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“Who are his inferior associates in this plot?" He replied, "Bâki Beg himself mentioned it to me just now, and I know not any one else." I said, "You must endeavour to learn who the other conspirators are, as it is probable that Syed Hussain Akber, Sultan Ali Chehreh, and other Begs and retainers of Khosrou Shah, are concerned in the business." In truth, Jehangir Mirza, on this occasion, conducted himself perfectly well, and in a brotherly manner; and his proceedings, on this emergency, were the exact counterpart of my own at Kehmerd, when this same worthless man, by his machinations, attempted to stir up discord and hostility between us.

We marched from this station, and when I reached the next halting-place, I dispatched a body of soldiers, whose horses were still capable of service, under the command of Jehangir Mirza, to attack and plunder the Aughâns in that vicinity. At this stage, the horses of the army began to be completely worn out, and every day two hundred horses, or three hundred horses, were obliged to be left behind. Many brave partizans, and some of note, were reduced to march on foot. Shah Mahmûd Oghlakchi, who was one of the officers of my household, and a man of eminence, having lost all his horses, was forced to trudge it on foot. This continued to be the state of the horses of the army till we reached Ghazni.

Three marches afterwards, Jehangîr Mirza having plundered a party of Afghans, brought in a few sheep.

at Ab-istadeh.

In one or two marches more, we reached Ab-istâdeh,2 when a wonderfully large He arrives sheet of water presented itself to our view. Nothing could be seen of the plains on the opposite side. The water seemed to join the sky; the hills and mountains on the farther side appeared inverted, like the hills and mountains on the farther side of the mirage; while the hills and mountains near at hand appeared suspended between earth and heaven. In this spot are collected the waters arising from the inundations occasioned by the rains of spring, in the valley of Katteh-waz, the dale of Zûrmet, the river of Ghazni, with the meadow of Kara-bagh, and all the superfluous water of the spring season, that arises from the swelling of the rivers, and that remains after the purposes of irrigation are answered. When I came within one kos of Ab-istâdeh, a sin- Its singular gular phenomenon presented itself. From time to time, between this water and the appearheavens, something of a red appearance was seen, like the ruddy crepuscule, which again by and by vanished, and so continued shifting till we had come near it. When we came close up, we discovered that this appearance was occasioned by immense flocks of wild geese, not of ten thousand or twenty thousand, but absolutely beyond computation, and innumerable; and in their flight, as they moved their wings, their red feathers sometimes appeared and sometimes were hid. But it was not wild geese alone; innumerable flocks of every species of bird settled on the banks of this water, and the eggs of countless multitudes of fowl were deposited on every corner of its banks. A few

1 The Afghans are also called Aughâns, a different pronunciation of the same word.

2 The Standing-Water. This lake lies in north latitude 32o 35', south-west from Ghazni.

3 The Seirâb, or mirâge, is the appearance presented in desert countries, during the extreme heat of the sun, when a lake seems to be close at hand. The objects around are seen inverted in it as in a piece of water.

Baghlan-kaz. The description would lead us to imagine it was a flock of flamingoes.

ance.

Afghans who had come here, and were employed in gathering these eggs, on seeing us, fled, and threw themselves into the lake'; but a party of my men pursued them for nearly a kos, and brought them back. As far as these went into the water, it was nearly of one uniform depth, reaching up to the horse's belly; indeed, the water, apparently in consequence of the levelness of the plain, did not seem to acquire any great depth. On reaching the banks of the river of the plain of Katteh-waz, which falls into Ab-istâdeh, we halted. It is in general a dry river, not having any running water in it. I have passed its channel many times, but never found any water in it, except on this occasion, when, in consequence of the rains of spring, it was so flooded, that I could find no ford to pass; for though it is not very broad, yet it was extremely deep. All the horses and camels were crossed over by swimming. Many of the soldiers tied up their baggage in bundles, which they pulled over to the other side with cords. After passing this torrent, we proceeded by the way of Kuhneh-Nâni,' and, Arrives at passing the water-mound of Sirdeh,2 we reached Ghazni. Jehangir Mirza there entertained us, provided us with victuals, did the honours of the place for a day or two, and presented me with his peshkesh.

Ghazni.

This year the greater part of the streams and rivers came down in flood, so violently that we could get no passage over the river of Deh-Yâkûb. I therefore made them carry a boat, which I caused to be constructed in a tank of water, and launch it in the river of Deh-Yâkûb, opposite to Kamari,3 and by means of this vessel all the army was passed over. In this way, after surmounting the hill pass of Sejâwend, we proceeded directly forward, and passing the Kamari river in boats, reached Kâbul, in the month May 1505. of Zilhajeh.

Reaches
Kâbul,

Misconduct of Nasir Mirza.

A few days before our arrival, Syed Yûsef Beg had been carried off by a cholic, and departed to enjoy the mercy of God.

Nâsir Mirza, as was formerly mentioned, after providing his people with some necessaries from his government, had obtained leave to stay behind in Kûsh-Gumbez, promising to follow me in two or three days. But we had no sooner separated, than, under pretence of quelling the refractory spirit of the men of Dereh-Nûr, though in reality the matter of complaint was very slight, he dispatched his whole army towards Dereh-Nûr. Fazli, who was the general of the army, did not keep up proper discipline, nor act with sufficient circumspection, considering the strength of the fort of DerehNûr, that it was surrounded with rice-fields, and situated on the brow of a hill, as has been described. For in that mountainous tract, and in sight of the fortified hill, he divided his force and sent out a detachment to plunder. The men of Dereh-Nûr, immediately sallying forth, attacked the plunderers who were scattered for pillage, and routed them; and no sooner were they discomfited, than the rest of the army, unable to maintain their ground, also took to flight. Many were slain, and many horses and arms taken. Such will always be the fate of an army that has a general like Fazli.

1 Old Nâni. There are two Nânis; one the Old Nâni, to the north of the lake of Ab-istâdeh, on a river that discharges itself into it. The other Nâni is a march south of Ghazni.

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Whether it was from this circumstance, or whether some disaffection influenced Nâsir Mirza, he did not follow me, but staid behind. Another circumstance, which had some influence on his conduct, was that I had bestowed Alengâr on Yûsef, and Alisheng on Behlol, the two sons of Ayûb, than whom more wicked, more seditious, more arrogant or haughty persons, were nowhere to be found. They also were to have made some levies from their governments, and to have come along with Nâsir Mirza to join me; but as Nâsir Mirza did not come, they also staid behind, and were the favourite bottle companions and friends of Nâsir Mirza all that winter.

During the course of this winter he made one excursion against the Turkolâni Afghans, and ravaged their country. All the Aimâks, Ils, and Uluses, from the upper country, who had descended into Nangenhâr and Lamghanât, he attacked and drove up, and then encamped on the banks of the Bârân. While Nâsir Mirza was on that river, and in its neighbourhood, the tidings arrived of the defeat and slaughter of the Uzbeks, by the inhabitants of Badakhshân, and of the general rising of that country, which took place in the following manner.

Badakh

Sheibâni Khan, having intrusted Kundez to Kamber-bi, proceeded himself to Revolt of Khwârizm. Kamber-bi, for the purpose of securing the submission of the inhabitants shân. of Badakhshân, had sent into that country Mahmûd, the son of Muhammed Makhdûmi; but Mobârek Shah, whose ancestors had been Begs of the Kings of Badakhshân, having rebelled, cut off the heads of Mahmûd, the son of Makhdûmi, and of several more of the Uzbeks, and seizing on the fort of Zafer, formerly known by the name of Shâf-tiwâr, fortified himself in it. He was the person who gave this fortress the name of Zafer. Besides this, Muhammed Korchi, who was one of the Korchis1 of Khosrou Shah, and at this time had the command of Khamelingân, likewise rebelled; and having slain the Sader (or Justiciary) of Sheibâni Khan, with a number of Uzbeks in Rusta, fortified himself in Khamelingân. An inhabitant of Ragh, too, whose forefathers had been nobles in the court of the kings of Badakhshân, at the same time rose in Ragh. Jehângîr Turkomân, who was one of the retainers of Wali, the brother of Khosrou Shah, and who, during the late confusions, had separated from his lord, having collected some fugitive soldiers, besides stragglers and Aimaks, drew off and revolted. Nâsir Mirza, on receiving this intelligence, inspired with the ambition of Nasir Miracquiring Badakhshân, at the instigation of certain senseless and short-sighted flat- za attempts terers, passed over into that quarter by the route of Shibertû and Abdereh, accompa- it. nied by some bodies of these Ils and Uluses, who, on being expelled from the other side of the hills, had come hither and were moving about with their whole families and property.

to subdue

Shah re

Khosrou Shah, after flying from Ajer with Ahmed Kâsim, had proceeded with him to Khosrou Khorasân; and having met with Badîa-ez-zemân Mirza and Zûlnûn Beg by the way, solves to they all went together to Heri, and paid their court to Sultan Hussain Mirza. I alone return. was the cause that these men, who for a series of years had been at open enmity with the Mirza, and had subjected him to many insults, the old sores of which were still rank

1 The office of Korchis seems to have corresponded to that of armour-bearer. In the Persian service, however, the term was applied to a body of cavalry, the most honourable as well as ancient military force of the kingdom.

Khosrou
Shahi ad-

vances to

Kundez,

ling in his heart, now all went in such a state of distress and humility, to present themselves before him. For had I not deprived Khosrou Shah of his army and retainers, and reduced him to his present helpless condition, and had not I taken Kâbul from Mokîm, Zûlnûn's son, they never would have thought of going to wait upon the Mirza. Badîa-ez-zemân was only as dough in the hands of the other two, and never attempted to swerve from their advice. Sultân Hussain Mirza received them all in a gracious manner, without reminding them of their offences, and made them a variety of presents. After some time Khosrou Shah asked permission to return to his own country, alleging that, if he were allowed to go, he could now reduce the whole of it to subjection. As, however, he was without arms, and without any means of success for such an enterprize, objections were made to his return. On perceiving this, he only persevered with the greater importunity to be allowed to take his leave. As his importunities increased, Muhammed Berenduk retorted on him sharply; "When you had thirty thousand men, and the whole country in your hands, what did you effect, that now you are so anxious to set out with five hundred men, and the country in the hands of the Uzbeks?" However judicious the remonstrances made to him were, as his destined end was drawing near, he refused to listen to them. The urgency of his representations increasing, he was at last permitted to take his departure; and, attended by three or four hundred men, he advanced directly to the confines of Dehâneh.

At this very juncture Nâsir Mirza had passed over to the same quarter. He had a conference with Nâsir Mirza in the territory of Dehâneh.1 The chiefs of Badakhshân had invited Nâsir Mirza alone, and did not wish for Khosrou Shah's return; but all the efforts that Nâsir Mirza made to prevail on him to separate from him, and proceed to the hill-country, had no influence on Khosrou Shah, who saw the Mirza's motives. Khosrou Shah's plan was to employ Nâsir Mirza's name as a cover to his designs, and after acting in his name so as to get possession of these countries, to seize and put him to death. As, however, they could not come to an understanding, each of them put his adherents in array in the territory of Ishkemish, and having clothed them in armour, and drawn them out ready for action, they separated from each other, and Nasir Mirza proceeded towards Badakhshân; while Khosrou Shah, having collected a naked and disorderly rabble, to the amount of a thousand men, good and bad, went to lay siege to Kûndez, and took post at Khwâjeh Chârtâk, one or two farsangs distant from that city.

2

After Muhammed Sheibâni Khan had taken Sultan Ahmed Tambol in Andejân, he had advanced against Hissâr; upon which Khosrou Shah, without either battle or effort, had abandoned his territories and fled. Sheibâni Khan reached Hissâr, in which was Shirim Chihreh with some brave soldiers, who, although deserted by their superiors, who had fled the country, would not surrender the fortress, but made every exertion for its defence. Sheibâni Khan left Khamzeh Sultan and Mehdi Sultan to conduct the blockade of Hissâr, and himself proceeded against Kundez; he conferred the government of Kundez on his younger brother Mahmûd Sultan, and himself

1 Dehâneh, or Dehâbeh, south from Balkh.

2 South-east from Kundez.

without delay marched for Khwârizm against Chîn Sûfi. He had not yet reached Samarkand, when his brother Mahmûd Sultân died in Kûndez, on which he gave the command in Kûndez to Kamber-bi of Merv. When Khosrou Shah arrived, Kamber-bi was in Kundez; and instantly dispatched messengers to Khamzeh Sultan and the other Sultans who had been left behind, to call them in to his aid. Khamzeh Sultan having himself advanced as far as Serâi,' on the banks of the river Amu, sent on his army to Kundez, under the command of his sons and Begs, who marched on to battle the instant they arrived. Khosrou Shah could not stand his ground, and his is defcated, gross body was not sufficiently alert for flight; so that Khamzeh Sultan's men unhorsed him, and brought him in as a prisoner. They also slew Ahmed Kâsim, his sister's son, Shirim Chehreh, and a number of his best troops. They then carried and put to Khosrou Shah to Kundez, where they struck off his head, which they sent to Sheibâni Khan at Khwârizm. Khosrou Shah had no sooner entered the Kundez territory, than, as he had predicted, the conduct and demeanour of his old followers and retainers, who had taken service with me, was visibly changed. Numbers of them began to draw off, and marched for Khwâjeh Riwâj and the country in its vicinity. The greater part of my force at this time consisted of his old retainers. Several Moghuls of note went off, and the rest had begun to form combinations together; the moment the news of his death arrived, the spirit of discontent was quenched, as when water is thrown on fire.

death.

EVENTS OF THE YEAR 911.

mother.

In the month of Moharrem, my mother, Kutluk-Nigâr Khânum, was seized with the Death of pustulous eruption, termed Khasbeh,3 and blood was let without effect. A Khorasan Baber's physician, named Syed Tabîb, attended her; he gave her water-melons, according to the practice of Khorasân; but as her time was come, she expired, after six days' illness, on a Saturday, and was received into the mercy of God. Ulugh Beg Mirza had built a garden palace on the side of a hill, and called it Bagh-e-Nourozi (the Garden of the New Year). Having got the permission of his heirs, we conveyed her remains to this garden; and on Sunday, I and Kâsim Gokultâsh committed them to the earth. During the period of mourning for my mother, the news of the death of the younger Khan, my uncle Ilâcheh Khan, and of my grandmother Isan Doulet Begum, also arrived. The distribution of food on the fortieth day after the Khanum's decease was near at hand, when the mother of the Khans, Shah Begum, my maternal grandmother, Miher Nigâr Khanum, the widow of Sultan Ahmed Mirza, with Muhammed Hussain

1 Probably the Saliserai so often mentioned in the history of Tamerlane.

2 The Muhammedan year 911, began on 4th June 1505.

3 Khasbeh with a soad, signifies a spotted fever; also the measles. With a sin, a slow fever. The different copies which I have consulted have a sin.

It will be observed, from several instances in these Memoirs, that the Musulmans are most scrupulously cautious not to erect a burial-place in any ground gained by violence or wrong.

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