The Bābur-nāma in English (Memoirs of Bābur)
much said, it all passed off as a joke; he was not pressed to drink.
(_August 16th_) At dawn we made our morning (_ṣubāḥī ṣubūḥī qīldūk_).
(_August 17th_) Riding on Wednesday from Gul-i-bahār, we [Sidenote: Fol.
241.] dismounted in Abūn-village[1485], ate food, remounted, went to a
summer-house in the orchards (_bāghāt-i-kham_) and there dismounted.
There was a wine-party after the Mid-day Prayer.
(_August 18th_) Riding on next day, we made the circuit of Khwāja
Khāwand Sa`īd's tomb, went to China-fort and there got on a raft. Just
where the Panjhīr-water comes in, the raft struck the naze of a hill and
began to sink. Rauḥ-dam, Tīngrī-qulī and Mīr Muḥammad the raftsman were
thrown into the water by the shock; Rauḥ-dam and Tīngrī-qulī were got on
the raft again; a China cup and a spoon and a ṯambour went into the
water. Lower down, the raft struck again opposite the Sang-i-barīda (the
cut-stone), either on a branch in mid-stream or on a stake stuck in as a
stop-water (_qāqghān qāzūq_). Right over on his back went Shāh Beg's
Shāh Ḥasan, clutching at Mīrzā Qulī Kūkūldāsh and making him fall too.
Darwīsh-i-muḥammad _Sārbān_ was also thrown into the water. Mīrzā Qulī
went over in his own fashion! Just when he fell, he was cutting a melon
which he had in his hand; as he went over, he stuck his knife into the
mat of the raft. He swam in his _tūn aūfrāghī_[1486] and got out of the
water without coming on the raft again. Leaving it that night, we slept
at raftsmen's houses. Darwīsh-i-muḥammad _Sārbān_ presented me with a
seven-coloured cup exactly like the one lost in the water.
(_August 19th_) On Friday we rode away from the river's bank and
dismounted below Aīndīkī on the skirt of Koh-i-bacha where, with our own
hands, we gathered plenty of tooth-picks.[1487] [Sidenote: Fol. 241b.]
Passing on, food was eaten at the houses of the Khwāja Khiẓr people. We
rode on and at the Mid-day Prayer, dismounted in a village of Qūtlūq
Khwāja's fief in Lamghān where he made ready a hasty meal (_mā ḥaẓirī_);
after partaking of this, we mounted and went to Kābul.
(_bb. Various incidents._)
(_August 22nd_) On Monday the 25th, a special honorary dress and a
saddled horse were bestowed on Darwīsh-i-muḥammad _Sārbān_ and he was
made to kneel as a retainer (_naukar_).
(_August 24th_) For 4 or 5 months I had not had my head shaved; on
Wednesday the 27th, I had it done. Today there was a wine-party.
(_August 26th_) On Friday the 29th, Mīr Khūrd was made to kneel as
Hind-āl's guardian.[1488] He made an offering of 1000 _shāhrukhīs_
(_circa_ £50).
(_August 31st_) On Wednesday the 5th of Ramẓān, a dutiful letter was
brought by Tūlik Kūkūldāsh's servant Barlās Jūkī(?). Aūzbeg raiders had
gone into those parts (Badakhshān); Tūlik had gone out, fought and
beaten them. Barlās Jūkī brought one live Aūzbeg and one head.
(_Sep. 2nd_) In the night of Saturday the 8th, we broke our fast[1489]
in Qāsim Beg's house; he led out a saddled horse for me.
(_Sep. 3rd_) On Sunday night the fast was broken in Khalīfa's house; he
offered me a saddled horse.
(_Sep. 4th_) Next day came Khwāja Muḥ. `Alī and Jān-i-nāṣir who had been
summoned from their districts for the good of the army.[1490]
(_Sep. 7th_) On Wednesday the 12th, Kāmrān's maternal uncle [Sidenote:
Fol. 242.] Sl. `Alī Mīrzā arrived.[1491] As has been mentioned,[1492] he
had gone to Kāshghar in the year I came from Khwāst into Kābul.
(_cc. A Yūsuf-zāī campaign._)
(_Sep. 8th_) We rode out on Thursday the 13th of the month of Ramẓān,
resolved and determined to check and ward off the Yūsuf-zāī, and we
dismounted in the meadow on the Dih-i-yaq`ūb side of Kābul. When we were
mounting, the equerry Bābā Jān led forward a rather good-for-nothing
horse; in my anger I struck him in the face a blow which dislocated my
fist below the ring-finger.[1493] The pain was not much at the time, but
was rather bad when we reached our encampment-ground. For some time I
suffered a good deal and could not write. It got well at last.
To this same assembly-ground were brought letters and presents (_bīlāk_)
from my maternal-aunt Daulat-sulṯān Khānīm[1494] in Kāshghar, by her
foster-brother Daulat-i-muḥammad. On the same day Bū Khān and Mūsa,
chiefs of the Dilazāk, came, bringing tribute, and did obeisance.
(_Sep. 11th_) On Sunday the 16th Qūj Beg came.
(_Sep. 14th_) Marching on Wednesday the 19th we passed through Būt-khāk
and, as usual, dismounted on the Būt-khāk water.[1495]
As Qūj Beg's districts, Bāmīān, Kāh-mard and Ghūrī, are close to the
Aūzbeg, he was excused from going with this army and given leave to
return to them from this ground. I bestowed on him a turban twisted for
myself, and also a head-to-foot (_bāsh-ayāq_).
(_Sep. 16th_) On Friday the 21st, we dismounted at Badām-chashma.
[Sidenote: Fol. 242b.]
(_Sep. 17th_) Next day we dismounted on the Bārīk-āb, I reaching the
camp after a visit to Qarā-tū. On this ground honey was obtained from a
tree.
(_Sep. 20th_) We went on march by march till Wednesday the 26th, and
dismounted in the Bāgh-i-wafā.
(_Sep. 21st_) Thursday we just stayed in the garden.
(_Sep. 22nd_) On Friday we marched out and dismounted beyond Sulṯānpūr.
Today Shāh Mīr Ḥusain came from his country. Today came also Dilazāk
chiefs under Bū Khān and Mūsa. My plan had been to put down the
Yūsuf-zāī in Sawād, but these chiefs set forth to me that there was a
large horde (_aūlūs_) in Hash-naghar and that much corn was to be had
there. They were very urgent for us to go to Hash-naghar. After
consultation the matter was left in this way:—As it is said there is
much corn in Hash-naghar, the Afghāns there shall be overrun; the forts
of Hash-naghar and Parashāwar shall be put into order; part of the corn
shall be stored in them and they be left in charge of Shāh Mīr Ḥusain
and a body of braves. To suit Shāh Mīr Ḥusain's convenience in this, he
was given 15 days leave, with a rendezvous named for him to come to
after going to his country and preparing his equipment.
(_Sep. 23rd_) Marching on next day, we reached Jūī-shāhī and there
dismounted. On this ground Tīngrī-bīrdī and Sl. Muḥammad _Dūldāī_
overtook us. Today came also Ḥamza from Qūndūz.[1496]
(_Sep. 25th_) On Sunday the last day of the month (Ramẓān), we marched
from Jūī-shāhī and dismounted at Qīrīq-arīq (forty-conduits), [Sidenote:
Fol. 243.] I going by raft, with a special few. The new moon of the
Feast was seen at that station.[1497] People had brought a few
beast-loads of wine from Nūr-valley;[1498] after the Evening Prayer
there was a wine-party, those present being Muḥibb-i-`alī the armourer,
Khwāja Muḥ. `Alī the librarian, Shāh Beg's Shāh Ḥasan, Sl. Muḥ. _Dūldāī_
and Darwīsh-i-muḥ. _Sārbān,_ then obedient (_tā'ib_). From my childhood
up it had been my rule not to press wine on a non-drinker;
Darwīsh-i-muḥammad was at every party and no pressure was put on him (by
me), but Khwāja Muḥ. `Alī left him no choice; he pressed him and pressed
him till he made him drink.
(_Sep. 26th_) On Monday we marched with the dawn of the Feast-day,[1499]
eating a confection on the road to dispel crop-sickness. While under its
composing influence (_nāklīk_), we were brought a colocynth-apple
(_khunṯul_). Darwīsh-i-muḥammad had never seen one; said I, "It is a
melon of Hindūstān," sliced it and gave him a piece. He bit into it at
once; it was night before the bitter taste went out of his mouth. At
Garm-chashma we dismounted on rising-ground where cold meat was being
set out for us when Langar Khān arrived to wait on me after being for a
time at his own place (Koh-i-jūd). He brought an offering of a horse and
a few confections. Passing on, we dismounted at Yada-bīr, at the Other
Prayer got on a raft there, went for as much as two miles on it, then
left it.
(_Sep. 27th_) Riding on next morning, we dismounted below the
Khaibar-pass. Today arrived Sl. Bāyazīd, come up by the [Sidenote: Fol.
243b.] Bāra-road after hearing of us; he set forth that the Afrīdī
Afghāns were seated in Bāra with their goods and families and that they
had grown a mass of corn which was still standing (lit. on foot). Our
plan being for the Yūsuf-zāī Afghāns of Hash-naghar, we paid him no
attention. At the Mid-day Prayer there was a wine-party in Khwāja
Muḥammad `Alī's tent. During the party details about our coming in this
direction were written and sent off by the hand of a sulṯān of Tīrah to
Khwāja Kalān in Bajaur. I wrote this couplet on the margin of the letter
(_farmān_):—
Say sweetly o breeze, to that beautiful fawn,
Thou hast given my head to the hills and the wild.[1500]
(_Sep. 28th_) Marching on at dawn across the pass, we got through the
Khaibar-narrows and dismounted at `Alī-masjid. At the Mid-day Prayer we
rode on, leaving the baggage behind, reached the Kābul-water at the
second watch (midnight) and there slept awhile.
(_Sep. 29th_) A ford[1501] was found at daylight; we had forded the
water (_sū-dīn kīchīldī_), when news came from our scout that the
Afghāns had heard of us and were in flight. We went on, passed through
the Sawād-water and dismounted amongst the Afghān corn-fields. Not a
half, not a fourth indeed of the promised corn was had. The plan of
fitting-up Hash-naghar, made under the hope of getting corn here, came
to nothing. [Sidenote: Fol. 244.] The Dilazāk Afghāns, who had urged it
on us, were ashamed. We next dismounted after fording the water of Sawād
to its Kābul side.
(_Sep. 30th_) Marching next morning from the Sawād-water, we crossed the
Kābul-water and dismounted. The Begs admitted to counsel were summoned
and a consultation having been had, the matter was left at this:—that
the Afrīdī Afghāns spoken of by Sl. Bāyazīd should be over-run,
Pūrshāwūr-fort be fitted up on the strength of their goods and corn, and
some-one left there in charge.
At this station Hindū Beg _Qūchīn_ and the Mīr-zādas of Khwāst overtook
us. Today _ma'jūn_ was eaten, the party being Darwesh-i-muḥammad
_Sārbān_, Muḥammad Kūkūldāsh, Gadāī T̤aghāī and `Asas; later on we
invited Shāh Ḥasan also. After food had been placed before us, we went
on a raft, at the Other Prayer. We called Langar Khān _Nīa-zāī_ on also.
At the Evening Prayer we got off the raft and went to camp.
(_Oct. 1st_) Marching at dawn, in accordance with the arrangement made
on the Kābul-water, we passed Jām and dismounted at the outfall of the
`Alī-masjid water.[1502]
(_dd. Badakhshān affairs._)
Sl. `Alī (T̤aghāī's servant ?) Abū'l-hāshim overtaking us, said, "On the
night of `Arafa,[1503] I was in Jūī-shāhī with a person from Badakhshān;
he told me that Sl. Sa`īd Khān had come with designs on Badakhshān, so I
came on from Jūī-shāhī along the Jām-rūd, to give the news to the
Pādshāh." On this the begs were summoned and advice was taken. In
consequence of this [Sidenote: Fol. 244b.] news, it seemed inadvisable
to victual the fort (Pūrshāwūr), and we started back intending to go to
Badakhshān.[1504] Langar Khān was appointed to help Muḥ. `Alī
_Jang-jang_; he was given an honorary dress and allowed to go.
That night a wine-party was held in Khwāja Muḥ. `Alī's tent. We marched
on next day, crossed Khaibar and dismounted below the pass.
(_ee. The Khiẓr-khail Afghāns._)
(_Oct. 3rd_) Many improper things the Khiẓr-khail had done! When the
army went to and fro, they used to shoot at the laggards and at those
dismounted apart, in order to get their horses. It seemed lawful
therefore and right to punish them. With this plan we marched from below
the pass at daybreak, ate our mid-day meal in Dih-i-ghulāmān
(Basaul),[1505] and after feeding our horses, rode on again at the
Mid-day Prayer.
Muḥ Ḥusain the armourer was made to gallop off to Kābul with orders to
keep prisoner all Khiẓr-khailīs there, and to submit to me an account of