The Bābur-nāma in English (Memoirs of Bābur)
(_Dec. 6th_) Marching on Wednesday (Ṣafar 20th), we got on a raft, and,
drinking as we went reached Qūsh-guṃbaz,[1577] there landed and joined
the camp.
(_Dec. 7th_) Starting off the camp at dawn, we ourselves went on a raft,
and there ate confection (_ma`jūn_). Our encamping-ground was always
Qīrīq-ārīq, but not a sign or trace of the camp could [Sidenote: Fol.
252b.] be seen when we got opposite it, nor any appearance of our
horses. Thought I, "Garm-chashma (Hot-spring) is close by; they may have
dismounted there." So saying, we went on from Qīrīq-ārīq. By the time we
reached Garm-chashma, the very day was late;[1578] we did not stop
there, but going on in its lateness (_kīchīsī_), had the raft tied up
somewhere, and slept awhile.
(_Dec. 8th_) At day-break we landed at Yada-bīr where, as the day wore
on, the army-folks began to come in. The camp must have been at
Qīrīq-ārīq, but out of our sight.
There were several verse-makers on the raft, such as Shaikh
Abū'l-wajd,[1579] Shaikh Zain, Mullā `Alī-jān, Tardī Beg _Khāksār_ and
others. In this company was quoted the following couplet of Muḥammad
Ṣāliḥ:—[1580]
(Persian) With thee, arch coquette, for a sweetheart, what can man do?
With another than thou where thou art, what can man do?
Said I, "Compose on these lines";[1581] whereupon those given to
versifying, did so. As jokes were always being made at the expense of
Mullā `Alī-jān, this couplet came off-hand into my head:—
(Persian) With one all bewildered as thou, what can man do?
. . . . . . , what can man do?[1582]
(_b. Mention of the Mubīn._[1583])
From time to time before it,[1584] whatever came into my head, of good
or bad, grave or jest, used to be strung into verse and written down,
however empty and harsh the verse might be, but while I was composing
the _Mubīn_, this thought pierced through my dull wits and made way into
my troubled heart, "A pity it [Sidenote: Fol. 253.] will be if the
tongue which has treasure of utterances so lofty as these are, waste
itself again on low words; sad will it be if again vile imaginings find
way into the mind that has made exposition of these sublime
realities."[1585] Since that time I had refrained from satirical and
jesting verse; I was repentant (_ta'īb_); but these matters were totally
out of mind and remembrance when I made that couplet (on Mullā
`Alī-jān).[1586] A few days later in Bīgrām when I had fever and
discharge, followed by cough, and I began to spit blood each time I
coughed, I knew whence my reproof came; I knew what act of mine had
brought this affliction on me.
"Whoever shall violate his oath, will violate it to the hurt of his own
soul; but whoever shall perform that which he hath covenanted with God,
to that man surely will He give great reward" (_Qorān_ cap. 48 v. 10).
(_Turkī_) What is it I do with thee, ah! my tongue?
My entrails bleed as a reckoning for thee.
Good once[1587] as thy words were, has followed
this verse
Jesting, empty,[1588] obscene, has followed a lie.
If thou say, "Burn will I not!" by keeping this vow
Thou turnest thy rein from this field of strife.[1589]
"O Lord! we have dealt unjustly with our own souls; if Thou forgive us
not, and be not merciful unto us, we shall surely be of those that
perish"[1590] (_Qorān_ cap. 7 v. 22).
Taking anew the place of the penitent pleading for pardon, I gave my
mind rest[1591] from such empty thinking and such unlawful occupation. I
broke my pen. Made by that Court, such reproof of sinful slaves is for
their felicity; happy are the highest and the slave when such reproof
brings warning and its profitable fruit.
(_c. Narrative resumed._)
(_Dec. 8th continued_) Marching on that evening, we dismounted at
`Alī-masjid. The ground here being very confined, I always [Sidenote:
Fol. 253b.] used to dismount on a rise overlooking the camp in the
valley-bottom.[1592] The camp-fires made a wonderful illumination there
at night; assuredly it was because of this that there had always been
drinking there, and was so now.
(_Dec. 9th and 10th_) To-day I rode out before dawn; I preferred a
confection (_ma`jūn_)[1593] and also kept this day a fast. We dismounted
near Bīgrām (Peshāwar); and next morning, the camp remaining on that
same ground, rode to Karg-awī.[1594] We crossed the Siyāh-āb in front of
Bīgrām, and formed our hunting-circle looking down-stream. After a
little, a person brought word that there was a rhino in a bit of jungle
near Bīgrām, and that people had been stationed near-about it. We betook
ourselves, loose rein, to the place, formed a ring round the jungle,
made a noise, and brought the rhino out, when it took its way across the
plain. Humāyūn and those come with him from that side (Tramontana), who
had never seen one before, were much entertained. It was pursued for two
miles; many arrows were shot at it; it was brought down without having
made a good set at man or horse. Two others were killed. I had often
wondered how a rhino and an elephant would behave if brought face to
face; this time one came out right in front of some elephants the
mahauts were bringing along; it did not face them [Sidenote: Fol. 254.]
when the mahauts drove them towards it, but got off in another
direction.
(_d. Preparations for ferrying the Indus._[1595])
On the day we were in Bīgrām, several of the begs and household were
appointed, with pay-masters and dīwāns, six or seven being put in
command, to take charge of the boats at the Nīl-āb crossing, to make a
list of all who were with the army, name by name, and to count them up.
That evening I had fever and discharge[1596] which led on to cough and
every time I coughed, I spat blood. Anxiety was great but, by God's
mercy, it passed off in two or three days.
(_Dec. 11th_) It rained when we left Bīgrām; we dismounted on the
Kābul-water.
(_e. News from Lāhor._)
News came that Daulat Khān[1597] and (Apāq) Ghāzī Khān, having collected
an army of from 20 to 30,000, had taken Kilānūr, and intended to move on
Lāhor. At once Mumin-i-`alī the commissary was sent galloping off to
say, "We are advancing march by march;[1598] do not fight till we
arrive."
(_Dec. 14th_) With two night-halts on the way, we reached the water of
Sind (Indus), and there dismounted on Thursday the 28th (of Ṣafar).
(_f. Ferrying the Indus._)
(_Dec. 16th_) On Saturday the 1st of the first Rabī`, we crossed the
Sind-water, crossed the water of Kacha-kot (Hārū), and dismounted on the
bank of the river.[1599] The begs, pay-masters and dīwāns who had been
put in charge of the boats, reported that the number of those come with
the army, great and small, good and bad, retainer and non-retainer, was
written down as 12,000.
(_g. The eastward march._)
The rainfall had been somewhat scant in the plains, but [Sidenote: Fol.
254b.] seemed to have been good in the cultivated lands along the
hill-skirts; for these reasons we took the road for Sīālkot along the
skirt-hills. Opposite Hātī _Kakar's_ country[1600] we came upon a
torrent[1601] the waters of which were standing in pools. Those pools
were all frozen over. The ice was not very thick, as thick as the hand
may-be. Such ice is unusual in Hindūstān; not a sign or trace of any was
seen in the years we were (_aīdūk_) in the country.[1602]
We had made five marches from the Sind-water; after the sixth (_Dec.
22nd_—Rabī` I. 7th) we dismounted on a torrent in the camping-ground
(_yūrt_) of the Bugīāls[1603] below Balnāth Jogī's hill which connects
with the Hill of Jūd.
(_Dec. 23rd_) In order to let people get provisions, we stayed the next
day in that camp. _`Araq_ was drunk on that day. Mullā Muḥ. _Pargharī_
told many stories; never had he been so talkative. Mullā Shams himself
was very riotous; once he began, he did not finish till night.
The slaves and servants, good and bad, who had gone out after
provisions, went further than this[1604] and heedlessly scattered over
jungle and plain, hill and broken ground. Owing to this, a few were
overcome; Kīchkīna _tūnqiṯār_ died there.
(_Dec. 24th_) Marching on, we crossed the Bihat-water at a ford below
Jīlam (Jīhlam) and there dismounted. Walī _Qīzīl_ (Rufus) came there to
see me. He was the Sīālkot reserve, and held the parganas of Bīmrūkī and
Akrīāda. Thinking about Sīālkot, [Sidenote: Fol. 255.] I took towards
him the position of censure and reproach. He excused himself, saying "I
had come to my _pargana_ before Khusrau Kūkūldāsh left Sīālkot; he did
not even send me word." After listening to his excuse, I said, "Since
thou hast paid no attention to Sīālkot, why didst thou not join the begs
in Lāhor?" He was convicted, but as work was at hand, I did not trouble
about his fault.
(_h. Scouts sent with orders to Lāhor._)
(_Dec. 25th_) Sayyid T̤ūfān and Sayyid Lāchīn were sent galloping off,
each with a pair-horse,[1605] to say in Lāhor, "Do not join battle; meet
us at Sīālkot or Parsrūr" (mod. Pasrūr). It was in everyone's mouth that
Ghāzī Khān had collected 30 to 40,000 men, that Daulat Khān, old as he
was, had girt two swords to his waist, and that they were resolved to
fight. Thought I, "The proverb says that ten friends are better than
nine; do you not make a mistake: when the Lāhor begs have joined you,
fight there and then!"
(_Dec. 26th and 27th_) After starting off the two men to the begs, we
moved forward, halted one night, and next dismounted on the bank of the
Chīn-āb (Chan-āb).
As Buhlūlpūr was _khalṣa_,[1606] we left the road to visit it. Its fort
is situated above a deep ravine, on the bank of the Chīn-āb. It pleased
us much. We thought of bringing Sīālkot to it. Please God! the chance
coming, it shall be done straightway! [Sidenote: Fol. 255b.] From
Buhlūlpūr we went to camp by boat.
(_i. Jats and Gujūrs._[1607])
(_Dec. 29th_) On Friday the 14th of the first Rabī` we dismounted at
Sīālkot. If one go into Hindūstān the Jats and Gujūrs always pour down
in countless hordes from hill and plain for loot in bullock and buffalo.
These ill-omened peoples are just senseless oppressors! Formerly their
doings did not concern us much because the country was an enemy's, but
they began the same senseless work after we had taken it. When we
reached Sīālkot, they fell in tumult on poor and needy folks who were
coming out of the town to our camp, and stripped them bare. I had the
silly thieves sought for, and ordered two or three of them cut to
pieces.
From Sīālkot Nūr Beg's brother Shāham also was made to gallop off to the
begs in Lāhor to say, "Make sure where the enemy is; find out from some
well-informed person where he may be met, and send us word."
A trader, coming into this camp, represented that `Ālam Khān had let Sl.
Ibrāhīm defeat him.
(_j. `Ālam Khān's action and failure._[1608])
Here are the particulars:—`Ālam Khān, after taking leave of me (in
Kābul, 931 AH.), went off in that heat by double marches, regardless of
those with him.[1609] As at the time I gave him leave to go, all the
Aūzbeg khāns and sulṯāns had laid siege to Balkh, [Sidenote: Fol. 256.]
I rode for Balkh as soon as I had given him his leave. On his reaching
Lāhor, he insisted to the begs, "You reinforce me; the Pādshāh said so;
march along with me; let us get (Apāq) Ghāzī Khān to join us; let us
move on Dihlī and Āgra." Said they, "Trusting to what, will you join
Ghāzī Khān? Moreover the royal orders to us were, 'If at any time Ghāzī
Khān has sent his younger brother Ḥājī Khān with his son to Court, join
him; or do so, if he has sent them, by way of pledge, to Lāhor; if he
has done neither, do not join him.' You yourself only yesterday fought