate is extremely delightful, and in this respect there is no such place in the known world. In the nights of summer you cannot sleep without a postîn (or lamb-skin-cloak.) Though the snow falls very deep in the winter, yet the cold is never excessively intense. Samarkand and Tabrîz are celebrated for their fine climate, but the cold there is extreme beyond measure. In the neighbourhood of Kâbul there are four fine aulengs or meadows. On the north-east is the auleng of Sung-Korghân, at the distance of about two kos. It is a fine plain, and the grass agrees well with horses; there are few musquitoes in it. To the north-west lies the auleng of Châlâk, about one kos from Kâbul. It is extensive; but in the summer the musquitoes greatly annoy the horses. On the west is the au 1 Three or four hundred per cent. 2 Chin is all China. A berry like the karinda. The jelghûzek is the seed of a kind of pine, the cones of which are as big as a man's two fists. 6 The rawâsh is described as a root something like beet-root, but much larger-white and red in colour, with large leaves, that rise little from the ground. It has a pleasant mixture of sweet and acid. It may be the rhubarb, râweid. 7 The bâdreng is a large green fruit, in shape somewhat like a citron. The name is also applied to a large sort of cucumber. Auleng or Uleng, is a plain or meadow. |