Reaches a

cave.

(Turki.) There is no violence or injury of fortune that I have not experienced ;

This broken heart has endured them all. Alas! is there one left that I have not encountered? For about a week, we continued pressing down the snow, without being able to advance more than a kos or a kos and a half.1 I myself assisted in depressing the snow. Accompanied by ten or fifteen of my household, and by Kâsim Beg, his two sons Tengeri Berdi and Kember Ali, and two or three of his servants, we all dismounted, and worked in beating down the snow. Every step we sank up to the middle or the breast, but we still went on trampling it down. As the vigour of the person who went first was generally expended after he had advanced a few paces, he stood still, while another advanced and took his place. The ten, fifteen, or twenty people who worked in trampling down the snow, next succeeded in dragging on a horse without a rider. The first horse sank up to the stirrups and girths, and after advancing ten or fifteen paces, was worn out. Drawing this horse aside, we brought on another, and in this way ten, fifteen, or twenty of us trampled down the snow, and contrived to bring forward the horses of all our number. The rest of the troops, even our best men, and many that bore the title of Beg, without dismounting, advanced along the road that had been beaten for them, hanging down their heads. This was no time for plaguing them or employing authority. Every man who possesses spirit or emulation hastens to such works of himself. Continuing to advance by a track which we had beat in the snow in this manner, we proceeded by a place named Anjukân, and in three or four days reached a Khawâl, or cave, called Khawâl-koti, at the foot of the Zirrîn pass. That day the storm of wind was dreadful. The snow fell in such quantities, that we all expected to meet death together. The men of that hill country call their caves and hollows Khawâl. When we reached this Khawâl, the storm was terribly violent. We halted at the mouth of it. The snow was deep, and the path narrow, so that only one person could pass at a time. The horses too advanced with difficulty over the road that had been beaten and trampled down, and the days were at the shortest. The first of the troops reached this Khawâl while it was yet day-light. About evening and night prayers, the troops ceased coming in; after which every man was obliged to dismount and halt where he happened to be. Many men waited for morning on horseback. The Khawâl seemed to be small. I took a hoe, and having swept away and cleared off the snow, made for myself, at the mouth of the cave, a resting-place about the size of a prayer-carpet.3 I dug down in the snow as deep as my breast, and yet did not reach the ground. This hole afforded me some shelter from the wind, and I sat down in it. Some desired me to go into the cavern, but I would not go. I felt, that for me to be in a warm dwelling, and in comfort, while my men were in the midst of snow and drift-for me to be within, enjoying sleep and ease, while my followers were in trouble and distress, would be inconsistent with what I owed them, and a deviation from that society in suffering that was their due. It was right, that whatever their sufferings and difficulties were, and whatever they might be obliged to undergo, I

1 Two or three miles.

2 The Zirrîn pass seems to have lain between Yeke-auleng and Chekhcherân.

3 The Musulmans, particularly travellers, when about to pray, spread out a small carpet, on which they make their prostrations.

should be a sharer with them. There is a Persian proverb, that "Death in the company of friends is a feast." I continued, therefore, to sit in the drift, in the sort of hole which I had cleared and dug out for myself, till bed-time prayers, when the snow fell so fast, that, as I had remained all the while sitting crouching down on my feet, I now found that four inches of snow had settled on my head, lips, and ears. That night I caught a cold in my ear. About bed-time prayers a party, after having surveyed the cave, reported that the Khawâl was very extensive, and was sufficiently large to receive all our people. As soon as I learned this, I shook off the snow that was on my head and face, and went into the cave. I sent to call in all such of the people as were at hand. A comfortable place was found within for fifty or sixty persons; such as had any eatables, stewed meat, preserved flesh, or anything else in readiness, produced them; and thus we escaped from the terrible cold, and snow, and drift, into a wonderfully safe, warm, and comfortable place, where we could refresh ourselves.

the Zirrin

Next morning the snow and tempest ceased. Moving early, we trampled down the Arrives at snow in the old way, and made a road. We reached the Bâla-Dâbân.1 As the usual Pass. road, which is called the Zirrîn kotal, or hill-pass, leads by an excessively steep ascent, we did not attempt it, but proceeded by the lower valley road. Before we reached the Payân Dâbân, the day closed on us. We halted in the defiles of the valley. The cold was dreadful, and we passed that night in great distress and misery. Many lost. their hands and feet from the frost. Kepek lost his feet, Sewendûk Turkomân his hands, and Akhi his feet, from the cold of that night. Early next morning we moved down the glen. Although we knew that this was not the usual road, yet, placing our trust in God, we advanced down the valley, and descended by difficult and precipitous places. It was evening prayer before we extricated ourselves from the mouth of the valley. It was not in the memory of the oldest man, that this pass had ever been descended, when there was so much snow on the ground; nay, it was never known that anybody even conceived the idea of passing it at such a season. Although for some days we endured much from the depth of the snow, yet, in the issue, it was this very circumstance which brought us to our journey's end. For, if the snow had not been so deep, how was it possible to have gone, as we did, where there was no road, marching over precipices and ravines? Had it not been for the extreme depth of the snow, the whole of our horses and camels must have sunk into the first gulph that we met with;

(Persian verse.)-Every good and evil that exists,

If you mark it well, is for a blessing.

Yeke-Au

It was bed-time prayers when we reached Yeke-Auleng, and halted. The people Reaches of Yeke-Auleng," who had heard of us as we descended, carried us to their warm leng

Plunders

ras.

houses, brought out fat sheep for us, a superfluity of hay and grain for our horses, with abundance of wood and dried dung to kindle us fires. To pass from the cold and snow, into such a village and its warm houses, on escaping from want and suffering, to find such plenty of good bread and fat sheep as we did, is an enjoyment that can be conceived only by such as have suffered similar hardships, or endured such heavy distress. We staid one day at Yeke-Auleng to refresh and recruit the spirits and strength of our men ; after which we marched on two farsangs,' and halted, Next morning was the Id2 of the Ramzân. We passed through Bamiân, descended by the kotal, or hill-pass of Shibertu, and halted before reaching Jenglik. The Turkomân the Hazâ. Hazaras had taken up their winter-quarters in the line of my march, with their families and property, and had not the smallest intimation of my approach. Next morning, on our march, we came among their huts, close by their sheep-folds, two or three of which we plundered; whereupon the whole of the Hazâras taking the alarm, abandoned their huts and property, and fled away to the hills with their children. Soon afterwards information was brought from the van, that a body of them, having posted themselves right in our line of march, had stopped our people in a narrow defile, were assailing them with arrows, and effectually prevented their advance. Immediately on learning this I hurried forward. On coming up, I found that there really was properly speaking no strait; but that some Hazâras had posted themselves on a projecting eminence, where they had gathered together their effects, had taken up a position, and were making discharges of arrows on our men.

(Turki verse.) They marked the distant blackening of the foe,

And stood panic-struck and confounded;

I came up and hastened to the spot,

And pressing on, exclaiming, Stand! Stand!

My aim was to make my troops alert,

To fall briskly upon the foe.

Having brought on my men, I placed myself behind;

When not a man minded my orders;

I had neither my coat of mail, nor horse-mail, nor arms,

Except only my bow and arrows.

When I stood still, all my men stood still also,

As if the foe had slain them all.

"He who hires a servant, hires him for his need,

That he may one day be useful in time of danger,

Not that he should stand still while his lord advances,

That he should stand at ease while his lord bears the burden of the day.

He who is a servant should serve in due season,

Not loiter in thy service, so as not even to be seasoning to thy food."3

At length I spurred on my horse and advanced,

And, driving the foe before me, ascended the hill;

My men, on seeing me advance, advanced also,
Leaving their terror behind.

1 About eight miles.

2 About the 14th of February 1507. The festival on the termination of the fast of Ramzân.

3 That is, if the master furnish the principal part of the entertainment by being the meat, the servant ought, at least, to be the seasoning, or sauce. If the master bears the brunt of the day, the servant should lend some assistance.

Pushing forward, we quickly climbed the hill;
We went on without heeding their arrows,
Sometimes dismounting, sometimes on horseback.
First of all came on the boldest warriors:

The enemy showered down arrows from above,

But marking our resolution gave way and fled.

We gained the top of the hill, and drove the Hazaras before us,

We skipped over the heights and hollows like deer;

We cut off the heads of the slain like deer ;

We plundered them, we divided their property and sheep;

We slew the Tûrkoman Hazâras,

And made captives of their men and women;

Those who were far off too we followed and made prisoners:

We took their wives and their children.

The purport of these verses is, that when the Hazâras stopped the van, on its route, our men were all rather perplexed, and halted. In this situation I came up singly. Having called out to the men who were fleeing, "Stand! Stand!" I attempted to encourage them. Not one of them would listen to me, or advance upon the enemy, but they stood scattered about in different places. Although I had not put on my helmet, my horse's mail, or my armour, and had only my bow and quiver, I called out that servants were kept that they might be serviceable, and, in time of need, prove their loyalty to their master; not for the purpose of looking on while their master marched up against the foe: after which I spurred on my horse. When my men saw me making for the enemy, they followed. On reaching the hill which the Hazâras occupied, our troops instantly climbed it, and, without minding the arrows which poured down on them, made their way up, partly on horseback, partly on foot. As soon as the enemy saw that our men were in real earnest, they did not venture to stand their ground, but took to flight. Our people pursued them up the hills, hunting them like deer or game. Such property or effects as our troops could lay hold of, they brought in with them, and made the families and children of the enemy prisoners. We also gathered in some of their sheep, which we gave in charge to Yârek Taghâi, while we proceeded forward. We traversed the heights and eminences of the hill-country, driving off the horses and sheep of the Hazâras, and brought them to Lenger-Taimûr-Beg, where we encamped. Fourteen or fifteen of the most noted insurgents and robber chiefs of the Hazâras had fallen into our hands. It was my intention to have put them to death with torture at our halting-ground, as an example and terror to all rebels and robbers; but Kâsim Beg happening to meet them, was filled with unseasonable commiseration, and let them go;

To do good to the bad is the same thing

As to do evil to the good:

Salt ground does not produce spikenard ;—

Do not throw away good seed on it.1

The same pity was extended to the other prisoners, who were all set at liberty.

1 From the Gulistan of Sadi

Defection of While we were plundering the Turkomân Hazâras, information reached us that Muhammed Muhammed Hussain Mirza Doghlet, and Sultan Senjer Birlâs, having drawn over to

Hussain

Mirza.

za proclaimed king.

2

their interests the body of Moghuls who had staid behind in Kâbul, had declared Khân Khan Mir Mirza king,' were now besieging Kâbul, and had spread a report that Badiâ-ez-zemân Mirza and Mozeffer Mirza had seized the king, and carried him away to the fort of Ekhtiar-ed-din at Heri, which is now known by the name of Aleh-kurghân. The chief persons in the fort of Kâbul were Mûlla Babâi Beshâgheri, Khalîfeh, Mohib Ali Kôrchi, Ahmed Yûsef, and Ahmed Kâsim. These officers had all conducted themselves well, had put the fort into a strong state of defence, and done everything to guard it. At Lenger-Taimur-Beg I wrote an intimation of my having arrived in this quarter, and sent it to the nobles who were in Kâbul, by Muhammed Andejâni, one of Kâsim Beg's servants. I arranged with them that I was to descend by the Straits of Ghûrbend, and to march on and take the enemy by surprise. The signal of my coming was to be, that I was to kindle a blazing fire after passing Minâr hill; and I enjoined them, on their side, to make a large fire in the Citadel, on the top of the Old Kiosk, which is now the Treasury, in order that we might be sure that they were aware of our approach; and while we assailed the enemy from without, they were to sally out from within, and to leave nothing undone to rout the besiegers. Such were the instructions which I dispatched Muhammed Andejâni to communicate.

Baber's

plan for surprising the rebels

in Kabul.

Next morning, we left Lenger, and halted opposite to Ushter-sheher. Mounting again before day, we descended the Pass of Ghûrbend towards night, and halted near Sir-e-pûl. Having refreshed our horses, and bathed them, we left Sir-e-pûl at noonday prayers. Till we reached Tutkâwel there was no snow. After passing that place, the farther we went the snow was the deeper. Between the village of Noh and Minâr the cold was so excessive, that, in the whole course of my life, I have seldom experienced the like. I sent Ahmedi Yesâwel, along with Kara Ahmed Yurchi, to the Begs in Kâbul, to let them know that we had come according to our engagement, and to require them to be on the alert, and bold. After surmounting the hill of Minâr, we descended to the skirts of the hill, and, being rendered quite powerless from the frost, kindled fires and warmed ourselves. This was not the place where we were to kindle our fires, but, being unable to stand the cold, we were obliged to kindle them to warm ourselves. The morning was near when we set out from the skirts of the hill of Minâr. Between Kâbul and Minâr the snow reached up to the horses' thighs. Every place was covered with snow, so that such of our people as deviated from the road were exposed to mischief. This whole distance we passed, sinking and rising again in the snow. In this way we reached Kâbul undiscovered, by the appointed time. Before we arrived at Bîbi Mah-rûî, we saw a fire blazing in the Citadel. We then knew that

1 Khan Mirza was Sultan Weis Mirza, the youngest son of Baber's uncle, Sultan Mahmûd Mirza of Hissar, by a half sister of Baber's mother, and consequently his cousin. Muhammed Hussain Mirza Doghlet had married another sister of Baber's mother, and had been governor of Uratippa, whence he had been expelled by Sheibâni Khan.

2 Eagle Castle. It was an extremely strong castle on the north of Herât, and much used as a stateprison. It is pretended that Shahrokh Mirza employed no less than seven hundred thousand men in rebuilding it.

3 Bridgend, a common name in these countries.

4 The Persian has Yekhshi.