A. D. 1529.
April 8.

April 10.

Sultan Mahmûd retreats.

April 11. Muhammed Ze

mân Mirza

On Thursday, having written letters of protection, I sent them to the people of Behâr by Terdi Muhammed and Muhammed Ali Jeng-Jeng, whom I ordered to set out, accompanied by some Tûrki and Hindu Amîrs, and by the bowmen, to the number of two thousand men. Having made Khwâjeh Murshid Iraki, Diwân of the Sirkâr of Behâr, I sent him along with Terdi Muhammed. Next morning, Muhammed Zemân Mirza having consented to go, petitioned for several things through Sheikh Zein and Yunis Ali, and particularly requested a few troops to reinforce him. Some troops were appointed to serve under him, and he took others into his service.

On Saturday, the 1st of Shâbân, we marched from this station, where we had remained encamped for three or four days; and the same day I rode out, and, after surveying Bhujpûr1 and Bahia, rejoined the camp. Muhammed Ali and the officers who had been sent out in search of intelligence, defeated a body of Pagans by the road, and reached a place where Sultan Mahmûd had been. Sultan Mahmûd was attended by about two thousand men; but, on hearing of the approach of our advanced guard, was seized with consternation, killed two of his elephants, and went off with precipitation. One of his officers, whom he had sent out in advance, was met and attacked by about twenty of our troops, and being unable to maintain his ground, his people fled; several of them were dismounted and taken prisoners; one of them had his head cut off, and one or two of their best men were taken and brought in alive.

Next morning we marched, and I went on board of a boat. At this stage I bestowed on Muhammed Zemân Mirza a full dress of honour from my own wardrobe,2 a gets Behår. dagger and belt, a charger, and the umbrella.3 He bent the knee, and did me homage for Behâr; and having fixed the revenue payable into the private treasury from the Sirkar of Behår at one crore and twenty-five laks, I gave the charge of it to Murshid Iraki, as Diwân.

April 15.

On Thursday, we marched from that station, and I embarked in a boat. I made all the boats be ranged in regular order. On my arrival, I directed the boats to set sail, and to form in order close to each other. More than half the breadth of the river was left unoccupied. Although all the ships were not collected, as some places were shallow and others deep, as in some places the current was rapid, while in others the water was still, we were unable to make the greater part of them keep their proper distances. A crocodile was discovered within the ring of the boats; a fish the size of a man's thigh, leapt so high out of the water for fear of the crocodile, that it fell into a boat, where it was taken and brought to me. On reaching our station, I gave names to the different ships. The old great Baberi, which had been finished before the war with Rana Sanka, I called Asâish. This same year, before I joined the army, Arâish Khan had built a vessel, and presented it to me as a peshkesh. On going on board of her, I had directed a scaffolding to be raised in her, and bestowed on the vessel the name of Arâish. In the ship which Sultan Jilâleddîn had given me as peshkesh, I had

1 Bhujpûr, the Boujepour of Rennell, lies on the right bank of the Ganges, below Buxâr.
2 Siropa Khaseh.

3 The umbrella was a symbol only given to viceroys and persons of the highest rank.

• Khalsch.

7 The Repose.

5 About £32,000.

"The geriali is the round-mouthed crocodile.

• The Elegant.

caused a large scaffolding to be raised, and I now directed another scaffolding to be erected on the top of that. I called her the Gunjâish. Another small bark, used as a vessel of communication, which was sent on every business and occasion, got the name of Fermâish.2

Baber pre

pares for

Next morning, being Friday, I did not march. All the preparations and arrange- April 16. ments for Muhammed Zemân Mirza's departure being completed, he separated from us, and encamped a kos or two off, for the purpose of proceeding on his expedition to battle. Behâr. The same day, he came and had his audience of leave. Two spies, who came from the Bengal army, informed me that the Bengalis, under the command of Makhdum Alim, were separated into twenty-four divisions on the banks of the river Gandek, and were raising works of defence. A body of Afghâns, under Sultan Mahmûd, who had wished to send away their families and baggage, had not been suffered to do it, and had been compelled to accompany the army. Instantly on receiving this intelligence, as there was some probability of a general action, I dispatched orders to Muhammed Zemân Mirza, forbidding him to march, and sent forward Shah Iskander, with only three or four hundred men, to Behâr.

Demands a

On Saturday, a messenger from Dûdû, and his son Jilâl Khân Behâr Khan, arrived April 17. in my camp. It appeared that the Bengâlis had watched them with a jealous eye. categorical After having given me notice of their intentions, that I might expect their arrival, answer from Bengal. they had come to blows with the Bengalis, had effected their escape, crossed the river, and reached the territory of Behâr, whence they were now on their way to tender me their allegiance. The same day, I sent word to the ambassador of Bengal, Ismâel Mîtah, that there was great delay on the part of his court, in answering the three articles which had formerly been given to him in writing, and which he had forwarded. That he must, therefore, dispatch a letter, requiring an immediate and categorical answer; that if his Master had really peaceable and friendly intentions, he could find no difficulty in declaring so, and that without loss of time.

On Sunday eve a messenger arrived from Terdi Muhammed Jeng-Jeng, by whom Recovers I learned, that on the morning of Wednesday, the 5th of Shâbân, his advanced guard Behar. April 14. had arrived on one side of Behâr, whereupon the Shekdâr (or Collector) had instantly fled by the opposite gate, and made his escape.

Ambassa

ticles to

On Sunday I marched from that station, and halted in the Perganna of Ari.3 Here April 18. we received information, that the army of Kherîd was encamped at the junction of Sends an the Ganges and Sirû,5 on the farther side of the river Sirû, where they had collected dor with a hundred or a hundred and fifty vessels. As I was at peace with Bengal, and had three aralways been the first to enter into any understanding that had a tendency to confirm Bengal. a friendly state of things, though they had not treated me well in placing themselves right in my route, yet, from a consideration of the terms on which I had long been with them, I resolved to send Mûlla Muhammed Mazhib along with Ismâel Mita the am

3 Arrah of Rennell, which lies north of the Son or Soane.

◄ Kherîd appears to have cluded the country on both sides of the Gogra, near Sekanderpur, and thence on its left bank down to the Ganges.

5 The Sirû, or Sirjoo, is the Gogra after its junction with the Sirjoo above Oud. The Gogra itself has the name of Sirjû, or Sirjew, before it leaves the mountains.

A. D. 1529. bassador of Bengal; and it was settled that the Mûlla should have leave to return back to me, after making the same three proposals that I had formerly offered.

April 19.

April 21.

April 22.

April 24.
April 25.

April 26.

April 28. Visits Ari and Munir.

On Monday the ambassador of Bengal came to wait on me, when I sent him notice that he had leave to return. It was at the same time intimated to him, that I would be guided entirely by my own pleasure in moving backwards or forwards, as seemed best, for the purpose of quelling the rebels wherever they were to be found, but that his master's dominions should sustain no injury or harm, either by land or water; that as one of the three articles was, that he should order the army of Kherîd to leave the tract in which I was marching, and return to Kherîd, I was willing to send some Tûrks to accompany them on their march; that I would give the Kherîd troops a safeconduct, and assurances of indemnity, and suffer them to go to their own homes. If he refused to leave the passage open, and neglected to listen to the remonstrances which I made, that then, whatever evil fell on his head, he must regard as proceeding from his own act; and he would have himself only to blame for any unpleasant circumstance that occurred.

On Wednesday I bestowed the usual dress of honour on Ismâel Mita, the Bengal ambassador, and gave him presents and his audience of leave.

On Thursday I sent Sheikh Jemâli to Dûdû, and his son Jilâl Khan, with letters of protection, and a gracious message. The same day a servant of Mâham1 arrived, who had parted with my family at Depali, on the other side of Bâghe-Sefâ. He brought letters from them.

On Saturday, the ambassador of Irâk, Murâd Korchi Kajer, had an audience. On Sunday, having delivered suitable presents to the care of Mûlla Muhammed Mazhib, he took leave.

On Monday, I sent Khalifeh and some other Amîrs, to examine in what place the river could be passed.

On Wednesday, I again sent Khalifeh to examine the ground between the two rivers. I rode out to the south, nearly to Ari, for the purpose of examining the beds of waterlilies. While I was riding about among them, Sheikh Kûren brought me some fresh seeds of the water-lily. They bear a perfect resemblance to fresh pistachios, and have a very pleasant taste. The flower, which is the Nilofer," the Hindustânis call KawelGakeri; its seeds they call Dûdâh. As they informed me that the Sôn was near at hand, we rode to see it. In the course taken by the river Sôn below this, there are a number of trees, which they say lie in Munîr. The tomb of Sheikh Yahia, the father of Sheikh Sherf Munîr, is there. As we had come so far, and come so near, I passed the Sôn, and going two or three kos down the river, surveyed Munîr. Having walked through its gardens, I perambulated the Mausoleum, and coming to the banks of the Sôn, bathed in that river. Having said my noon-day prayers earlier than the stated time, I returned back to join the army. Some of our horses were knocked up in consequence of their high condition; so that we were forced to procure others, and left some persons

1 Mâham was Humaiûn's mother.

2 The Kajers are the Turki tribe, to which the present Persian royal family belong.

3 The Lotus.

The Munir best known, lies on a river that joins the Kermnassa, in the upper part of its course. The Munir here spoken of, was probably some village dependent on the other.

April 29.
Is joined
by the
troops from
Jonpûr.
Resolves to

sage across

behind, with instructions to bring together the horses that were worn out, to take care of them, allow them time to rest, and bring them back at leisure. Had we not given these orders, we would have lost many horses. I had given orders, on leaving Munîr, to count the paces of a horse from the banks of the river Sôn to the camp. They amounted to twenty-three thousand one hundred, which is equal to forty-six thousand two hundred paces, amounting to eleven kos1 and a half. From Munir to the river Sôn is about half a kos, so that the whole distance we travelled in returning was twelve kos. As in moving from place to place, in order to see the country, we must have gone fifteen or sixteen kos, we could not in all have ridden much less than thirty kos this day. About six Geris of the first watch of the night were past, when we returned to the camp.. On the morning of the same Thursday, Sultan Jûnîd Birlâs arrived with the troops from Jonpûr. I showed him marks of my great dissatisfaction, upbraided him with his delay, and did not salute him.' I, however, sent for Kâzi Jîa, whom I embraced. That same day I called the Amîrs, both Tûrki and Hindu, to a council, and took their opinion about passing the river. It was finally settled that Ustâd Ali should force a pasplant his cannon, his Feringi pieces and swivels,3 on a rising ground between the Ganges the Siru, or and Sirû, and also keep up a hot fire with a number of matchlock-men from that post; Gogra. that a little lower down than the junction of the two rivers, opposite to an island, where there were a number of vessels collected, Mustafa, on the Behâr side of the Ganges, should get all his artillery and ammunition in readiness, and commence a cannonade; a number of matchlock-men were also placed under his command; that Muhammed Zemân Mirza and others, who were appointed for the service, should take their ground behind Mustafa to support him; and that overseers and inspectors should be appointed to attend Usta Ali Kûli and Mustafa, for the purpose of overlooking the pioneers and labourers employed in raising batteries, placing the guns, and planting the artillery, as well as for superintending the men who were occupied in transporting the ammunition and warlike stores, and in other necessary works; that Askeri, and the Sultans and Khans named for the duty, should set out expeditiously, and pass the Sirû, at the Ghat of Haldi, in order that, when the batteries were completed, they might be in readiness to fall upon the enemy, who might thus be attacked in different quarters at the same time. Sultan Jûnîd, and Kazi Jia, having informed me that there was a ford eight kos higher up, I appointed Zerd-rû to take one or two boatmen, and accompanied by Sultan Jûnîd's men, and Mahmûd Khan, and Kazi Jîa's people, to proceed in search of the ford, and to cross over if it was found passable. Our people had a report, that the Bengalis intended to place a party at the ford of Haldi, for the purpose of guarding it. We received letters from the Shekdar of Iskanderpûr and Mahmûd Khan, that they had collected about fifty vessels at the passage of Haldi, and

1 The kos being 4000 paces. If we take the pace of two feet and a half, this would make Baber's kos nearly a mile seven furlongs and thirty-three yards.

^ The Ghat of Haldi seems to have been a passage over the Gogra. The Ghat on a river is the landing place on the bank.

5 Iskanderpûr, the Secunderpour of Rennell, stands on the right bank of the Gogra, about 20 miles above its junction with the Ganges.

A. D. 1529. had hired boatmen, but that the sailors had been struck with a panic upon hearing a report that the Bengâlis were coming. As there was still a chance of effecting a passage over the river Sirû, without waiting for the people who had gone to look for the ford, on Saturday I called the Amîrs to a council, and told them that from Iskanderpûr1 Chitermûk, as far as Oud and Behrâj, the whole river Sirû was full of fords; that my plan was as follows: to divide my army into six bodies; to make the chief force of it cross in boats at the Haldi passage, and advance upon the enemy, so as to draw them out of their entrenchments, and keep them occupied until Usta Ali Kûli and Mustafa2 could cross the river and take post with the guns, matchlocks, feringis, and artillery; that I myself would pass the Ganges with Usta Ali Kûli, and remain on the alert, and in perfect readiness for action; that as soon as the great division of the army had effected their passage, and got near the enemy, I should commence an attack on my side, and cross over with my division;3 that Muhammed Zemân Mirza, and those who were appointed to act with him on the Behâr bank of the Ganges, were at the same time to enter into action, and to support Mustafa. Having made these arrangements, and divided the army to the north of the Ganges into four divisions, and placed it under the command of Askeri, I ordered it to advance to the ford of Haldi. One of the divisions was under the immediate command of Askeri, and was composed of his servants; another was commanded by Sultan Jilâleddîn Sherki; the third was composed of the Sultans of the Uzbeks, Kâsim Hussain Sultan, Bikhûb Sultan, Tang Itmish Sultan, Muhammed Khan Lohâni Ghazipûri, Sûki Bâba Kishkeh, Kurbmish Uzbek, Kurbân Cherkhi, Hussain Khan, with the Deria Khanians. The fourth division was under the conduct of Mûsi Sultan, and Sultan Junîd Birlas, who had with them the whole army from Jonpûr, to the number of twenty thousand men. Proper officers were appointed to get the whole of these divisions mounted and in march that same night, being Sunday eve.

May 2.

May 4.

On the morning of Sunday the army began to pass the Ganges. I embarked and crossed over about the first watch. The third watch was past when Zerd-rû, and those who had accompanied him to search for the ford, returned without having found it. They brought word, that by the way they had met the boats, and the detachment of the army which had been ordered up the river.

On Tuesday we marched from the place where we had crossed the river, advanced towards the field of action, which is near the confluence of the two rivers, and encamped about a kos from it. I myself went and saw Usta Ali Kûli employed in firing his feringis and artillery. That day, Usta Ali Kûli struck two vessels with shot from his feringi, and sank them. Having dragged on the great cannon towards the field of battle, and appointed Mulla Gholam to forward the necessary preparations for plant

1 Iskanderpûr being a common name, Chitermûk, probably the name of some neighbouring village, is added to discriminate it from the others.

2 It will be recollected, that Ali Kûli was to cross the Gogra above its junction with the Ganges, while Mustafa was to cross the Ganges below its junction with the Gogra.

3 Baber's division was to cross over under cover of Ali Kûli's fire, and Muhammed Zemân Mîrza, under that of Mustafa.

They passed from the right to the left bank of the Ganges, preparatory to crossing the Gogra.