Baber resolves to attack Delhi. eighty gez1 in perpendicular height. At its chief gate, for the space of about seven or eight gez, there is a place that admits of a draw-bridge being thrown across. It may be ten or twelve gez3 wide. The bridge is composed of two long planks, by which their horses and flocks pass out and in. This was one of the forts of the hill-country, which Ghazi Khan had put into a state of defence, and garrisoned. The detachment that had been pushed on attacked the place vigorously, and had nearly taken it, when night came on. The garrison then abandoned the castle and fled away. Near the Dûn is another strong castle called the Fort of Kinkûteh, the country around which is all hilly, but it is not so strong as the former. Alim Khan, in his flight, had thrown himself into this fort, as has been already mentioned. After sending a detachment in pursuit of Ghazi Khan, I placed my foot in the stirrup of resolution, and my hand on the reins of confidence-in-God, and marched against Sultan Ibrahim, the son of Sultan Iskander, the son of Sultan Behlûl Lodi Afghân, in whose possession the throne of Delhi and the dominions of Hindustân at that time were; whose army in the field was said to amount to a hundred thousand men, and who, including those of his Amîrs, had nearly a thousand elephants. After one march I bestowed Debâlpûr on Bâki Shaghâwel, and sent him to reinforce Balkh. I sent a great part of the gold and effects found in the Fort of Milwat, to strengthen my interest in Balkh, and to Kâbul as presents to my relations and friends, and to my children and dependents. A march or two below Dûn, Shah Emâd Shirâzi came with letters from Arâish Khan and Mûlla Muhammed Mezeheb, containing assurances of their attachment to my interest, and urging me to continue resolutely the expedition I had commenced. I wrote them in return, to assure them of my protection and favour; and having dispatched the letters by a messenger on foot, continued my route. The detachment which had proceeded into Milwat, advanced against Herûr, Kehlûr, and the forts in that part of the country, among which, from the natural strength of the ground, no enemy had penetrated for a long time before, took the whole of them, and returned and joined me, after having plundered the inhabitants of the district. It was at this time that Alim Khan, being reduced to great distress, came naked, and on foot, to meet me. I directed several Begs and some noblemen of my court to go out to receive him, and also sent him some horses. He waited upon me in this neighbourhood, and made his submission.6 A detachment was sent out among the hills and valleys in this vicinity, but returned after being out a night or two, without having met with anything of value. Shah Mîr Hussain, and Jan Beg, with some other of my people, asked permission to go on a foray, which I granted, and they went off. While I was in Dûn, two or three letters had come from Ismâel Jilwâni and Biban. 1 That is, 140 or 160 feet. 2 Fourteen or sixteen feet. 3 Twenty or twenty-four feet. * Debâlpûr lies between the Ravi and Biah, about forty miles south-west from Lahore. 5 These were lords of Ibrahim's court. • From this time forward there seems to have been an end to Alim or Alaeddin Khan's pretensions to the throne of Delhi. 'These were also noblemen of great rank and power among the Afghans in Hindustân. I sent them gracious answers from this place, to retain them in their favourable senti ments. near Seh After marching from Dûn we came to Rûpûr.' While we staid at Rûpûr, it rained incessantly, and was so extremely cold, that many of the starving and hungry Hindustânis died. After marching from Rûpûr, we had halted at Keril, opposite to Sehrind,2 Arrives when a Hindustâni presented himself, assuming the style of an ambassador from Sul- rind. tan Ibrâhim. Though he had no letters or credentials, yet as he requested that one of my people might accompany him back as my ambassador, I accordingly did send back a Sewâdi Tinketâr3 along with him. These poor men had no sooner arrived in Ibrâhim's camp than he ordered them both to be thrown into prison. The very day that we defeated Ibrâhim, the Sewâdi was set at liberty, and waited on me. After two marches more, we halted on the banks of the stream of Banûr and Sanûr. This is a running water, of which there are few in Hindustân, except large rivers. They call it the stream of Kagar. Chiter stands on its banks. We rode up this stream to view the country. Three or four kos above Chiter, it comes flowing down from a number of little springs. Higher up than the stream by which we had ridden, there issues from an open valley a rivulet fit to turn four or five mills. It is an extremely beautiful and delightful place, with a charming climate. On the banks of this rivulet, where it issues from the spreading valley, I directed a Charbagh (or large garden) to be laid out. The rivulet, after reaching the plain, goes on for a kos or two, and falls into the first-mentioned river. The place where the stream of Kagar issues, and is formed from the junction of the small springs that have been mentioned, may be three or four kos higher up than the place where this rivulet falls into it. During the rainy season, the water of the rivulet, swelling extremely, flows down united with the stream of the Kagar, to Samâneh7 and Sinâm. At this station, we had information that Hears of Sultan Ibrâhim, who lay on this side of Delhi, was advancing, and that the Shekdâr Sultan of Hissâr-Firôzeh,8 Hâmîd Khan Khaseh-Khail, had also advanced ten or fifteen kos approach. towards us with the army of Hissâr-Firozeh, and of the neighbouring districts. I sent on Kitteh Beg towards Ibrâhim's camp to procure intelligence, and despatched Momin Atkeh towards the army of Hissâr-Firôzeh to get notice of its motions. 1 Rûpûr lies about a march south of the Satlej. 2 Sehrind or Sirhind, is situated in latitude 30° 26', and longitude 76° 30′. It has been a place of great importance, and is still a striking scene though quite deserted. It is a very compact town, six miles round, built with brick, and paved with the same material. The houses are now unroofed, but the walls all standing. The city contains a fort now in ruins, a fine stone mosque, and many other handsome tombs and places of worship. The east of the city is covered by a lake, over which are two handsome bridges. On the other sides it is encircled by extensive and beautiful groves of mangoes; and altogether presents a very grand and pleasing spectacle. There is a ruined garden and palace near the town, which in splendour yields to no garden in India, except the Shalimâr at Lahore. 3 The office of the Tinketâr is not well ascertained. He seems to have been a confidential servant, perhaps connected with the Ten, or private treasury. 4 Ab-e-rewân. Six or seven miles. 5 This is the Kagar that is passed between Sirhend and Thânesar. 7 Samâneh lies about north lat. 29° 55', east long 76° 6'. It is situated west from Thânesar. * Hissar-Firôzeh lies rather more than a degree and a half west of Delhi, a little to the north. The Shekdar is a military collector of the revenue, and has often the chief authority in a district. Ibrahim's A. D. 1526. Feb. 25. Detaches Hûmâiûn towards rozeh. On Sunday, the 13th of the first Jemâdi, I marched from Ambâla,1 and had halted on the margin of a Tank, when Momin Atkeh and Kitteh Beg both returned on the same day. The command of the whole right wing I gave to Hûmâiûn, who was accompanied by Khwâjeh Kilân, Sultan Muhammed Duldâi, Wali Khâzin, with some Hissar-Fi- of the Begs who had staid in Hindustân, such as Khosrou, Hindu Beg, Abdal-Aziz, and Muhammed Ali Jeng-Jeng. I also strengthened this force by adding to it several of the inferior Begs, and of my immediate dependants from the centre, such as Mansûr Birlâs, Kitteh Beg, Mohib Ali, with a large body of troops, and directed him to march against Hamid Khan. It was at this station, too, that Biban came and made his submission. These Afghâns are provokingly rude and stupid. Although Dilâwer Khan, who was his superior, both in the number of his retainers and in rank, did not sit in the presence, and although the sons of Alim Khan stood, though they were princes, this man asked to be allowed to sit, and expected me to listen to his unreasonable demand. Next morning, being Monday the 14th, Hûmâiûn set out with his light force to atdefeats Ha. tack Hamid Khan by surprise. Hûmâiûn despatched on before him a hundred or a mîd Khan. hundred and fifty select men, by way of advanced guard. On coming near the enemy, this advanced body went close up to them, hung upon their flanks, and had one or two rencounters, till the troops of Hûmâiûn appeared in sight following them. No sooner were they perceived than the enemy took to flight. Our troops brought down one hundred or two hundred of their men, cut off the heads of the one half, and brought the other half alive into the camp, along with seven or eight elephants. Beg Mirak Moghul brought the news of this victory of Hûmâiûn to the camp at this station on Friday, the 18th of the month. On the spot, I directed a complete dress of honour, a horse from my own stable, with a reward in money, to be given to him. Feb. 26. March 2. March 5. On Monday the 21st, Hûmâiûn reached the camp that was still at the same station, with a hundred prisoners, and seven or eight elephants, and waited on me. I ordered Ustâd Ali Kûli and the Matchlockmen to shoot all the prisoners as an example. This was Hûmâiûn's first expedition, and the first service he had seen. It was a very good Hissâr-Fi- omen. Some light troops having followed the fugitives, took Hissâr-Firôzeh the moment they reached it, and returned after plundering it. Hissâr-Firôzeh, which, with its dependencies and subordinate districts, yielded a kror,3 I bestowed on Hûmâiûn, with a kror in money as a present. rozen taken. Halts at Hûmâiûn's note on the Memoirs. Marching from that station, we reached Shahâbâd. I sent fit persons towards Sultan Ibrahim's camp to procure intelligence, and halted several days in this station. From this place also I dispatched Rahmet Piâdeh to Kâbul, with letters announcing my victory. (At this same station, and this same day, the razor, or scissors, were first applied to Hûmâiûn's beard. As my honoured father mentions in these commentaries the time 1 Ambâla is a small town, with a handsome tank. The houses are mostly two stories high, more regular than is usual in India; the streets are well paved with brick, and very clean. On the whole, it is probably the neatest town in India. 2 It will be recollected, that Alim Khan, or Alâeddîn, was a brother of Sultan Ibrâhim, the reigning emperor. 3 About L.25,000 sterling. of his first using the razor, in humble emulation of him, I have commemorated the same circumstance regarding myself. I was then eighteen years of age. Now that I am forty-six, I, Muhammed Hûmâiûn, am transcribing a copy of these Memoirs from the copy in his late Majesty's own hand-writing).1 Sirsa weh. In this station, on Monday the 28th of the first Jemâdi, the sun entered Aries; we March 12. now began also to receive repeated information from Ibrâhim's camp, that he was advancing slowly by a kos or two at a time, and halting two or three days at each station. I, on my side, likewise moved on to meet him, and after the second march from Shahabâd, encamped on the banks of the Jumna, opposite to Sirsâweh. Haider Kûli, Baber ena servant of Khwâjeh Kilân, was sent out to procure intelligence. I crossed the camps near Jumna by a ford, and went to see Sirsâweh. That same day I took a maajûn. At Sirsâweh, there is a fountain, from which a small stream flows. It is rather a pretty place. Terdi Beg Khaksâr praised it highly. I said," Yours be it ;" and in consequence of these praises, I bestowed it on Terdi Beg Khaksâr. Having raised an awning in a boat, we sometimes sailed about on the broad stream of the river, and sometimes entered the creeks in the boat. 4 surprise the From this station we held down the river for two marches, keeping close along its banks, when Haider Kûli, who had been sent out to collect intelligence, returned, bringing information that Daûd Khan and Haitim Khan had been sent across the river into the Doab with six or seven thousand horse, and had encamped three or four kos3 in advance of Ibrâhim's position on the road towards us. On Sunday the 18th of the April 1. second Jemâdi, I dispatched against this column Chin Taimûr Sultan, Mehdi Khwâ- Attempts to jeh, Sultan Mirza, Adil Sultan, with the whole left wing, commanded by Sultan Jûnîd, enemy. Shah Mir Hussain, Kûtlek Kedem; as well as part of the centre under Yûnis Ali, Abdallah, Ahmedi, and Kitteh Beg, with instructions to advance rapidly and fall upon them by surprise. About noon-day prayers, they crossed the river near our camp; and between afternoon and evening prayers set out from the opposite bank. Next morning, about the time of early prayers, they arrived close upon the enemy, who April 2. put themselves in some kind of order, and marched out to meet them: but our troops no sooner came up, than the enemy fled, and were followed in close pursuit, and slaughtered all the way to the limits of Ibrâhim's camp. The detachment took Haitim Khan, Daûd Khan's eldest brother, and one of the generals, with seventy or eighty prisoners, and six or eight elephants, all of which they brought in when they waited Several of the prisoners were put to death, to strike terror into the enemy. Marching thence, I arranged the whole army in order of battle, with right and left The Vim. wing and centre, and after reviewing it, performed the vim. The custom of the vim is, that, the whole army being mounted, the commander takes a bow or whip in his hand, and guesses at the number of the army, according to a fashion in use, and in conformity with which they affirm that the army may be so many. The number that I guessed was greater than the army turned out to be. on me. 1 This note of Hûmâiûn's must have been made about A.D. 1553, during his residence in Kâbul, before his last return to Hindustân. ? This river the Persians call the Jûn. It is always so written in the Memoirs. 3 Five or six miles. The Farz prayers are repeated when there is light enough to distinguish one object from another. Fortifies his front. April 12. Misconduct my. At this station I directed that, according to the custom of Rûm,' the gun-carriages should be connected together with twisted bull-hides as with chains. Between every two gun-carriages were six or seven tûras2 or breast-works. The matchlock-men stood behind these guns and tûras, and discharged their matchlocks. I halted five or six days in this camp, for the purpose of getting this apparatus arranged. After every part of it was in order and ready, I called together all the Amîrs, and men of any experience and knowledge, and held a general council. It was settled, that as Panipat was a considerable city, it would cover one of our flanks by its buildings and houses, while we might fortify our front by tûras, or covered defences, and cannon, and that the matchlock-men and infantry should be placed in the rear of the guns and tûras. With this resolution we moved, and in two marches, on Thursday, the 30th of the last Jemâdi, reached Panipat. On our right, were the town and suburbs. In my front I placed the guns and tûras which had been prepared. On the left, and in different other points, we drew ditches and made defences of the boughs of trees. At the distance of every bowshot, a space was left large enough for a hundred or a hundred and fifty men to issue forth. Many of the troops were in great terror and alarm. Trepidation and fear are always unbecoming. Whatsoever Almighty God has decreed from all eternity, cannot be reversed; though, at the same time, I cannot greatly blame them; they had some reason; for they had come two or three months' journey from their own country; we had to engage in arms a strange nation, whose language we did not understand, and who did not understand ours; 3 (Persian).—We are all in difficulty, all in distraction, Surrounded by a people; by a strange people. The of the army enemy opposed to us was estimated at one hundred thousand men ; the elephants of the emperor and his officers were said to amount to nearly a thousand. He possessed the accumulated treasures of his father and grandfather, in current coin, ready for use. It is an usage in Hindustân, in situations similar to that in which the enemy now were, to expend sums of enemy in bringing together troops who engage to serve for hire. These men are called Bedhindi. Had he chosen to adopt this plan, he might have engaged one or two hundred thousand more troops. But God Almighty directed everything for the best. He had not the heart to satisfy even his own army; and would not part with any of his treasure. Indeed, how was it possible that he should satisfy his troops, when he was himself miserly to the last degree, and beyond measure avaricious in accumulating pelf? He was a young man of no experience. He was negligent in all his movements; he marched without order; retired or halted without plan, and engaged in battle without foresight. While the troops were 1 That is, of the Ottomans. 2 The meaning assigned to Tûra, here, and in several other places, is merely conjectural, founded on Petis de la Croix's explanation, and on the meaning given by Meninski to Tûr, viz. reticulatus. The Tûras may here have been formed of the branches of trees, interwoven like basketwork, so as to form defences; or they may have been covered defences from arrows and missiles, such as we have seen used in several sieges. 3 Panipat, which lies about fifty miles NW. from Delhi, is famous for several very important battles fought near it. In the last, in 1761, the Mahrattas were totally defeated by the Abdallahs, or Afghans, under Ahmed Shah. |
