The Bābur-nāma in English (Memoirs of Bābur)
been reached, when Bāqī _Chaghānīānī_ insisted on a move
against Lower Bangash _i.e._ Kohāt, a mass of Afghāns were
raided and scraped clean (_qīrīb_), the Bannū plain was raided
and plundered, and return was made through Dūkī (Dūgī).
(_Author's note on Daulat Khān Yūsuf-khail._) This Tātār Khān,
the father of Daulat Khān, was one of six or seven _sardārs_
who, sallying out and becoming dominant in Hindūstān, made
Buhlūl Pādshāh. He held the country north of the Satluj
(_sic_) and Sahrind,[1409] the revenues of which exceeded 3
_krūrs_.[1410] On Tātār Khān's death, Sl. Sikandar (_Lūdī_),
as over-lord, took those countries from Tātār Khān's sons and
gave Lāhūr only to Daulat Khān. That happened a year or two
before I came into the country of Kābul (910 AH.).
(_l. Bābur's journey resumed._)
(_Feb. 22nd_) Next morning foragers were sent to several convenient
places; on the same day I visited Bhīra; and on the same day Sangur Khān
_Janjūha_ came, made offering of a horse, and did me obeisance.
(_Feb. 23rd_) On Wednesday the 22nd of the month, the headmen and
_chauderis_[1411] of Bhīra were summoned, a sum of 400,000
_shāhrukhīs_[1412] was agreed on as the price of peace _(māl-i-amān)_,
and collectors were appointed. We also made an excursion, going in a
boat and there eating a confection.
(_Feb. 24th_) Ḥaidar the standard-bearer had been sent to the Bilūchīs
located in Bhīra and Khūsh-āb; on Thursday morning they made an offering
of an almond-coloured _tīpūchāq_ [horse], and did obeisance. As it was
represented to me that some of the soldiery were behaving without sense
and were laying-hands on Bhīra people, persons were sent who caused some
of those [Sidenote: Fol. 226.] senseless people to meet their
death-doom, of others slit the noses and so led them round the camp.
(_Feb. 25th_) On Friday came a dutiful letter from the Khūshābīs; on
this Shāh Shujā` _Arghūn's_ son Shāh Ḥasan was appointed to go to
Khūsh-āb.
(_Feb. 26th_) On Saturday the 25th of the month,[1413] Shāh Ḥasan was
started for Khūsh-āb.
(_Feb. 27th_) On Sunday so much rain fell[1414] that water covered all
the plain. A small brackish stream[1415] flowing between Bhīra and the
gardens in which the army lay, had become like a great river before the
Mid-day Prayer; while at the ford near Bhīra there was no footing for
more than an arrow's flight; people crossing had to swim. In the
afternoon I rode out to watch the water coming down (_kīrkān sū_); the
rain and storm were such that on the way back there was some fear about
getting in to camp. I crossed that same water (_kīrkān sū_) with my
horse swimming. The army-people were much alarmed; most of them
abandoned tents and heavy baggage, shouldered armour, horse-mail and
arms, made their horses swim and crossed bare-back. Most streams flooded
the plain.
(_Feb. 28th_) Next day boats were brought from the river (Jehlam), and
in these most of the army brought their tents and baggage over. Towards
mid-day, Qūj Beg's men went 2 miles up the water and there found a ford
by which the rest crossed.
[Sidenote: Fol. 226b.] (_March 1st_) After a night spent in Bhīra-fort,
Jahān-nūma they call it, we marched early on the Tuesday morning out of
the worry of the rain-flood to the higher ground north of Bhīra.
As there was some delay about the moneys asked for and agreed to
(_taqabbul_), the country was divided into four districts and the begs
were ordered to try to make an end of the matter. Khalīfa was appointed
to one district, Qūj Beg to another, Nāṣir's Dost to another, Sayyid
Qāsim and Muḥibb-i-`alī to another. Picturing as our own the countries
once occupied by the Turk, there was to be no over-running or
plundering.
(_m. Envoys sent to the court in Dihlī._)
(_March 3rd_) People were always saying, "It could do no harm to send an
envoy, for peace' sake, to countries that once depended on the Turk."
Accordingly on Thursday the 1st of Rabī`u'l-awwal, Mullā Murshid was
appointed to go to Sl. Ibrāhīm who through the death of his father Sl.
Iskandar had attained to rule in Hindūstān some 5 or 6 months
earlier(?). I sent him a goshawk (_qārchīgha_) and asked for the
countries which from of old had depended on the Turk. Mullā Murshid was
given charge of writings (_khāṯt̤lār_) for Daulat Khān (_Yūsuf-khail_)
and writings for Sl. Ibrāhīm; matters were sent also by word-of-mouth;
and he was given leave to go. Far from sense and wisdom, shut off from
judgment and counsel must people in Hindūstān be, the Afghāns above all;
for they could not move and make stand like a foe, nor did they know
ways and rules of friendliness. [Sidenote: Fol. 227.] Daulat Khān kept
my man several days in Lāhūr without seeing him himself or speeding him
on to Sl. Ibrāhīm; and he came back to Kābul a few months later without
bringing a reply.
(_n. Birth of Hind-āl._)
(_March 4th_) On Friday the 2nd of the month, the foot-soldiers Shaibak
and Darwesh-i-`alī,—he is now a matchlockman,—bringing dutiful letters
from Kābul, brought news also of Hind-āl's birth. As the news came
during the expedition into Hindūstān, I took it as an omen, and gave the
name Hind-āl (Taking of Hind). Dutiful letters came also from
Muḥammad-i-zamān M. in Balkh, by the hand of Qaṃbar Beg.
(_March 5th_) Next morning when the Court rose, we rode out for an
excursion, entered a boat and there drank _`araq_.[1416] The people of
the party were Khwāja Dost-khāwand, Khusrau, Mīrīm, Mīrzā Qulī,
Muḥammadī, Aḥmadī, Gadāī, Na`man, Langar Khān, Rauh-dam,[1417]
Qāsim-i-`alī the opium-eater (_tariyākī_), Yūsuf-i-`alī and Tīngrī-qulī.
Towards the head of the boat there was a _tālār_[1418] on the flat top
of which I sat with a few people, a few others sitting below. There was
a sitting-place also at the tail of the boat; there Muḥammadī, Gadāī and
Na`man sat. _`Araq_ was drunk till the Other Prayer when, disgusted by
its bad flavour, by consent of those at the head of the boat, _ma'jūn_
was preferred. [Sidenote: Fol. 227b.] Those at the other end, knowing
nothing about our _ma'jūn_ drank _`araq_ right through. At the Bed-time
Prayer we rode from the boat and got into camp late. Thinking I had been
drinking _`araq_ Muḥammadī and Gadāī had said to one another, "Let's do
befitting service," lifted a pitcher of _`araq_ up to one another in
turn on their horses, and came in saying with wonderful joviality and
heartiness and speaking together, "Through this dark night have we come
carrying this pitcher in turns!" Later on when they knew that the party
was (now) meant to be otherwise and the hilarity to differ, that is to
say, that [there would be that] of the _ma'jūn_ band and that of the
drinkers, they were much disturbed because never does a _ma'jūn_ party
go well with a drinking-party. Said I, "Don't upset the party! Let those
who wish to drink _`araq_, drink _`araq_; let those who wish to eat
_ma'jūn_, eat _ma'jūn_. Let no-one on either side make talk or allusion
to the other." Some drank _`araq_, some ate _ma'jūn_, and for a time the
party went on quite politely. Bābā Jān the _qabūz_-player had not been
of our party (in the boat); we invited him when we reached the tents. He
asked to drink _`araq_. We invited Tardī Muḥammad _Qībchāq_ also and
made him a comrade of the drinkers. A _ma'jūn_ party never goes well
with an _`araq_ or a wine-party; the drinkers began to make wild talk
and chatter from all sides, mostly in allusion to _ma'jūn_ and
_ma'jūnīs_. Bābā Jān even, when drunk, said many wild things. The
drinkers soon made Tardī Khān mad-drunk, by giving him one full bowl
after another. Try as we did [Sidenote: Fol. 228.] to keep things
straight, nothing went well; there was much disgusting uproar; the party
became intolerable and was broken up.
(_March 7th_) On Monday the 5th of the month, the country of Bhīra was
given to Hindū Beg.
(_March 8th_) On Tuesday the Chīn-āb country was bestowed on Ḥusain
_Aīkrak_(?) and leave was given to him and the Chīn-āb people to set
out. At this time Sayyid `Alī Khān's son Minūchihr Khān, having let us
know (his intention), came and waited on me. He had started from
Hindūstān by the upper road, had met in with Tātār Khān _Kakar_;[1419]
Tātār Khān had not let him pass on, but had kept him, made him a
son-in-law by giving him his own daughter, and had detained him for some
time.
(_o. The Kakars._)
In amongst the mountains of Nīl-āb and Bhīra which connect with those of
Kashmīr, there are, besides the Jūd and Janjūha tribes, many Jats,
Gujūrs, and others akin to them, seated in villages everywhere on every
rising-ground. These are governed by headmen of the Kakar tribes, a
headship like that over the Jūd and Janjūha. At this time (925 AH.) the
headmen of the people of those hill-skirts were Tātār _Kakar_ and Hātī
_Kakar_, two descendants of one forefather; being paternal-uncles'
sons.[1420] Torrent-beds and ravines are their strongholds. Tātār's
place, named Parhāla,[1421] is a good deal below the snow-mountains;
Hātī's country connects with the mountains and also he had made Bābū
Khān's fief Kālanjar,[1422] look towards himself. Tātār [Sidenote: Fol.
228b.] _Kakar_ had seen Daulat Khān (_Yūsuf-khail_) and looked to him
with complete obedience. Hātī had not seen Daulat Khān; his attitude
towards him was bad and turbulent. At the word of the Hindūstān begs and
in agreement with them, Tātār had so posted himself as to blockade Hātī
from a distance. Just when we were in Bhīra, Hātī moved on pretext of
hunting, fell unexpectedly on Tātār, killed him, and took his country,
his wives and his having (_būlghāni_).[1423]
(_p. Bābur's journey resumed._)
Having ridden out at the Mid-day Prayer for an excursion, we got on a
boat and _`araq_ was drunk. The people of the party were Dost Beg, Mīrzā
Qulī, Aḥmadī, Gadāī, Muḥammad `Alī _Jang-jang_, `Asas,[1424] and
Aūghān-bīrdī _Mughūl_. The musicians were Rauḥ-dam, Bābā Jān,
Qāsim-i-`alī, Yūsuf-i-`alī, Tīngrī-qulī, Abū'l-qāsim, Rāmẓān _Lūlī_. We
drank in the boat till the Bed-time Prayer; then getting off it, full of
drink, we mounted, took torches in our hands, and went to camp from the
river's bank, leaning over from our horses on this side, leaning over
from that, at one loose-rein gallop! Very drunk I must have been for,
when they told me next day that we had galloped loose-rein into camp,
carrying torches, I could not recall it in the very least. After
reaching my quarters, I vomited a good deal.
(_March 11th_) On Friday we rode out on an excursion, crossed the water
(Jehlam) by boat and went about amongst the orchards (_bāghāt_) of
blossoming trees and the lands of the sugar-cultivation. We saw the
wheel with buckets, had water drawn, and asked [Sidenote: Fol. 229.]
particulars about getting it out; indeed we made them draw it again and
again. During this excursion a confection was preferred. In returning we
went on board a boat. A confection (_ma'jūn_) was given also to
Minūchihr Khān, such a one that, to keep him standing, two people had to
give him their arms. For a time the boat remained at anchor in
mid-stream; we then went down-stream; after a while had it drawn
up-stream again, slept in it that night and went back to camp near dawn.
(_March 12th_) On Saturday the 10th of the first Rabī`, the Sun entered
the Ram. Today we rode out before mid-day and got into a boat where
_`araq_ was drunk. The people of the party were Khwāja Dost-khāwand,
Dost Beg, Mīrīm, Mīrzā Qulī, Muḥammadī, Aḥmadī, Yūnas-i-`alī, Muḥ. `Alī
_Jang-jang_, Gadāī T̤aghāī, Mīr Khurd (and ?) `Asas. The musicians were
Rauḥdam, Bābā Jān, Qāsim, Yūsuf-i-`alī, Tīngrī-qulī and Ramẓān. We got
into a branch-water (_shakh-i-āb_), for some time went down-stream,
landed a good deal below Bhīra and on its opposite bank, and went late
into camp.