The Bābur-nāma in English (Memoirs of Bābur)
had been ordered made, stayed two days supervising the garden, and on
Thursday the 23rd of Rajab (_April 25th_), reached Āgra.
(_l. Chandwār and Rāprī regained._)
During recent disturbances, the enemy, as has been mentioned,[2147] had
possessed themselves of Chandwār[2148] and Rāprī. Against those places
we now sent Muḥammad `Alī _Jang-jang_, Qūj Beg's (brother) Tardī Beg,
`Abdu'l-malik the armourer, and Ḥasan Khān with his Daryā-khānīs. When
they were near Chandwār, Quṯb Khān's people in it got out and away. Our
men laid hands on it, and passed on to Rāprī. Here Ḥusain Khān
_Nūḥānī's_ people came to the lane-end[2149] thinking to fight a little,
could not stand the attack of our men, and took to flight. Ḥusain Khān
himself with a few followers went into the Jūn-river (Jumna) on an
elephant and was drowned. Quṯb Khān, for his part, abandoned Etāwa on
hearing these news, fled with a few and got away. Etāwa having been
named for Mahdī Khwāja, his son Ja`far Khwāja was sent there in his
place.[2150]
(_m. Apportionment of fiefs._)
When Rānā Sangā sallied out against us, most Hindūstānīs and Afghāns, as
has been mentioned,[2151] turned round against us and took possession of
their _parganas_ and districts.[2152]
Sl. Muḥammad _Dūldāī_ who had abandoned Qanūj and come [Sidenote: Fol.
329.] to me, would not agree to go there again, whether from fear or for
his reputation's sake; he therefore exchanged the 30 _laks_ of Qanūj for
the 15 of Sihrind, and Qanūj was bestowed with an allowance of 30 _laks_
on Muḥammad Sl. Mīrzā. Badāūn[2153] was given to Qāsim-i-ḥusain Sulṯān
and he was sent against Bīban who had laid siege to Luknūr[2154] during
the disturbance with Rānā Sangā, together with Muḥammad Sl. Mīrzā, and,
of Turk amīrs, Bābā Qashqa's Malik Qāsim with his elder and younger
brethren and his Mughūls, and Abū'l-muḥammad the lance-player, and
Mu'yad with his father's Daryā-khānīs and those of Ḥusain Khān
_Daryā-khānī_ and the retainers of Sl. Muḥammad _Dūldāī_, and again, of
amīrs of Hind, `Alī Khān _Farmūlī_ and Malik Dād _Kararānī_ and Shaikh
Muḥammad of Shaikh _Bhakhārī_(?) and Tātār Khān Khān-i-jahān.
At the time this army was crossing the Gang-river (Ganges), Bīban,
hearing about it, fled, abandoning his baggage. Our army followed him to
Khairābād,[2155] stayed there a few days and then turned back.
(_n. Appointments and dispersion for the Rains._)
After the treasure had been shared out,[2156] Rānā Sangā's great affair
intervened before districts and _parganas_ were apportioned. During the
respite now from Holy-war against the Pagan (Sangā), this apportionment
was made. As the Rains were near, it was settled for every-one to go to
his _pargana_, get equipment [Sidenote: Fol. 329b.] ready, and be
present when the Rains were over.
(_o. Misconduct of Humāyūn._)
Meantime news came that Humāyūn had gone into Dihlī, there opened
several treasure-houses and, without permission, taken possession of
their contents. I had never looked for such a thing from him; it grieved
me very much; I wrote and sent off to him very severe reproaches.[2157]
(_p. An embassy to `Irāq._)
Khwājagī Asad who had already gone as envoy to `Irāq and returned with
Sulaimān _Turkmān_,[2158] was again joined with him and on the 15th of
Sha`bān (_May 17th_) sent with befitting gifts to Shāh-zāda T̤ahmāsp.
(_q. Tardī Beg khāksār resigns service._)
I had brought Tardī Beg out from the darwīsh-life and made a soldier of
him; for how many years had he served me! Now his desire for the
darwīsh-life was overmastering and he asked for leave. It was given and
he was sent as an envoy to Kāmrān conveying 3 _laks_ from the Treasury
for him.[2159]
(_r. Lines addressed to deserting friends._)
A little fragment[2160] had been composed suiting the state of those who
had gone away during the past year; I now addressed it to Mullā `Alī
Khān and sent it to him by Tardī Beg. It is as follows:—[2161]
Ah you who have gone from this country of Hind,
[Sidenote: Fol. 330.] Aware for yourselves of its woe and its pain,
With longing desire for Kābul's fine air,
You went hot-foot forth out of Hind.
The pleasure you looked for you will have found there
With sociable ease and charm and delight;
As for us, God be thanked! we still are alive,
In spite of much pain and unending distress;
Pleasures of sense and bodily toil
Have been passed-by by you, passed-by too by us.
(_s. Of the Ramẓān Feast._)
Ramẓān was spent this year with ablution and _tarāwiḥ_[2162] in the
Garden-of-eight-paradises. Since my 11th year I had not kept the Ramẓān
Feast for two successive years in the same place; last year I had kept
it in Āgra; this year, saying, "Don't break the rule!" I went on the
last day of the month to keep it in Sīkrī. Tents were set up on a stone
platform made on the n.e. side of the Garden-of-victory which is now
being laid out at Sīkrī, and in them the Feast was held.[2163]
(_t. Playing cards._)
The night we left Āgra Mīr `Alī the armourer was sent to Shāh Ḥasan
(_Arghūn_) in Tatta to take him playing-cards [_ganjīfa_] he much liked
and had asked for.[2164]
(_u. Illness and a tour._)
(_August 3rd_) On Sunday the 5th of Ẕū'l-qa`da I fell ill; the illness
lasted 17 days.
(_August 24th_) On Friday the 24th of the same month we set out to visit
Dūlpūr. That night I slept at a place half-way; [Sidenote: Fol. 330b.]
reached Sikandar's dam[2165] at dawn, and dismounted there.
At the end of the hill below the dam the rock is of building-stone. I
had Ustād Shāh Muḥammad the stone-cutter brought and gave him an order
that if a house could be cut all in one piece in that rock, it was to be
done, but that if the rock were too low for a residence (_`imārat_), it
was to be levelled and have a reservoir, all in one piece, cut out of
it.
From Dūlpūr we went on to visit Bārī. Next morning (_August 26th_) I
rode out from Bārī through the hills between it and the Chaṃbal-river in
order to view the river. This done I went back to Bārī. In these hills
we saw the ebony-tree, the fruit of which people call _tindū_. It is
said that there are white ebony-trees also and that most ebony-trees in
these hills are of this kind.[2166] On leaving Bārī we went to Sīkrī; we
reached Āgra on the 29th of the same month (_August 28th_).
(_v. Doubts about Shaikh Bāyazīd Farmūlī._)
As in these days people were telling wild news about Shaikh Bāyazīd, Sl.
Qulī _Turk_ was sent to him to give him tryst[2167] in 20 days.
(_w. Religious and metrical exercises._)
(_August 28th_) On Friday the 2nd of Ẕū'l-ḥijja I began what one is made
to read 41 times.[2168]
In these same days I cut up [_taqṯi`_] the following couplet of mine
into 504 measures[2169]:—
"Shall I tell of her eye or her brow, her fire or her speech?
Shall I tell of her stature or cheek, of her hair or her waist?"
On this account a treatise[2170] was arranged.
(_x. Return of illness._)
[Sidenote: Fol. 331.] On this day (_i.e._ 2nd Ẕū'l-ḥijja) I fell ill
again; the illness lasted nine days.
(_y. Start for Saṃbal._)
(_Sep. 24th_) On Thursday the 29th of Ẕū'l-ḥijja we rode out for an
excursion to Kūl and Saṃbal.
934 AH.-SEP. 27TH 1527 TO SEP. 15TH 1528 AD.[2171]
(_a. Visit to Kūl (Aligarh) and Saṃbal._)
(_Sep. 27th_) On Saturday the 1st of Muḥarram we dismounted in Kūl
(Koel). Humāyūn had left Darwīsh(-i-`alī) and Yūsuf-i-`alī[2172] in
Saṃbal; they crossed one river,[2173] fought Quṯb _Sīrwānī_[2174] and a
party of rājas, beat them well and killed a mass of men. They sent a few
heads and an elephant into Kūl while we were there. After we had gone
about Kūl for two days, we dismounted at Shaikh Gūran's house by his
invitation, where he entertained us hospitably and laid an offering
before us.
(_Sep. 30th-Muḥ. 4th_) Riding on from that place, we dismounted at
Aūtrūlī (Atrauli).[2175]
(_Oct. 1st-Muḥ. 5th_) On Wednesday we crossed the river Gang (Ganges)
and spent the night in villages of Saṃbal.
(_Oct. 2nd-Muḥ. 6th_) On Thursday we dismounted in Saṃbal. After going
about in it for two days, we left on Saturday.
(_Oct. 5th-Muḥ. 9th_) On Sunday we dismounted in Sikandara[2176]
at the house of Rāo _Sīrwānī_ who set food before us and served us.
When we rode out at dawn, I made some pretext to leave the rest, and
galloped on alone to within a _kuroh_ of Āgra where they overtook me. At
the Mid-day Prayer we dismounted in Āgra.
(_b. Illness of Bābur._)
(_Oct. 12th_) On Sunday the 16th of Muḥarram I had fever and ague. This
returned again and again during the next 25 or 26 days. I drank
operative medicine and at last relief came. I suffered much from thirst
and want of sleep.
[Sidenote: Fol. 331b.] While I was ill, I composed a quatrain or two;
here is one of them:—[2177]
Fever grows strong in my body by day,
Sleep quits my eyes as night comes on;
Like to my pain and my patience the pair,
For while that goes waxing, this wanes.
(_c. Arrival of kinswomen._)
(_Nov. 23rd_) On Saturday the 28th of Ṣafar there arrived two of the
paternal-aunt begīms, Fakhr-i-jahān Begīm and Khadīja-sulṯān
Begīm.[2178] I went to above Sikandarābād to wait on them.[2179]
(_d. Concerning a mortar._)
(_Nov. 24th-Ṣafar 29th_) On Sunday Ustād `Alī-qulī discharged a stone
from a large mortar; the stone went far but the mortar broke in pieces,
one of which, knocking down a party of men, killed eight.
(_e. Visit to Sīkrī._)
(_Dec. 1st_) On Monday the 7th of the first Rabī` I rode out to visit
Sīkrī. The octagonal platform ordered made in the middle of the lake was
ready; we went over by boat, had an awning set up on it and elected for
_ma'jūn_.
(_f. Holy-war against Chandīrī._)
(_Dec. 9th_) After returning from Sīkrī we started on Monday night the
14th of the first Rabī`,[2180] with the intention of making Holy-war
against Chandīrī, did as much as 3 _kurohs_ (6 m.) and dismounted in
Jalīsīr.[2181] After staying there two days for people to equip and
array, we marched on Thursday (_Dec. 12th-Rabī` I. 17th_) and dismounted
at Anwār. I left Anwār by boat, and disembarked beyond Chandwār.[2182]
(_Dec. 23rd_) Advancing march by march, we dismounted at the
Kanār-passage[2183] on Monday the 28th.
(_Dec. 26th_) On Thursday the 2nd of the latter Rabī` I crossed the
river; there was 4 or 5 days delay on one bank or the other before the
army got across. On those days we went more than [Sidenote: Fol. 332.]
once on board a boat and ate _ma'jūn_. The junction of the river Chaṃbal
is between one and two _kurohs_ (2-4 m.) above the Kanār-passage; on
Friday I went into a boat on the Chaṃbal, passed the junction and so to
camp.
(_g. Troops sent against Shaikh Bāyazīd Farmūlī._)
Though there had been no clear proof of Shaikh Bāyazīd's hostility, yet
his misconduct and action made it certain that he had hostile
intentions. On account of this Muḥammad `Alī _Jang-jang_ was detached
from the army and sent to bring together from Qanūj Muḥammad Sl. Mīrzā
and the sulṯāns and amīrs of that neighbourhood, such as Qāsim-i-ḥusain
Sulṯān, Bī-khūb (or, Nī-khūb) Sulṯān, Malik Qāsim, Kūkī, Abū'l-muḥammad
the lancer, and Minūchihr Khān with his elder and younger brethren and
Daryā-khānīs, so that they might move against the hostile Afghāns. They
were to invite Shaikh Bāyazīd to go with them; if he came frankly, they
were to take him along; if not, were to drive him off. Muḥammad `Alī
asking for a few elephants, ten were given him. After he had leave to
set off, Bābā Chuhra (the Brave) was sent to and ordered to join him.
(_h. Incidents of the journey to Chandīrī._)
From Kanār one _kuroh_ (2 m.) was done by boat.
(_Jan. 1st 1528 AD._) On Wednesday the 8th of the latter Rabī` we