The Bābur-nāma in English (Memoirs of Bābur)
of Kāhān—Bābur's boys carried out in haste to meet
him—wine-parties—Death and biography of Dost Beg—Arrival of
Sulṯānīm _Bāī-qarā_ and ceremonies observed on meeting her—A
long-imprisoned traitor released—Excursion to Koh-dāman—Hindū
Beg abandons Bhīra—Bābur has (intermittent) fever—Visitors
from Khwāst—Yūsuf-zāī chiefs wait on Bābur—Khalīfa's son sends
a wedding-gift—Bābur's amusement when illness keeps him from
an entertainment—treatment of his illness—A Thursday reading
of theology (_see_ Add. Note p. 401)—Swimming—Envoy from Mīrzā
Khān—Tribesmen allowed to leave Kābul for wider
grazing-grounds—Bābur sends his first _Dīwān_ to Pūlād
_Aūzbeg_ in Samarkand—Arrivals and departures—Punitive
expedition against the `Abdu'r-rahman Afghāns—punishment
threatened and inflicted (p. 405) on defaulters in help to an
out-matched man—Description of the Rustam-maidān—return to
Kābul—Excursion to Koh-dāman—snake incident—Tramontane begs
warned for service—fish-drugging—Bābur's non-pressure to
drink, on an abstainer—wine-party—misadventure on a
raft—toothpicks gathered—A new retainer—Bābur shaves his
head—Hind-āl's guardian appointed—Aūzbeg raiders defeated in
Badakhshān—Various arrivals—Yūsuf-zāī campaign—Bābur
dislocates his wrist—_Varia_—Dilah-zāk chiefs wait on him—Plan
to store corn in Hash-nagar—Incidents of the road—Khaibar
traversed—Bārā urged on Bābur as a place for corn—Kābul river
forded at Bārā—little corn found and the Hash-nagar plan
foiled—Plan to store Pashāwar Fort—return to `Alī-masjid—News
of an invasion of Badakhshān hurries Bābur back through the
Khaibar—The Khiẓr-khail Afghāns punished—Bābur first writes
since dislocating his wrist—The beauty and fruits of the
Bāgh-i-wafā—incidents of the return march to Kābul—Excursion
to the Koh-dāman—beauty of its harvest crops and autumnal
trees—a line offensive to Khalīfa (_see_ Add. Note p.
416)—Humāyūn makes a good shot—Beauty of the harvest near
Istālīf and in the Bāgh-i-pādshāhī—Return to Kābul—Bābur
receives a white falcon in gift—pays a visit of consolation to
an ashamed drinker—Arrivals various—he finishes copying
`Alī-sher's four _Dīwāns_—An order to exclude from future
parties those who become drunk—Bābur starts for Lāmghān 367-419
926 AH.—Dec. 23rd 1519 to Dec. 12th 1520 AD.—Excursion to
Koh-dāman and Kohistān—incidents of the road—Bābur shoots with
an easy bow, for the first time after the dislocation of his
wrist—Nijr-aū tribute fixed—Excursions in Lāmghān—Kāfir
head-men bring goat-skins of wine—Halt in the Bāgh-i-wafā—its
oranges, beauty and charm—Bābur records his wish and intention
to return to obedience in his 40th year and his consequent
excess in wine as the end approached—composes an air—visits
Nūr-valley—relieves Kwāja Kalān in Bajaur—teaches a talisman
to stop rain—his opinion of the ill-taste and disgusting
intoxication of beer—his reason for summoning Khwāja Kalān,
and trenchant words to Shāh Hasan relieving him—an old beggar
loaded with gifts—the raft strikes a rock—Description of the
Kīndīr spring—Fish taken from fish-ponds—Hunting—Accident to a
tooth—Fishing with a net—A murderer made over to the avengers
of blood—A Qoran chapter read and start made for Kābul—(here
the diary breaks off) 420-425
+Translator's Note.+—926 to 932 AH.—1520 to 1525 AD.—Bābur's
activities in the Gap—missing matter less interesting than
that lost in the previous one—its distinctive mark is
biographical—_Dramatis personæ_—Sources of information 426-444
926 AH.—Dec. 23rd 1519 to Dec. 12th 1520 AD.—Bābur's five
expeditions into Hindūstān—this year's cut short by menace
from Qandahār—Shāh Beg's position—particulars of his menace
not ascertained—+Description of Qandahār-fort+—Bābur's various
sieges—this year's raised because of pestilence within the
walls—Shāh Beg pushes out into Sind.
927 AH.—Dec. 12th 1520 to Dec. 1st 1521 AD.—Two accounts of
this year's siege of Qandahār—(i) that of the
_Ḥabību's-siyar_—(ii) that of the _Tārīkh-i-sind_—concerning
the dates involved—Mīrzā Khān's death.
928 AH.—Dec. 1st 1521 to Nov. 20th 1522 AD.—Bābur and Māhīm
visit Humāyūn in Badakhshān—Expedition to Qandahār—of the duel
between Bābur and Shāh Beg—the Chihil-zīna monument of
victory—Death of Shāh Beg and its date—Bābur's literary work
down to this year.
929 AH.—Nov. 20th 1522 to Nov. 10th 1523 AD.—Hindūstān
affairs—Daulat Khān _Lūdī_, Ibrāhīm _Lūdī_ and Bābur—Dilawār
(son of Daulat Khān) goes to Kābul and asks help against
Ibrāhīm—Bābur prays for a sign of victory—prepares for the
expedition—`Ālam Khān _Lūdī_ (apparently in this year) goes to
Kābul and asks Bābur's help against his nephew Ibrāhīm—Birth
of Gul-badan.
930 AH.—Nov. 10th 1523 to Oct. 27th 1524 AD.—Bābur's fourth
expedition into Hindūstān—differs from earlier ones by its
concert with malcontents in the country—Bābur defeats Bihār
Khān _Lūdī_ near Lāhor—Lāhor occupied—Dībalpūr stormed,
plundered and its people massacred—Bābur moves onward from
Sihrind but returns on news of Daulat Khān's doings—there may
have been also news of Aūzbeg threat to Balkh—The Panj-āb
garrison—Death of Ismā`īl _Ṣafawī_ and of Shāh Beg—Bābur turns
for Kābul—plants bananas in the Bāgh-i-wafā.
931 AH.—Oct. 29th 1524 to Oct. 18th 1525 AD.—Daulat Khān's
large resources—he defeats `Ālam Khān at Dībalpūr—`Ālam Khān
flees to Kābul and again asks help—Bābur's conditions of
reinforcement—`Ālam Khān's subsequent proceedings detailed
_s.a._ 932 AH.—Bābur promises to follow him speedily—is
summoned to Balkh by its Aūzbeg menace—his arrival raises the
siege—he returns to Kābul in time for his start to Hindūstān
in 932 426-444
[+End of Translator's Note.+]
SECTION III—HINDŪSTĀN
932 AH.—Oct. 18th 1525 to Oct. 8th 1526 AD.—Bābur starts on
his fifth expedition into Hindūstān—is attacked by illness at
Gandamak—Humāyūn is late in coming in from
Badakh-shān—Verse-making on the Kābul-river—Bābur makes a
satirical verse such as he had forsworn when writing the
_Mubīn_—attributes a relapse of illness to his breach of
vow—renews his oath—Fine spectacle of the lighted camp at
Alī-masjid—Hunting near Bīgrām—Preparations for ferrying the
Sind—Order to make a list of all with the army, and to count
them up—continuation of illness—Orders sent to the Lāhor begs
to delay engagement till Bābur arrived—The Sind ferried (for
the first time) and the army tale declared as 12,000 good and
bad—The eastward march—unexpected ice—Rendezvous made with the
Lāhor begs—Jat and Gūjūr thieves—a courier sent again to the
begs—News that `Ālam Khān had let Ibrāhīm _Lūdī_ defeat him
near Dihlī—particulars of the engagement—he takes refuge with
Bābur—The Lāhor begs announce their arrival close at
hand—Ibrāhīm's troops retire before Bābur's march—Daulat Khān
_Lūdī_ surrenders Milwat (Malot)—waits on Bābur and is
reproached—Ghāzī Khān's abandonment of his family
censured—Jaswān-valley—Ghāzī Khān pursued—Bābur advances
against Ibrāhīm _Lūdī_—his estimate of his adversary's
strength—`Ālam Khān's return destitute to Bābur—Bābur's march
leads towards Pānīpat—Humāyūn's first affair
succeeds—reiterated news of Ibrāhīm's approach—Bābur's success
in a minor encounter—he arrays and counts his effective
force—finds it under the estimate—orders that every man in the
army shall collect carts towards Rūmī defence—700 carts
brought in—account of the defences of the camp close to the
village of Pānīpat—Bābur on the futility of fear; his excuses
for the fearful in his army—his estimate of Ibrāhīm's army and
of its higher possible numbers—Author's Note on the Aūzbeg
chiefs in Ḥiṣār (918 AH. 1512 AD.)—Preliminary
encounters—Battle and victory of Pānīpat—Ibrāhīm's body
found—Dihlī and Āgra occupied by Bābur—he makes the circuit of
a Farghāna-born ruler in Dihlī—visits other tombs and sees
sights—halts opposite Tūghlūqābād—the _khuṯba_ read for him in
Dihlī—he goes to Āgra—Author's Note on rulers in Gūālīār—The
(Koh-i-nūr) diamond given by the Gūālīār family to
Humāyūn—Bābur's dealings with Ibrāhīm's mother and her
entourage—+Description of Hindūstān+ (pp. 478 to 521)—Revenues
of Hind (p. 521)—Āgra treasure distributed—local disaffection
to Bābur—discontent in his army at remaining in Hindūstān—he
sets the position forth to his Council—Khwāja Kalān decides to
leave—his and Bābur's verses on his desertion—Bābur's force
grows locally—action begun against rebels to Ibrāhīm in the
East—Gifts made to officers, and postings various—Bīban
_Jalwānī_ revolts and is beaten—The Mīr of Bīāna
warned—Mention of Rānā Sangā's failure in his promise to act
with Bābur—Sangā's present action—Decision in Council to leave
Sangā aside and to march to the East—Humāyūn leads out the
army—Bābur makes garden, well and mosque near Āgra—Progress of
Humāyūn's campaign—News of the Aūzbegs in Balkh and
Khurāsān—Affairs of Gujrāt 445-535
933 AH.—Oct. 8th 1526 to Sep. 27th 1527 AD.—Birth announced of
Bābur's son Fārūq—incomplete success in casting a large
mortar—_Varia_—Humāyūn summoned from the East to act against
Sangā—Plundering expedition towards Bīāna—Tahangar, Gūālīār
and Dūlpūr obtained—Ḥamīd Khān _Sārang-khānī_ defeated—Arrival
of a Persian embassy—Ibrāhīm's mother tries to poison
Bābur—+Copy of Bābur's letter detailing the affair+—his
dealings with the poisoner and her agents—Humāyūn's return to
Āgra—Khw. Dost-i-khawānd's arrival from Kābul—Reiterated news
of the approach of Rānā Sangā—Bābur sends an advance force to
Bīāna—Ḥasan Khān _Miwātī_—Tramontane matters disloyal to
Bābur—Trial-test of the large mortar (p. 536)—Bābur leaves
Āgra to oppose Sangā—adverse encounter with Sangā by Bīāna
garrison—Alarming reports of Rājpūt prowess—Spadesmen sent
ahead to dig wells in Madhākūr _pargana_—Bābur halts
there—arrays and moves to Sīkrī—various joinings and
scoutings—discomfiture of a party reconnoitring from Sīkrī—the
reinforcement also overcome—The enemy retires at sight of a
larger troop from Bābur—defence of the Sīkrī camp Rūmī
fashion, with ditch besides—Continued praise of Rājpūt
prowess—Further defence of the camp made to hearten Bābur's
men—20-25 days spent in the above preparations—arrival of 500
men from Kābul—also of Muḥ. Sharīf an astrologer who augurs
ill for Bābur's success—Archers collected and Mīwāt
over-run—Bābur reflects that he had always wished to cease
from the sin of wine—verses about his then position—resolves
to renounce wine—details of the destruction of wine and
precious vessels, and of the building of a commemorative well
and alms-house—his oath to remit a tax if victorious is
recalled to him—he remits the _tamghā_—Shaikh Zain writes the
_farmān_ announcing the two acts—Copy of the _farmān_—Great
fear in Bābur's army—he adjures the Ghāzī spirit in his men
who vow to stand fast—his perilous position—he moves forward
in considerable array—his camp is laid out and protected by
ditch and carts—An omen is taken and gives hope—Khalīfa
advising, the camp is moved—While tents were being set up, the
enemy appears—The battle and victory of Kānwa—described in a
copy of the Letter-of-victory—Bābur inserts this because of