A. D. 1519. sim Beg pleaded hard for them, and at last procured leave for the Aimâks to go over to Kûndez and Baghlân. July 15. July 21. Inroad on July 27. July 28. . Hafez Mîr Kâtib's elder brother had come from Samarkand. I now gave him leave to return. I sent by him my Diwân for Polâd Sultan, and on the back of it I wrote the following verses :— (Persian.)-0 Zephyr, if thou enter the sanctuary of that cypress, The object of my love thinks not of Baber; yet I cherish a hope On Friday, the 17th of the month, Muhammed Zemân Mirza brought an offering, and a horse, as tribute from Shah Mazîd Gokultâsh, and was introduced to me. The same day, having arrayed Abu Muslem Gokultâsh, the ambassador of Shah Beg, in a dress of honour, and given him some presents, I gave him his audience of leave. The same day, I also gave an audience of leave to Khwâjeh Muhammed Ali and Tengri Berdi, who held the countries of Khost and Anderâb.2 On Thursday the 23d, Muhammed Ali Jeng-Jeng, whom I had left in the neighbourhood of Kacheh-kot and Karlûk,3 districts which I had placed under his control, came to me, accompanied by Mirza Milvi Kârluk's son, Shah Hussein, and by some of Hâti's people. This same day, Mulla Ali Jan, who had gone to Samarkand to bring his family, having returned, waited on me. The Abdal-Rahman Afghâns had settled themselves within the limits of Gerdez, and did not pay their taxes nor demean themselves peaceably. They molested the caravans both in coming and going. In order to chastise these Afghâns, and beat up their quarters, on Wednesday, the 29th of Rejeb, I set out on an expedition against them. We halted and took some food in the neighbourhood of Teng-Waghchân; and again set out after noonday prayers. That night we lost our road, and wandered a great deal to the south-east of Pânjâb Shekhneh,* among hillocks and waste grounds. After a time we again found the road, passed the Kotal (hill-defile) of Cheshmeh-ePûreh, and about the time of morning prayers, reached the plain, (descending to it by the valley of Yakishlik, on the side of Gerdez,) and sent out our plundering parties to scour the country. One detachment went out to plunder the country, and beat up the enemy's quarters on the side of the hill of Kirmâs, which lies south-east of Gerdez. I sent Khosrou Mirza Kûli and Syed Ali, with a division under their command, from 'the right of the centre, to follow and support this body. A considerable party of troops proceeded on a plundering excursion up the Julga (or Dale), to the east of Gerdez, 5 1 Polâd means steel; whence the play on the words, and the epigrammatic turn of these lines. 2 Khost and Anderâb lie west of Badakhshân. 3 Beyond the Sind. Kacheh-kot seems to be Chuch. 4 The Persian has Patkhât-Shekhneh. 5 The Turki also reads Keryás and Kismâsh. On the Kûrrum there is a village called Kermân. Perhaps the hill-country at the sources of the Kûrrum may be meant, the whole country watered by that river being sometimes called Kûrmân. Syed Kâsim Ishek-agha,' Mîr Shah Kôchin Kiâm, and Hindû Beg, Kutlûk Kedem, As the party that went up the Dale was the most considerable, after seeing them pass, I followed them. The inhabitants were a great way up, so that the troops which went to find them out tired their horses, and did not get the slightest thing worth mentioning. Forty or fifty Afghâns came in sight on the plain. The party that had been sent to follow and support the troops rode up towards them, and sent a horseman to hasten my advance. I immediately rode briskly forward, but before I could come up, Hussain Hassan, without motive or reason, had spurred on his horse into the midst of the Afghâns, and while he was laying about him with his sword, his horse, being wounded with an arrow, threw him. He had no sooner risen, than they wounded him in the leg with a sword, threw him down again, dispatched him with their hangers and swords, and cut him in pieces. The Amîrs stopped short, and stood looking on, but gave him no assistance. On getting information of this, I ordered Gedai Taghai, Payendeh Muhammed Kiplân, Abul Hassan Kôrchi, Momin Utkeh, with my immediate followers, and some chosen troops, to gallop on at full speed. I myself followed them at a quick pace. First of all, Momin Atkeh, on getting into action, struck down an Afghân with a spear, and cut off his head, which he brought away. Abdal Hassan Kôrchi had not arrayed himself in his mail, but he advanced bravely, posted himself in the road by which the Afghâns were marching, charged among them full speed on horseback, brought down an Afghân with his sabre, and cut off his head, which he brought in as a trophy. He himself received three wounds, and his horse was also wounded in one place. Payendeh Muhammed Kiplân also advanced very gallantly, attacked and wounded an Afghân, sword in hand, made him prisoner, and brought in his head. Though the courage of Abul Hassan and Payendeh Muhammed Kiplân had been distinguished on former occasions, yet in this affair they gave still more conspicuous proofs of their gallantry. These forty or fifty Afghâns were all shot or cut down to a man. After slaying the Afghâns, we halted in a cultivated field, and I directed a tower of skulls to be made of their heads. By the time I reached the road, the Begs who had been with Hussain came up. Being very angry, and resolved to make an example of them, I said,-" As you, though so many in number, have stood by and seen a young man of such distinction and merit killed by a few Afghâns on foot, and on plain ground, I deprive you of your rank and station, take from you your commands and governments, direct your beards to be shaven, and that you be led ignominiously round the streets of the town, that no man may henceforward give up a youth of such worth to socontemptible an enemy. On level ground you stood looking on, and never lifted an arm. Be this your punishment." That detachment of the army which had gone towards Kirmas brought in some sheep and plunder. Bâba Kishkeh, who was a very resolute man, while an Afghân was in the act of lifting his sword, and rushing on to come to close quarters with him, stood his ground without flinching, applied his arrow to the string with the greatest coolness, hit the Afghân, and brought him down. Next morning we set out on our return towards Kâbul. I ordered Muhammed July 29. 1 The Chamberlain. A.D. 1519. Bakhsh, Abdal Azîz Mir Akhûr,' and Mîr Khurd Bekâwel,2 to remain at Cheshmehpûreh, and take some Gherghâwels.3 I myself, with a small body, went by the way of Meidân-e-Rûstam, as I had never seen that road. The Meidân-e-Rûstam lies in the heart of a hill country, towards the top of the hills. The place is not remarkable for beauty. In the middle of a hill is an open Jûlga, or Dale. To the south, on the skirts of an eminence, is a small fountain of water. It is surrounded with extremely large trees. Along the road leading from Gerdez to this Meidân-e-Rûstam there are springs. They also have many trees about them, but these trees are not so lofty as the former. Although the Jûlga is rather narrow, yet below these last mentioned trees the valley is extremely verdant, and it is a most beautiful little Dale. On reaching the top of the hill which rises to the south of Meidân-e-Rûstam, the hill country of Kermas and the hill country of Bangash appear under our feet. As the rains do not reach that tract of ground, there is never a cloud seen on it. About noon-day prayers I reached Hûli, and halted. July 30. July 31. August 5. Next morning, I halted at the village of Muhammed Aka, and, indulging myself with a maajûn, made them throw into the water the liquor used for intoxicating fishes, and caught a few fish. On Sunday, the third of Shaban, I arrived in Kâbul. On Tuesday, the 5th of the month, I inquired into the conduct of Derwish Muhammed Fazli, and the servants of Khosrou, regarding the surrender of Nilâb, and it appearing clearly in the course of the examinations that they had behaved ill, I degraded them from their rank and employments. About noon-day prayers, there was a drinking party under a plane tree. I bestowed a dress of honour on Bâba Kishkeh Moghul. On Friday, the 8th, Kepek, who had been sent to Mirza Khan, returned back. On Thursday, we mounted, in order to ride round and visit the Damenkoh (or skirts of the hill-country) of Khwâjeh Seyârân and Bârân. About bed-time prayers, we August 12. alighted at Mâma Khâtûn. Next morning, we went as far as Istâlîf, where we halted. That day I took a maajûn. August 13. August 14. On Saturday, we had a drinking party at Istâlîf. Next morning we left Istâlîf, and passed through the Sunjid Dereh. When we had nearly reached Khwâjeh Seyârân, they killed a large serpent, which was as thick as the arm, and as long as a man. Out of this large serpent crept a thinner one, which had apparently been caught and swallowed immediately before. All its parts were quite uninjured and sound. The thin serpent might be somewhat shorter than the thick one. Out of the thin serpent came a large rat, which likewise was perfectly sound; no limb of it was injured. On reaching Khwâjeh Seyârân, we had a drinking party. I wrote letters, which I sent by the hand of Kichkeneh Tunketâr to the Amîrs beyond the hills, desiring them to assemble the force of the country, mentioning that 3 A bird resembling the great partridge, or the pheasant. ♦ Bîljar, or perhaps rather Iljâr, the military force of the country of Kâbul being still called Iljâri. the army was in the field, and about to make an inroad; that they must therefore array themselves and join the camp. Next morning I mounted, and took a maajûn. We threw into the river Perwân, August 15. where it meets the road, some of the drug which is used by the inhabitants of the country to intoxicate the fishes, and took a very great quantity of fish. Mîr Shah Beg presented me with a horse, and gave us a dinner. From thence we went on to Gulbehâr. After bed-time prayers we had a drinking party. Derwîsh Muhammed Sârbân was present at these parties. Though young, and a soldier, yet he never indulged in wine. He always rigidly abstained from it. Kutluk Khwâjeh Gokultâsh had for a long time renounced the profession of arms, and become a Derwish. He was very aged, and his beard had become white, but he always joined us at our wine in these jovial drinking parties. "Does not the hoary beard of Kutluk Khwâjeh make you ashamed?" said I to Muhammed Derwish; "Old as he is, and white as is his beard, he always drinks wine. You, a soldier, young, with a black beard, and never drink! What sense is there in this?" It never was my custom, as I did not think it polite, to press anybody to drink who did not wish; so that this passed as a mere pleasantry, and he was not induced to take wine. Next morning we had a morning cup. August 16. On Wednesday, we left Gûlbehâr, and came to the village of Alûn, where we dined, August 17. and then went on to Bâghât Khan, where we halted. After noon-day prayers we had a drinking party. Next morning, we set out again on our progress, and after having visited and cir- August 18. cumambulated the tomb of Khwâjeh Khan Saîd, embarked in a raft at Chineh Kurghâneh. At the conflux of the river Penjhir, where the hill juts out, the raft struck on a rock, and began to sink. When the raft struck, the shock was so violent, that Rûkh-dem, Tengri Kûli, and Mîr Muhammed Jalebân, were tossed into the river. Rûkh-dem and Tengri Kûli were dragged again into the raft with much difficulty. A china cup with a spoon and cymbal fell overboard. Putting off from thence, as we reached a place opposite to Seng-e-Burîdeh (the cut-rock), the raft again struck on something in the midst of the stream, I know not whether the branch of a tree, or a stake, which had been driven in for making a stop-water. Shah Hassan Shah Beg went over on his back. While falling, he laid hold of Mirza Kûli Gokultâsh, and drew him in along with him. Derwish Muhammed Sârbân likewise tumbled into the water. Mirza Kûli Gokultâsh fell in an odd way. He had in his hand a knife for cutting melons, which, while in the act of falling, he struck into the mat that was spread over the raft, and fell overboard. Not being able to regain the raft, he kept swimming in his gown and dress of honour, till he reached the shore. On disembarking from the raft, we passed that night in the raftsmen's houses. Derwish Muhammed made me a present of a cup of seven colours, like that which had fallen overboard. On Friday, we left the banks of the river. We halted on the skirt of a small hill August 19. situated lower down than Koh-Bârik, where I plucked a number of toothpicks with my own hand. About noon-day prayers, we halted in Kutluk Khwâjeh's village,1 in a 1 Tiûl is a jaghîr or estate. A. D. 1519. district of Lemghân. Kutluk Khwâjeh got ready a hasty dinner, of which I partook ; after which I rode back to Kabul. August 22. On Monday the 25th, I bestowed a Khilaat-Khâseh1 (or dress of honour of the highest degree), and a saddled horse, on Derwish Muhammed Sârbân, and he was presented on being raised to the rank of Beg. For four or five months I had never cut August 24. the hair of my head. On Wednesday the 27th I had it cut. This day we had a August 26. August 31. Sept. 3. Sept. 4. Sept. 7. Sept. 8. Sept. 11. Sept. 14. drinking party. On Friday the 29th, I invested Mîr Khûrd with the office of governor to Hindâl, on which occasion he brought me a present of a thousand shahrokhis.2 On Wednesday, the 5th of Ramzan, one Jekni, a servant of Tûlik Gokultâsh Birlâs, came from his master with a letter, reporting that an Uzbek plundering party had appeared in his neighbourhood, and that he had overtaken, attacked, and defeated it. The messenger brought one Uzbek alive, and the head of another. 3 On the night of Saturday the 8th, we went to Kâsim Beg's house, and broke our fast. He presented me with a saddled horse. Next morning, we broke our fast at the house of Khalîfeh, who presented me with a saddled horse. The morning after, Khwâjeh Muhammed Ali and Jân Nâsir, who had been sent for in order to consult about military matters, arrived from their governments. On Wednesday the 12th, Sultan Ali Mirza, the maternal uncle of Kamrân, who, in the year in which I passed over from Khost to Kâbul, had proceeded to Kâshghar, as has been mentioned, waited on me. On Thursday, the 13th of Ramzan, I set out on an expedition for the purpose of repelling and chastising the Yûsefzais, and halted at a valley which lies near DehYakub, on the Kâbul side of that village. As I was mounting my horse, Bâba Jan, my waiting-man, having presented it in an awkward manner, I was angry, and struck him a blow on the face with my fist, by which I dislocated my thumb. I did not feel it much at the time; but when I had dismounted at the end of our march, it had become extremely painful. For a long while I suffered excessively from it, and I was unable to write a single letter. It got well, however, at last. At this station, one Kutluk-dem, a foster-brother of my aunt, Doulet Sultan Khanim, arrived from Kashghâr, bringing letters and news of the Khanim. The same day, Bukhân and Mûsa, the chiefs of the Dilazâks, came with their tribute, and were introduced. On Sunday the 16th, Kûch Beg arrived. On Wednesday the 19th, we marched, and, passing by Bût-khâk, halted in the place where we had been accustomed to encamp on the banks of the Bût-khâk river. As Bamiân, Kehmerd, Ghûri, and the districts held by Kûch Beg, were much exposed, in consequence of the vicinity of the Uzbeks, I excused him from accompanying 1 The Khilaat-Khâseh, or dress of honour of the highest degree, in the time of Baber, probably consisted of a robe or vest of rich cloth, a cap, sabre and dagger with enamelled handles, a military standard, and a horse with trappings enriched with gold, and perhaps the nekara-khaneh, or band of music. 2 About £50. The mention of such sums shows the poverty of the country. 3 This being Ramzan, Baber did not break his fast till sunset. In like manner, during Ramzan, they eat in the morning, before sunrise. |