MEMOIRS OF BABER. A. D. 1525. India EVENTS OF THE YEAR 932. ON Friday, the 1st of Sefer, in the year 932, when the sun was in Sagittarius, I set out on my march to invade Hindustân. Having crossed the hill of Yek-lengeh,1 invasion of we halted in a valley which lies west of the river of Deh Yâkûb. At this place Abdal Malûk Korchi, who, seven or eight months before, had gone on an embassy to Sultan Said Khan, returned to me, accompanied by Yangi Beg, a foster brother of the Khan. He brought me privately letters from the Khanîms,3 as well as the Khân, with presents and prayers for my well-being. I halted here two days for the purpose of collecting my army; after which we marched, and, one night intervening, halted at BâdâmCheshmeh. At this station I took a maajûn. Nov. 22. Nov. 24. Nov. 23. The Bagh-e On Wednesday, when were coming to our ground at Barîk-âb, the brothers of Nûr Beg, who had remained behind in Hindustân, arrived, bringing to the amount of twenty thousand shahrokhis, in gold, in ashrefis and tenkis, which Khwâjeh Hussain, Diwân of Lahore, had sent by them. The greater part of this sum I dispatched through Mulla Ahmed, one of the chief men of Balkh, to serve my interests in that quarter. On Friday the 8th, on halting at Gendemek, I had rather a severe defluxion, but, by the mercy of God, it passed off without any bad effects. On Saturday, I halted at the Bagh-e-Vafa. Here I was forced to wait some days for He reaches Humaiùn3 and the army that was with him. In these Memoirs, I have already re1. peatedly described the limits and extent of the Bagh-e-Vafa, its beauty, and elegance. The garden was in great glory. No one can view it without acknowledging what a A ketal, or hill, on the way to Bât-khak. 2 The chief of Kâshghar. 3 These were probably Khub-nigar-Khanum, his aunt, who was the mother of the wife of Sultan Said Khan, Sultan Nigar-Khanum, another of his aunts, and her daughter, who had married Rashîd Sultan, Sultan Said's son. About L-1000 sterling. Nothing can afford a stronger proof of the scarcity of specie in Kâbul than this appropriation of so small a sum. The Tenki, or Tengi, is a small silver coin of the value of about fivepence. The name of Ashrefi is applied to the gold mohur, which is worth about a guinea and a halt. It is applied, however, to gold eving of various magnitude and value. › Hamatan was now in his eighteenth year. charming place it is. During the few days that we staid there, we drank a great On Sunday, the 17th of Sefer, I had taken my morning draught, when Hûmâiûn Dec. 3. arrived. I spoke to him with considerable severity on account of his long delay. Humain. Joined by Hûmâiûn. Khwâjeh Kilân too arrived this day from Ghazni. That same evening, being the eve of Monday, we marched, and halted at a new garden, which I had laid out between Sultan-pûr and Khwâjeh-Rustam. On Wednesday, we marched thence, when I embarked on a raft, on which I pro- Dec. 6. ceeded down the river, drinking all the way till we reached Kosh-Gûmbez, where I landed and joined the camp. Next morning, after putting the troops in motion, I again embarked on a raft, and Dec. 7. took a maajûn. We had always been accustomed to halt at Kerîk Arîk. On coming over against Kerîk Arîk, though we looked out in every direction, not a trace of the camp, nor of our horses, was visible. It came into my head, that, as Germ-Cheshmeh was near at hand, and was a shady, sheltered spot, the army had probably halted there. I therefore went on to that place. On coming near Germ-Cheshmeh, the day was far spent. Without stopping there, I went on all next night and day, having only made Dec. 8. them bring the raft to an anchor, while I took a sleep. About the time of early morning prayers, we landed at Yedeh-bîr, and at sunrise the troops began to make their appearance coming in. They had been for two days encamped in the territory of Kerîk-Arîk, though we had not observed them. There happened to be in the boat a good many men who wrote verses, such as Sheikh Abul-wajid, Sheikh Zîn, Mûlla Ali Jân, Terdi Beg Khâksâr, and several others. During the party, the following verse of Muhammed Salikh was repeated, Persian.-What can one do to regulate his thoughts, with a mistress possessed of every blandishment? It was agreed that every one should make an extempore couplet to the same rhyme What can one do with a drunken sot like you? What can be done with one foolish as a she-ass? 3 Before this, whatever had come into my head, good or bad, in sport or jest, if I had turned it into verse for amusement, how bad or contemptible soever the poetry might be, I had always committed it to writing. On the present occasion, when I had composed 1 Baber unfortunately did not give up the use of wine at forty, as he had once vowed. 2 The maajûn, it will be recollected, is a medicated confection, which produces intoxication. 3 It may be almost needless to observe, that the rhyme, measure, and play of words, in the original, give these verses a great similarity to the former, which is totally wanting in the translation. They are a kind of parody of them. A. D. 1525. these lines, my mind led me to reflections, and my heart was struck with regret, that a tongue which could repeat the sublimest productions, should bestow any trouble on such unworthy verses; that it was melancholy that a heart, elevated to nobler conceptions, should submit to occupy itself with these meaner and despicable fancies. From that time forward, I religiously abstained from satirical or vituperative poetry. At the time of repeating this couplet, I had not formed my resolution, nor considered how objectionable the practice was. Baber renounces satirical poetry. Dec. 9. Ali Mesjid, Dec. 10. Dec. 11. Rhinoceros hunt. A day or two after, when we halted at Bekrâm,' I had a defluxion and fever; the defluxion was attended with a cough, and every time that I coughed I brought up blood. I knew whence this indisposition proceeded, and what conduct had brought on this chastisement. (Arabic.)—Then every one who fails and breaks his promise, that promise avenges its breach on his and he who adheres to his promises to God, God bestows on him boundless blessings. life; (Turki verse.)—What can I do with you, O my tongue ? On your account I am covered with blood within: How long, in this strain of satire, will you delight to compose verses, One of which is impure, and another lying? If you say, Let me not suffer from this crime,- (Arabic.)—O my Creator, I have tyrannized over my soul; and, if Thou art not bountiful unto me, of a truth I shall be of the number of the accursed. I now once more composed myself to penitence and self-control; I resolved to abstain from this kind of idle thoughts, and from such unsuitable amusements, and to break my pen. Such chastenings from the throne of the Almighty, on rebellious ser vants, are mighty graces; and every servant who feels and benefits from such chastisements, has cause to regard them as overflowing mercies. Marching thence, I halted at Ali Mesjid. On account of the smallness of the encamping ground at this place, I was always accustomed to take up my quarters on an adjoining eminence; the troops all took their ground in the valley. As the hillock on which I pitched my tents commanded the neighbouring grounds, the blaze from the fires of the people in the camp below was wonderfully brilliant and beautiful. It was certainly owing to this circumstance that every time that I halted in this ground I drank wine. I took a maajûn before sunrise, and we continued our march. That day I fasted. We continued our march till we came near Bekrâm, and then halted. Next morning we continued halting in the same station, and I went out to hunt the rhinoceros. We crossed the Siâh-Ab,2 in front of Bekrâm, and formed our ring lower down the river. When we had gone a short way, a man came after us with notice, that a rhinoceros had entered a little wood near Bekrâm, and that they had surrounded the wood, and were waiting for us. We immediately proceeded towards the wood at full gallop, and cast a ring round it. Instantly, on our raising the shout, the rhinoceros issued out into the plain, and took to flight. Hûmâiûn, and those who had come from the same quarter, never having seen a rhinoceros before, were greatly amused. They followed it for nearly a kos, shot many arrows at it, and finally brought it down. This rhinoceros did not make a good set at any person, or any horse. They afterwards killed another rhinoceros. I had often amused myself with conjecturing how an elephant and rhinoceros would behave if brought to face each other; on this occasion the elephantkeepers brought out the elephants, so that one elephant fell right in with the rhinoceros. As soon as the elephant-drivers put their beasts in motion, the rhinoceros would not come up, but immediately ran off in another direction. This day, when we staid at Bekrâm, I sent for several Begs and noblemen who were about my person, as well as for the paymasters and Diwans, and having nominated six or seven of them as superintendants, appointed them to attend at the Nilâb passage, to conduct the embarkation, to take down the name of every man in the army one by one, and to inspect them. That same night I had a defluxion and fever. The defluxion ended in a cough; every time that I coughed I spit blood; I was considerably alarmed; but, praise be to God! it went off in two or three days. We made two marches from Bekrâm; and after the third, on Thursday the 26th, Dec. 12, we encamped on the banks of the river Sind. 13, and 14. Passes the On Saturday, the 1st day of the first Rebi, we passed the Sind; and having also Dec. 16. crossed the river of Kech-kot,' halted on its banks. The Begs, paymasters, and Diwâns, who had been placed to superintend the embarkation, brought me the return of the troops who were on the service. Great and small, good and bad, servants and no servants, they amounted to twelve thousand persons. the hills. This year there was a deficiency of rain in the lower grounds, whereas there had been Proceeds by a sufficient quantity in the highlands. To secure a proper supply of corn, we advanced the route of along the skirts of the hills towards Sialkot. On coming opposite to the country of the Gakers, in the bed of a brook, we found in several places a quantity of standing water. These waters were entirely frozen over. Although there was not much of it, the ice was in general a span in thickness. In Hindustân such ice is uncommon. We met with it here; but, during all the years3 that I have been in Hindustân, I have in no other instance met with any trace of ice or snow. Advancing five marches from the Sind, the sixth brought us close by the hill of Jûd, Dec. 22. below the hill of Balinât-jogi, on the banks of a river, at the station of Bakiâlân, where we encamped. Next morning we halted in the same encampment, for the purpose of allowing the Dec. 23. troops to procure grain. That day I drank spirits. Mûlla Muhammed Parghari told us a great many stories. I have seldom seen him so talkative. Mûlla Shems was generally riotous in his cups, and, when once affected, he continued noisy and troublesome from morning till night. The slaves and servants, and men of all descriptions, that had gone to bring in grain, instead of employing themselves in searching for grain, went confusedly and unrestrained over hill, wood, and dingle, making a number of prisoners; in consequence of which Gichgineh Tunkitâr and some others of our men were cut off. 1 The Harû, or Hurroo. 2 Sialkot lies on the east of the Chenâb river, below the mountains. 3 This passage must have been written not long before Baber's death. Arak. Dec. 24. Arrives on Marching thence, we halted, after passing the river Behat, below Jilem,' by the the Behat. ford. Wali Kâzîl, who held the Pergannas of Bîmragîri and Akerbâdehpûr, and who had been ordered to assist in the defence of Sialkot, arrived and waited on me at this place. I was displeased, and chided him for not remaining in Siâlkot,2 He excused himself by informing me, that he had left it in order to repair to his Perganna, and that Khosrou Gokultâsh, on leaving Sialkot, had given him no intimation of his intention. I listened to his excuse, but asked him, "As you did not remain in Siâlkot to defend it, why did you not repair to Lahore, and join the rest of the Begs?" He had no good answer to make; but as we were near about entering upon action, I overlooked his offence. From this encampment I sent forward Syed Tufân and Syed Sachîn, giving each of them a spare horse, with directions to push on with all speed to Lahore, and to enjoin our troops in that city not to fight, but to form a junction with me at Sialkot or Perserûr. The general report was, that Ghâzi Khan had collected an army of thirty or forty thousand men ; that Doulet Khan, old as he was, had buckled on two swords; and that they would certainly try the fate of a battle. I recollected the proverb which says, Ten friends are better than nine. That no advantage might be lost, I judged it most advisable, before fighting, to form a junction with the detachment of my army that was in Lahore. I therefore sent on messengers with instructions to the Amîrs, and at the second march reached the banks of the river Chenâb,3 where I encamped. I rode on towards Behlûlpûr, which is an imperial domain, and surveyed it on every side. Its castle stands on the banks of the Chenâb, upon an elevated ravine. It pleased me extremely, and I formed a plan of transferring the population of Sialkot to this place. God willing, as soon as I find leisure, I will complete my project. I returned from Behlûlpûr to the camp in a boat, and had a party; some drank arak,* some-buzeh, and some took maajûn. I landed from the boat about bedtime prayers, and we drank a little in my pavilion. I halted one day on the banks of the river to rest our horses. Reaches the Chenâb. Dec. 26. Dec. 27. Dec. 28. Reaches On Friday, the 14th of the first Rebi, we arrived at Siâlkot. Every time that I have entered Hindustân, the Jets" and Gûjers have regularly poured down in prodigious numbers, from their hills and wilds, in order to carry off oxen and buffaloes. These were the wretches that really inflicted the chief hardships, and were guilty of the severest oppression on the country. These districts, in former times, had been in a state of revolt, and yielded very little revenue that could be come at. On the present occasion, when I had reduced the whole of the neighbouring districts to subjection, they began to repeat their practices. As my poor people were on their way from Sialkot to the camp, hungry and naked, indigent and in distress, they were fallen upon by the 1 Jilem lies on the east bank of the Behat or Jilem river, about 30 miles west from Bember. The name Arak is applied to any spirituous distilled liquor. The bûzeh is a liquor like ale, brewed from millet or other grain; it is said to be bitter and ill tasted, and is very heady. 5 The Jets or Jats are the Mahommedan peasantry of the Penjâb, the banks of the Indus, Siwistan, &c. and must not be confounded with the Jâts, a powerful Hindu tribe to the west of the Jumna, about Agra, &c. and which occupies a subordinate station in the country of the Rajpûts. |