The Bābur-nāma in English (Memoirs of Bābur)
him and let him beat you! Trusting to what, will you join him now?
Besides all this, it is not for your advantage to join him!" Having said
what-not of this sort, they refused `Ālam Khān. He did not fall in with
their views, but sent his son Sher Khān to speak with Daulat Khān and
with Ghāzī Khān, and afterwards all saw one another.
`Ālam Khān took with him Dilāwar Khān, who had come into Lāhor two or
three months earlier after his escape from prison; he took also Maḥmūd
Khān (son of) Khān-i-jahān,[1610] to whom a _pargana_ in the Lāhor
district had been given. They seem to have left matters at this:—Daulat
Khān with Ghāzī Khān was to take all the begs posted in Hindūstān to
himself, indeed he was to take everything on that side;[1611] while
`Ālam [Sidenote: Fol. 256b.] Khān was to take Dilāwar Khān and Ḥājī Khān
and, reinforced by them, was to capture Dihlī and Āgra. Ismā`īl
_Jilwānī_ and other amīrs came and saw `Ālam Khān; all then betook
themselves, march by march, straight for Dihlī. Near Indrī came also
Sulaimān Shaikh-zāda.[1612] Their total touched 30 to 40,000 men.
They laid siege to Dihlī but could neither take it by assault nor do
hurt to the garrison.[1613] When Sl. Ibrāhīm heard of their assembly, he
got an army to horse against them; when they heard of his approach, they
rose from before the place and moved to meet him. They had left matters
at this:—"If we attack by day-light, the Afghāns will not desert (to
us), for the sake of their reputations with one another; but if we
attack at night when one man cannot see another, each man will obey his
own orders." Twice over they started at fall of day from a distance of
12 miles (6 _kurohs_), and, unable to bring matters to a point, neither
advanced nor retired; but just sat on horseback for two or three
watches. On a third occasion they delivered an attack when one watch of
night remained—their purpose seeming to be the burning of tents and
huts! They went; they set fire from every end; they made a disturbance.
Jalāl Khān _Jig-hat_[1614] came with other amīrs and saw `Ālam Khān.
Sl. Ibrāhīm did not bestir himself till shoot of dawn from where he was
with a few of his own family[1615] within his own enclosure (_sarācha_).
Meantime `Ālam Khān's people were busy [Sidenote: Fol. 257.] with
plunder and booty. Seeing the smallness of their number, Sl. Ibrāhīm's
people moved out against them in rather small force with one elephant.
`Ālam Khān's party, not able to make stand against the elephant, ran
away. He in his flight crossed over into the Mīān-dū-āb and crossed back
again when he reached the Pānīpat neighbourhood. In Indrī he contrived
on some pretext to get 4 _laks_ from Mīān Sulaimān.[1616] He was
deserted by Ismā`īl _Jilwānī_, by Biban[1617] and by his own oldest son
Jalāl, who all withdrew into the Mīān-dū-āb; and he had been deserted
just before the fighting, by part of his troops, namely, by Daryā Khān
(_Nūḥānī_)'s son Saif Khān, by Khān-i-jahān (_Nūḥānī_)'s son Maḥmūd
Khān, and by Shaikh Jamāl _Farmulī_. When he was passing through Sihrind
with Dilāwar Khān, he heard of our advance and of our capture of Milwat
(Malot).[1618] On this Dilāwar Khān—who always had been my well-wisher
and on my account had dragged out three or four months in prison,—left
`Ālam Khān and the rest and went to his family in Sulṯānpūr. He waited
on me three or four days after we took Milwat. `Ālam Khān and Ḥājī Khān
crossed the Shatlut (_sic_)-water and went into Gingūta,[1619] one of
the strongholds in the range that lies between the valley and the
plain.[1620] There our Afghān and Hazāra[1621] troops besieged them, and
had [Sidenote: Fol. 257b] almost taken that strong fort when night came
on. Those inside were thinking of escape but could not get out because
of the press of horses in the Gate. There must have been elephants also;
when these were urged forward, they trod down and killed many horses.
`Ālam Khān, unable to escape mounted, got out on foot in the darkness.
After a _lak_ of difficulties, he joined Ghāzī Khān, who had not gone
into Milwat but had fled into the hills. Not being received with even a
little friendliness by Ghāzī Khān; needs must! he came and waited on me
at the foot of the dale[1622] near Pehlūr.
(_k. Diary resumed._)
A person came to Sīālkot from the Lāhor begs to say they would arrive
early next morning to wait on me.
(_Dec. 30th_) Marching early next day (Rabī` I. 15th), we dismounted at
Parsrūr. There Muḥ. `Alī _Jang-jang_, Khwāja Ḥusain and several braves
waited on me. As the enemy's camp seemed to be on the Lāhor side of the
Rāvī, we sent men out under Būjka for news. Near the third watch of the
night they brought word that the enemy, on hearing of us, had fled, no
man looking to another.
(_Dec. 31st_) Getting early to horse and leaving baggage and train in
the charge of Shāh Mīr Ḥusain and Jān Beg, we bestirred ourselves. We
reached Kalānūr in the afternoon, and there dismounted. Muḥammad Sl.
Mīrzā and `Ādil Sl.[1623] came [Sidenote: Fol. 258.] to wait on me
there, together with some of the begs.
(_Jan. 1st 1526 AD._) We marched early from Kalānūr. On the road people
gave us almost certain news of Ghāzī Khān and other fugitives.
Accordingly we sent, flying after those fliers, the commanders
Muḥammadī, Aḥmadī, Qūtlūq-qadam, Treasurer Walī and most of those begs
who, in Kābul, had recently bent the knee for their begship. So far it
was settled:—That it would be good indeed if they could overtake and
capture the fugitives; and that, if they were not able to do this, they
were to keep careful watch round Milwat (Malot), so as to prevent those
inside from getting out and away. Ghāzī Khān was the object of this
watch.
(_l. Capture of Milwat._)
(_Jan. 2nd and 3rd_) After starting those begs ahead, we crossed the
Bīāh-water (Beas) opposite Kanwāhīn[1624] and dismounted. From there we
marched to the foot of the valley of Fort Milwat, making two night-halts
on the way. The begs who had arrived before us, and also those of
Hindūstān were ordered to dismount in such a way as to besiege the place
closely.
A grandson of Daulat Khān, son of his eldest son `Alī Khān, Ismā`īl Khān
by name, came out of Milwat to see me; he took back promise mingled with
threat, kindness with menace.
(_Jan. 5th_) On Friday (Rabī` I. 21st) I moved camp forward to within a
mile of the fort, went myself to examine the place, posted right, left
and centre, then returned to camp.
Daulat Khān sent to represent to me that Ghāzī Khān had [Sidenote: Fol.
258b.] fled into the hills, and that, if his own faults were pardoned,
he would take service with me and surrender Milwat. Khwāja Mīr-i-mīrān
was sent to chase fear from his heart and to escort him out; he came,
and with him his son `Alī Khān. I had ordered that the two swords he had
girt to his waist to fight me with, should be hung from his neck. Was
such a rustic blockhead possible! With things as they were, he still
made pretensions! When he was brought a little forward, I ordered the
swords to be removed from his neck. At the time of our seeing one
another[1625] he hesitated to kneel; I ordered them to pull his leg and
make him do so. I had him seated quite in front, and ordered a person
well acquainted with Hindūstānī to interpret my words to him, one after
another. Said I, "Thus speak:—I called thee Father. I shewed thee more
honour and respect than thou couldst have asked. Thee and thy sons I
saved from door-to-door life amongst the Balūchīs.[1626] Thy family and
thy _ḥaram_ I freed from Ibrāhīm's prison-house.[1627] Three _krors_ I
gave thee on Tātār Khān's lands.[1628] What ill sayest thou I have done
thee, that thus thou shouldst hang a sword on thy either side,[1629]
lead an army out, fall on lands of ours,[1630] and stir strife and
trouble?" Dumbfounded, the old man [Sidenote: Fol. 259.] stuttered a
few words, but, he gave no answer, nor indeed could answer be given to
words so silencing. He was ordered to remain with Khwāja Mīr-i-mīrān.
(_Jan. 6th_) On Saturday the 22nd of the first Rabī`, I went myself to
safeguard the exit of the families and _ḥarams_[1631] from the fort,
dismounting on a rise opposite the Gate. To me there came `Alī Khān and
made offering of a few _ashrafīs_. People began to bring out the
families just before the Other Prayer. Though Ghāzī Khān was reported to
have got away, there were some who said they had seen him in the fort.
For this reason several of the household and braves[1632] were posted at
the Gate, in order to prevent his escape by a ruse, for to get away was
his full intention.[1633] Moreover if jewels and other valuables were
being taken away by stealth, they were to be confiscated. I spent that
night in a tent pitched on the rise in front of the Gate.
(_Jan. 7th_) Early next morning, Muḥammadī, Aḥmadī, Sl. Junaid,
`Abdu'l-`azīz, Muḥammad `Alī _Jang-jang_ and Qūtlūq-qadam were ordered
to enter the fort and take possession of all [Sidenote: Fol. 259b.]
effects. As there was much disturbance at the Gate, I shot off a few
arrows by way of chastisement. Humāyūn's story-teller (_qiṣṣa-khẉān_)
was struck by the arrow of his destiny and at once surrendered his life.
(_Jan. 7th and 8th_) After spending two nights[1634] on the rise, I
inspected the fort. I went into Ghāzī Khān's book-room;[1635] some of
the precious things found in it, I gave to Humāyūn, some sent to Kāmrān
(in Qandahār). There were many books of learned contents,[1636] but not
so many valuable ones as had at first appeared. I passed that night in
the fort; next morning I went back to camp.
(_Jan. 9th_) It had been in our minds that Ghāzī Khān was in the fort,
but he, a man devoid of nice sense of honour, had escaped to the hills,
abandoning father, brethren and sisters in Milwat.
See that man without honour who never
The face of good luck shall behold;
Bodily ease he chose for himself,
In hardship he left wife and child (_Gulistān_ cap. i, story 17).
(_Jan. 10th_) Leaving that camp on Wednesday, we moved towards the hills
to which Ghāzī Khān had fled. When we dismounted in the valley-bottom
two miles from the camp in the mouth of Milwat,[1637] Dilāwar Khān came
and waited on me. Daulat Khān, `Alī Khān and Ismā`īl Khān, with other
chiefs, were given into Kitta Beg's charge who was to convey them to the
Bhīra fort of Milwat (Malot),[1638] and there keep guard over [Sidenote:
Fol. 260.] them. In agreement with Dilāwar Khān, blood-ransom was fixed
for some who had been made over each to one man; some gave security,
some were kept prisoner. Daulat Khān died when Kitta Beg reached
Sulṯānpūr with the prisoners.[1639]
Milwat was given into the charge of Muḥ. `Alī _Jang-jang_ who, pledging
his own life for it, left his elder brother Arghūn and a party of braves
in it. A body of from 200 to 250 Afghāns were told off to reinforce him.
Khwāja Kalān had loaded several camels with Ghaznī wines. A party was
held in his quarters overlooking the fort and the whole camp, some
drinking _`araq_, some wine. It was a varied party.
(_m. Jaswān-valley._)
Marching on, we crossed a low hill of the grazing-grounds
(_arghā-dāl-līq_) of Milwat and went into the _dūn_, as Hindūstānīs
are understood to call a dale (_julga_).[1640] In this dale is a
running-water[1641] of Hindūstān; along its sides are many villages; and
it is said to be the pargana of the Jaswāl, that is to say, of Dilāwar
Khān's maternal uncles. It lies there shut-in, with meadows along its
torrent, rice cultivated here and there, a three or four mill-stream
flowing in its trough, its width from two to [Sidenote: Fol. 260b.] four
miles, six even in places, villages on the skirts of its hills—hillocks
they are rather—where there are no villages, peacocks, monkeys, and many