A 1: 1720 persons in great name a all the Kians and Sultans of Bath Hissar, Samarkand, and Tashkent a mmea is awisczone, while he himself retired to Merv. These princess salerted their feres with great expective. From Tashkend, Sunjek Khan, que sesonć wol of Burak Sulaa: from Same cand and Mil-Kochim Khan, Abûsit Suzan and Fund Sultan, accompanied by the seas of Jia Beg Khan; from Hisdc. The sins of Keman Silan and Mend Salan: from Bath Kitan Kara Sultan, al at mezi vitaens bow of time, and flized Obeid Khan in Merv, forming an army v a umirei and ive thousand men. Their seats bevght them information, that Freemany, having moderstood that Obeid Khan was encamped with a few troops in se vcnity of Hari, had an frm pashed ce with fiety theosand men to fall upon them : bis that 40 learning the particulars of the armament and assembling of their vin's be and trenched himself in the Auleng Zadegan, where he now lay. On resang s nátematico, the Uzbeks, despising their enemy, came to a resolution that the winde if their Khans and Sultans should encamp at Meshhid, except a few Sul2 vnd twenty thousand men, who should be passed on close to the Kazelbashes' zany, and should act permit them to show their heads oct of their trenches. That Zey self then drees their enchanters to use their enchantments; and that thus the eleny bang sis and reduced to the greatest dealties, must fall into their pursue of this resolution they marched from Merv. The prince, on his par ring Masaid, emenantered them near Jim and Khirgird, when the Uzbeks were defeated Many Sultans were taken prisoners and put to death. In one of the lemere is was mentioned, that there was no certain intelligence of the escape of any Sultan except Kochim Khan, as no person who had been in the army was yet arrived. The Sultans who were in Hissar abandoned the place and retired, leaving in it Chalmen, whose original name was Ismael, the son of Ibrahim Jâni. I wrote letters to Hitmálin and Kámrán, to be dispatched by the hands of the same Bian Sheikh, who has been mentioned. On Friday the 14th, having got ready all the letters and dispatches, they were delivered to Bian Sheikh, who took leave. On Saturday the 15th, I set out from Agra. Copy of the Letter sent to Himáïún. To Húmaiún, whom I remember with much longing to see him again, health; on Saturday,' the first of the former Rebi, Bian Sheikh arrived in company with Beg Kineb, and the letters which he brought made me acquainted with all the transactions in your quarter. Thanks be to God, who has given you a child; he has given to you a child, and to me a comfort and an object of love. May the Almighty always continue to grant to you and to me the enjoyment of such objects of our heart's desire! Amen, O Lord of the Two Worlds! You have called him Aleman; may the Almighty * Mián-kal is the country nearly in the middle between Samarkand and Bokhara, on the Kohik. • Yedehji. * Above, it is said Monday the 10th of former Rebi (234 November), which is correct. prosper what you have done. You who are seated on a throne ought to know, that people in general pronounce it, some Alamân (the protected), some Ilamân (protected by men). And besides, that there are few names which are preceded by Al (the). May the Great Creator grant, that both in his name and in his constitution, he may be happy and fortunate; and may He bestow on me and on thee many years and many kerns,' rendered happy by the fortune and fame of Alamân. Indeed, the Almighty, from his grace and bounty, hath accomplished our desires in a manner not to be paralleled in the revolution of time. On Tuesday, the 11th of the month, having received some information that the men Nov. 24. of Balkh had invited Kurbân, and introduced him into the city, I sent orders to my son Kâmrân and the Begs at Kâbul to march and form a junction with you,2 when you might proceed to Hissâr, Samarkand, or Merv, as might be deemed most advisable; hoping, that through the mercy of God, you might be enabled to disperse the enemy, occupy their countries, and make your friends rejoice in the complete discomfiture of your foes. With God's favour, this is the season for you to expose yourself to danger and hardship, and to exert your prowess in arms. Fail not to exert your self strenuously to meet every situation as it occurs; for indolence and ease suit but ill with royalty. (Persian verse.)—Ambition admits not of inaction; The world is his who exerts himself, -If, through the divine favour, you subdue and secure Balkh and Hissâr, your men must have the charge of Hissâr, while Kâmrân's remain in Balkh. If the grace of the Most High bestow Samarkand also upon us, you must take the reins of government in Samarkand; God willing, I shall make that country an imperial government. If Kâmrân thinks Balkh too small a government, let me know, and I will, by the divine grace, remove his objection, by adding something from the neighbouring territories. You know that you always receive six parts, and Kâmrân five; you must always attend to this rule, and unfailingly observe it. Remember too always to act handsomely by him. The great should exercise self-command; and I do hope that you will always maintain a good understanding with him. Your brother, on his side, is a correct and worthy young man, and he must be careful to maintain the proper respect and fidelity due to you. I have some quarrels to settle with you. For two or three years past, none of your people has waited on me from you, and the messenger whom I sent to you did not come back to me for a twelvemonth. This, remember, is undeniable. In many of your letters you complain of separation from your friends. It is wrong for a prince to indulge in such a complaint, for there is a saying— (Persian verse.)-If you are fettered by your situation, submit to circumstances. If you are independent, follow your own fancy. 1 A kern is a Tûrki period of thirty-one years. 2 Hûmâiûn was at this time in Badakhshân. A. D. 1328. Nov. 26. There is no greater bondage than that in which a king is placed, and it ill becomes him to complain of inevitable separation. In compliance with my wishes, you have indeed written me letters, but you certainly never read them over; for had you attempted to read them, you must have found it absolutely impossible, and would then undoubtedly have put them by. I contrived indeed to decypher and comprehend the meaning of your last letter, but with much difficulty. It is excessively confused and crabbed. Who ever saw a Moâmma (a riddle or a charade) in prose? Your spelling is not bad, yet not quite correct. You have written iltafât with a toe (instead of a te), and kuling with a be (instead of a kaƒ). Your letter may indeed be read ; but in consequence of the far-fetched words you have employed, the meaning is by no means very intelligible. You certainly do not excel in letter-writing, and fail chiefly because you have too great a desire to show your acquirements. For the future, you should write unaffectedly, with clearness, using plain words, which would cost less trouble both to the writer and reader. You are now going to set out on an expedition1 of great importance; you should therefore consult with the most prudent and experienced of the noblemen about you, and guide yourself by their advice. If you are desirous of gaining my approbation, you must not waste your time in private parties, but rather indulge in liberal conversation and frank intercourse with all about you. Twice every day, you must call your brothers and Begs to your presence, not leaving their attendance to their own discretion; and after consulting with them about any business that occurs, you must finally act as may be decided to be most advisable. I have formerly told you that you should live on the most confidential footing with Khwâjeh Kilân; you may act in regard to him with the same unrestrained confidence that you have seen me do. By the mercy of God, the business of the country around you may by and by become less oppressive, and you may not require Kâmrân. In that case, your brother may leave some of his trusty men in Balkh, and himself repair to me. During the time that I resided in Kâbul, I transacted much momentous business, and gained many important victories; on which account, considering the place as lucky, I have chosen it for an imperial domain. Neither of you must in any respect aim at the possession of it. You must attempt, by the utmost courtesy of manners, to gain the heart of Sultan Weis, and to have him about you, and to direct yourself by his judgment, as he is a prudent and experienced man. You must pay every attention to the discipline and efficient state of the army. Biân Sheikh is acquainted with everything, and will be able to give you what verbal information you may require. I once more repeat my earnest wishes for your health. Written on Thursday, the 13th of the first Rebi.? I likewise sent Kâmrân and Khwâjeh Kilân letters to the same effect, written with my own hand. 1 To drive the Uzbeks out of Balkh, Hissâr, &c. 2 In the Persian translation of the Memoir, this letter is given in the original Tûrki, without translation. Baber sends On Wednesday the 19th, I convened the Mirzas, and Sultans, and Turki and Hindi Dec. 2. Begs, and having consulted with them, finally settled, that this year I should march Askeri to somewhere or other at the head of my army; that before I set out, Askeri1 should ad- the eastern provinces. vance towards Purab (or the East Provinces); that, after the Amîrs and Sultans beyond the Ganges had brought their troops and joined Askeri, I might then march on any expedition that seemed to me to be best. Having written to communicate these plans, on Saturday the 22d, I dispatched Ghîas-ed-dîn Korchi to Sultan Junîd Birlâs, Dec. 5. and the Amîrs of the Purab, requiring them to meet me in twenty-two days; I instructed him verbally to inform them, that I would send on to Askeri the artillery, guns, and matchlocks, and all kinds of warlike arms and ammunition, to be ready before the troops could take the field; and orders were given to all Amîrs and Sultans on the farther side of the Ganges to join Askeri, and march wherever, under the favour of God, it might seem expedient. That they should consult my partizans in that quarter, whether there were any affairs there that required my presence; that if there were, immediately on the return of the officer who had gone to summon the chiefs to the appointed meeting, I would, God willing, mount without delay, and join the army. But if the Bengalis were peaceable and quiet, and if there was no matter, in that quarter, of such importance as to demand my presence, that they should inform me by letter, as, in that case, I would halt, and turn my force in some other direction. That my adherents and friends must also consult with Askeri, and, with the divine blessing, decide on the general course expedient to be followed in that quarter. On Saturday the 29th of the first Rebia, I presented Askeri with a dagger enriched Dec. 12. with precious stones, a belt, and a complete royal dress of honour; gave him the standard, the horsetail, the kettle-drum, and a stud of Tipchâk horses, ten elephants, a string of camels, a string of mules, and a royal equipage and camp-furniture, commanding him withal to take his seat at the head of a hall of state. I gave Mûlla Dudu Atke a pair of buskins ornamented with rich buttons, and presented his other servants with thrice nine vests.2 Visits Sultan Mu Bakhshi. On Sunday, the last day of the month, I went to Sultan Muhammed Bakhshi's Nov. 13. house. The streets were spread with rich stuffs, and he brought and offered me a sachak, or formal present; the peshkesh, or tributary offering, which he presented, in hammed money and effects, exceeded two laks.3 After dining and receiving this peshkesh, we retired into another apartment, where we sat down and indulged in a maajûn. About the third watch I rose, crossed the river, and went to my private apartments. On Thursday, the 4th of the latter Rebia, I directed Chikmâk Beg, by a writing Dec. 17. under the royal hand and seal, to measure the distance from Agra to Kâbul; that at Orders post-houses every nine kos he should raise a minâr, or turret, twelve gez3 in height, on the top to be built from Agra of which he was to construct a pavilion; that, every ten kos,7 he should erect a yam, to Kabul. or post-house, which they call a dâk-choki, for six horses; that he should fix a certain 1 Askeri was one of Baber's sons. 2 The presents of the Moghuls and Tûrks were made of thrice nine articles, the number being deemed fortunate. 3 £500. 6 Châr-dereh. About thirteen or fourteen miles. Twenty-four feet. A. D. 1528. allowance as a provision for the posthouse-keepers, couriers, and grooms, and for feeding the horses; and orders were given, that wherever a posthouse for horses was built near a khalseh or imperial demesne, they should be furnished from thence with the stated allowances; that if it was situated in a perganna, the nobleman in charge should attend to the supply. The same day, Chikmâk Pâdshâhi left Agra. The kos the kos, &c. was fixed in conformity with the mil, according to these verses: Length of Grand feast Dec. 19. (Túrki.)-Four thousand paces are one mil, Know that the men of Hindustan call it a kuroh (kos). This pace is a cubit and a half; Every cubit is six hand-breadths; 2 Each hand-breadth is six inches; and, again, each inch Is the breadth of six barley-corns. Know all this. The measuring tenâb was to consist of forty gez or paces, each measuring one and a half of the gez or cubit that has been mentioned,3 and so equal to nine hand-breadths; and a hundred of these tenâbs were to go to one kos. 4 On Saturday the 6th, I had a feast in the garden. I sat in the northern part of it, in an octagonal pavilion that was recently erected, and covered with khâs-grass for coolness. On my right, at the distance of five or six gez, sat Bugha Sultan, Askeri, and the venerable Khwâjeh's family, Khwâjeh Abdâl Shahîd, Khwâjeh Kilân, Khwâjeh Husseini Khalîfeh, and other comers from Samarkand, the dependants of the Khwâjeh, readers of the Korân, and Mûllas. On my left, at an interval of five or six gez,5 were seated Muhammed Zemân Mirza, Autenk Itmîsh Sultan, Syed Rafîa, Syed Rûmi Sheikh Abul Fateh, Sheikh Jemâli, Sheikh Shehâbeddîn Arab, and Syed Dekni. The Kezelbash, Uzbek, and Hindu ambassadors were present at this feast. An awning was erected at the distance of seventy or eighty gez6 to the right, in which the Kezelbash7 ambassadors were placed, and Yunis Ali was selected from the Amîrs to sit beside them. At the same distance on the left, in like manner, the Uzbek ambassadors were stationed, and Abdalla was selected from the Amîrs to sit beside them. Before the dinner was served, all the Khans, Sultans, grandees, and Amîrs, offered congratulatory presents of red, and, white, and black money, with cloth and other articles. I ordered woollen cloths to be spread out before me, into which they threw the gold and silver money; offerings of coloured cloth and of white cloth, as well as purses, of money, were piled up beside the gold and silver. Before dining, while the presents were coming in, there were fights of furious camels and elephants, in an island 10 in 3 The larger gez, or pace, was nine hand-breadths; the smaller, or cubit, six hand-breadths. During the heats, particularly while the hot winds are blowing, it is customary in India to cover the open side-doors and windows of apartments with a sweet-smelling species of grass, which is kept moist with water. The air, passing through this, is much softened, and an agreeable coolness produced. 5 Ten or twelve feet. @ About 140 or 150 feet, or perhaps more. * Bacheh. 7i.e. The Persian 9 Badreh is a purse, containing about £60. 10 I am not quite sure of the meaning of ard!. In some instances it certainly means island. In others it seems to menn plid sa bunch. The royal garden was probably close by the Jumna, in an island in which the fights weis coldlated. |