Chapter XIII: Part 13

On this date Prithi Chand, son of Ray Manohar, obtained the title of Ray and the mansab of 500 personal and 400 horse, and a jagir in his native place. On Saturday, the 11th, I went from the Chashma-i-Nur to the palace at Ajmir. On the eve of Sunday, the 12th, after 37 seconds had passed, at the time of the ascension of Sagittarius to the 27th degree, by the calculations of the Hindu astronomers, and the 15th degree of Capricorn, by the calculations of the Greeks, there came from the womb of the daughter of Asaf Khan (wife of Khurram) a precious pearl into the world of being. With joy and gladness at this great boon the drums beat loudly, and the door of pleasure and enjoyment was opened in the face of the people. Without delay or reflection the name of Shah Shaja`at came to my tongue. I hope that his coming will be auspicious and blessed to me and to his father. On the 12th a jewelled dagger [511] and an elephant were bestowed on Rawal Kalyan of Jesalmir. On the same day arrived the news of the death of Khawass Khan, whose jagir was in the Sarkar of Qanauj. I gave an elephant to Ray Kunwar, Diwan of Gujarat. On the 22nd of the same month (Tir) I added 500 personal and horse to the mansab of Raja Maha Singh, so as to make it one of 4,000 personal and 3,000 horse. The mansab of `Ali Khan Tatari, who before this had been exalted with the title of Nusrat Khan, was fixed at 2,000 personal and 500 horse, and a standard was also conferred on him. With a view to the accomplishment of certain purposes, I had made a vow that they should place a gold railing with lattice-work at [512] the enlightened tomb of the revered Khwaja. On the 27th of this month it was completed, and I ordered them to take and affix it. It had been made at a cost of 110,000 rupees. As the command and leading of the victorious army of the Deccan had not been carried out to my satisfaction by my son Sultan Parwiz, it occurred to me to recall him, and send Baba Khurram as the advanced guard of the victorious army, inasmuch as the signs of rectitude and knowledge of affairs were evident in him, and that I myself would follow him, so that this important matter would be carried through in one and the same campaign. With this object a farman had already been sent in the name of Parwiz ordering him to start for the Subah of Allahabad, which is in the centre of my dominions. Whilst I was engaged in the campaign, he would be entrusted with the guarding and administration of that region. On the 29th of the same month a letter came from Bihari Das, the news-writer of Burhanpur, that the prince on the 20th had left the city safely and well and gone towards the aforesaid Subah. On the 1st Amurdad I bestowed a jewelled turban on Mirza Raja Bhao Singh. An elephant was conferred on the shrine of Kushtigir. On the 18th, Lashkar Khan had sent four ambling (rahwar) horses, and they were brought before me. Mir Mughal was appointed to the faujdarship of the Sarkar of Sambal in the place of Sayyid `Abdu-l-Waris, who had obtained the governorship of the Subah of Qanauj in the place of Khawass Khan. His mansab, in view of that duty, was fixed at 500 personal and horse. On the 21st the offering of Rawal Kalyan of Jesalmir was laid before me; it was 3,000 muhrs, 9 horses, 25 camels, and 1 elephant. The mansab of Qizil-bash Khan was fixed original and increase, at 1,200 personal and 1,000 horse. On the 23rd, Shaja`at Khan obtained leave to go to his jagir that he might arrange the affairs of his servants and his territory, and present himself at the time agreed upon. In this year, [513] or rather in the 10th year after my accession, a great pestilence appeared in some places in Hindustan. The commencement of this calamity was in the parganahs of the Panjab, and by degrees the contagion spread to the city of Lahore. Many of the people, Musulmans and Hindus, died through this. After this it spread to Sirhind and the Du'ab, until it reached Delhi and the surrounding parganahs and villages, and desolated them. At this day it had greatly diminished. It became known from men of great age and from old histories that this disease had never shown itself in this country [514] (before). Physicians and learned men were questioned as to its cause. Some said that it came because there had been drought for two years in succession and little rain fell: others said it was on account of the corruption of the air which occurred through the drought and scarcity. Some attributed it to other causes. Wisdom is of Allah, and we must submit to Allah's decrees!

"What does a slave who bows not his neck to the order?"

On 5th Shahriwar 5,000 rupees towards her expenses were sent to the mother of Mir Miran, the daughter of Shah Isma`il II, by merchants who were proceeding to the province of Iraq. On the 6th a letter came from `Abid Khan, [515] bakhshi and news-writer of Ahmadabad, to the purport that `Abdu-llah Khan Bahadur Firuz-jang had quarrelled with him because he had recorded among (current) events certain affairs that had been unpleasing to him, and had sent a body of men against him, and had insulted him by carrying him away to his house, and had done this and that to him. This matter appeared serious to me, and I was desirous at once to cast him out of favour and ruin him. At last it occurred to me to send Dayanat Khan to Ahmadabad to enquire into this matter on the spot from disinterested people to see if it had actually occurred and if so, to bring `Abdu-llah Khan with him to the Court, leaving the charge and administration of Ahmadabad to Sardar Khan, his brother. Before Dayanat Khan started, the news reached Firuz-jang, and he in a state of great perturbation confessed himself an offender and started for the Court on foot. Dayanat Khan met him on the road, and seeing him in a strange condition, as he had wounded his feet with walking, he put him on horseback, and taking him with him came to wait on me. Muqarrab Khan, who is one of the old servants of the Court, from the time when I was a prince had continually wanted the Subah of Gujarat. It thus occurred to me that, as this kind of action on the part of `Abdu-llah Khan had come about, I might fulfil the hope of an ancient servant and send him to Ahmadabad in the place of the aforesaid Khan. A fortunate hour was chosen in these days, and I appointed him to be ruler of the Subah. On the 10th the mansab of Bahadur Khan, governor of Qandahar, which was 4,000 personal and 3,000 horse, was increased by 500 personal.

Shauqi, the mandolin player, is the wonder of the age. He also sings Hindi and Persian songs in a manner that clears the rust from all hearts. I delighted him with the title of Anand Khan: Anand in the Hindi language means pleasure and ease.

Mangoes [516] used not to be in season in the country of Hindustan after the month of Tir (June-July), (but) Muqarrab Khan had established gardens in the parganah of Kairana, [517] which is the native place of his ancestors, and looked after the mangoes there in such a manner as to prolong the season for more than two months, and sent them every day fresh into the special fruit store-house. As this was altogether an unusual thing to be accomplished, it has been recorded here. On the 8th a beautiful Iraq horse of the name of La`l Bi-baha (priceless ruby) was sent for Parwiz by the hand of Sharif, one of his attendants.

I had ordered quick-handed stone-cutters to carve full-sized figures of the Rana and his son Karan out of marble. On this day they were completed and submitted to me. I ordered them to be taken to Agra and placed in the garden [518] below the jharoka (exhibition-window). On the 26th the meeting for my solar weighing was held in the usual manner. The first weight came to 6,514 tulcha of gold. I was weighed twelve times against different things; the second weighing was against quicksilver, the third against silk, the fourth against various perfumes, such as ambergris and musk, down to sandalwood, `ud, ban, and so on, until twelve weighings were completed. Of animals, according to the number of years that I had passed, a sheep, a goat, [519] and a fowl (for each year) were given to fakirs and dervishes. This rule has been observed from the time of my revered father up to the present day in this enduring State. They divide after the weighing all these things among the fakirs and those in need to the value of about 100,000 rupees.

This day a ruby which Mahabat Khan had purchased at Burhanpur for 65,000 rupees from `Abdu-llah Khan Firuz-jang was laid before me, and was approved of. It is a ruby of beautiful form. The special mansab of Khan A`zam was fixed at 7,000 personal, and an order was passed that the diwani establishment should pay an equivalent to that in a tankhwah jagir. At the request of I`timadu-d-daulah, what had been deducted from the mansab of Dayanat on account of former proceedings was allowed to remain as before. `Azudu-d-daulah, who had obtained the Subah of Malwa in jagir, took his leave, and was dignified with the gift of a horse and a dress of honour. The mansab of Rawal Kalyan of Jesalmir was fixed at 2,000 personal and 1,000 horse, and it was ordered that that province (Jesalmir) should be given him as tankhwah. As the (auspicious) hour of his departure was on that same day, he took leave to depart for his province well pleased and exalted with the gift of a horse, an elephant, a jewelled sword, a jewelled khapwa (dagger), a robe of honour, and a special Kashmir shawl. On the 31st Muqarrab Khan took leave to go to Ahmadabad, and his mansab, which was 5,000 personal and 2,500 horse, was fixed at 5,000 personal and horse, and he was honoured with a dress of honour, a nadiri (a kind of dress), a takma [520] of pearls, whilst two horses from my private stable, a special elephant, and a jewelled sword were also bestowed on him. He went off to the aforesaid Subah with delight and in a state of happiness. On the 11th of Mihr, Jagat Singh, son of Kunwar Karan, came from his native place and waited on me. On the 16th, Mirza `Ali Beg Akbarshahi came from the province of Oudh, which had been given him in jagir, and waited on me. He presented as offerings 1,000 rupees, and he produced before me an elephant which one of the zamindars of that province possessed, and which he had been ordered to take from him. On the 21st the offering of Qutbu-l-mulk, the ruler of Golcondah, consisting of some jewelled ornaments, was inspected by me. The mansab of Sayyid Qasim Barha was fixed, original and increase, at 1,000 personal and 600 horse. On the eve of Friday, the 22nd, Mirza `Ali Beg, whose age had passed 75 years, gave up the deposit of his life. Great [521] services had been performed by him for this State. His mansab rose by degrees to 4,000. He was one of the distinguished heroes of this family (jawanan-i in ulus) [522] and of a noble disposition. He left neither son nor other descendants. He had the poetic temperament. As his inevitable destiny had been fulfilled [523] on the day on which he went to pay his devotions at the venerated mausoleum of Khwaja Mu`inu-d-din, I ordered them to bury him in the same blessed place.

At the time when I gave leave to the ambassadors of `Adil Khan of Bijapur, I had requested that if in that province there were a wrestler, or a celebrated swordsman, they should tell `Adil Khan to send him to me. After some time, when the ambassadors returned, they brought a Mughal, by name Shir `Ali, who was born at Bijapur, and was a wrestler by profession and had great experience in the art, together with certain sword-players. The performances of the latter were indifferent, but I put Shir `Ali to wrestle with the wrestlers and athletes who were in attendance on me, and they could none of them compete with him. One thousand rupees, a dress of honour, and an elephant were conferred on him; he was exceedingly well made, well shaped, and powerful. I retained him in my own service, and entitled him "the athlete of the capital." A jagir and mansab were given him and great favours bestowed on him. On the 24th, Dayanat Khan, who had been appointed to bring `Abdu-llah Khan Bahadur Firuz-jang, brought him and waited on me, and presented as an offering 100 muhrs. On the same date Ram Das, the son of Raja Raj Singh, one of the Rajput Amirs who had died on duty in the Deccan, was promoted to a mansab of 1,000 personal and 500 horse. As `Abdu-llah Khan had been guilty of faults, he made Baba Khurram his intercessor, and on the 26th, in order to please him, I ordered the former to pay his respects to me. He waited upon me with a face of complete shame, and presented as offerings 100 muhrs and 1,000 rupees. Before the coming of `Adil Khan's ambassadors I had made up my mind that, having sent Baba Khurram with the vanguard, I should myself proceed to the Deccan and carry out this important affair, which for some reasons had been put off. For this reason I had given an order that except the prince no one should represent to me the affairs of the rulers of the Deccan. On this day the prince brought the ambassadors and laid their representation before me. After the death of Murtaza Khan, Raja Man and many of the auxiliary Sardars had come to Court. On this day, at the request of I`timadu-d-daulah, I appointed Raja Man as the leader in the attack on the fort of Kangra. I appointed all the men to accompany him, and according to the condition and rank of each made him happy with a present--a horse, an elephant, a robe of honour, or money--and gave them leave. After some days I conferred on `Abdu-llah Khan, at the request of Baba Khurram, a jewelled dagger, as he was exceedingly broken-hearted and grieved in mind, and an order was passed that his mansab should continue as it was before, and that he should remain in attendance on my son among those appointed for duty in the Deccan. On the 3rd Aban I ordered the mansab of Wazir Khan, who was in attendance on Baba Parwiz, to be, original and increase, 2,000 personal and 1,000 horse. On the 4th, Khusrau, who was in the charge, for safe keeping, of Anira'i Singh-dalan, for certain considerations was handed over to Asaf Khan. I presented him with a special shawl. On the 7th (Aban), corresponding with the 17th Shawwal (28th October, 1616), a person of the name of Muhammad Riza Beg, whom the ruler of Persia had sent as his representative, paid his respects. After performing the dues of prostration and salutation (kurnish, sijda, taslim), he laid before me the letter he had brought. It was decided that he should produce before me the horses and other presents he had brought with him. The written and verbal messages sent were full of friendship, brotherhood, and sincerity. I gave the ambassador on that same day a jewelled tiara (taj) and a dress of honour. As in the letter much friendliness and affection were displayed, an exact copy is recorded in the Jahangir-nama. [524]

On Sunday, the 18th Shawwal, corresponding to the 8th Aban, [525] the camp equipage of my son Baba Khurram left Ajmir for the purpose of the conquest of the provinces of the Deccan, and it was decided that my son aforesaid should start by way of advanced guard, followed by the glorious standards (of Jahangir). On Monday, the 19th, corresponding with the 9th Aban, when three gharis of day had passed, the auspicious palace moved in the same direction in the like manner. On the 10th the mansab of Raja Suraj Mal, who had been appointed to accompany the prince, was made up, original and increase, to 2,000 personal and horse. On the night of the 19th Aban, after my usual custom, I was in the ghusul-khana. Some of the Amirs and attendants, and by chance Muhammad Riza Beg, the ambassador of the ruler of Persia, were present. When six gharis had passed, an owl came and sat on top of a high terrace roof belonging to the palace, and was hardly visible, so that many men failed to distinguish it. I sent for a gun and took aim and fired in the direction that they pointed out to me. The gun, like the decree of heaven, fell on that ill-omened bird and blew it to pieces. A shout arose from those who were present, and involuntarily they opened their lips in applause and praise. On the same night I talked with the ambassador of my brother Shah `Abbas, and at last the conversation turned on the slaying of Safi Mirza, his (the Shah's) eldest son. I asked him because this was a difficulty in my mind. He represented that if his slaughter had not been carried out at that time he would certainly have attempted the Shah's life. As this intention became manifest from his behaviour, the Shah was beforehand with him and ordered him to be killed. On the same day the mansab of Mirza Hasan, son of Mirza Rustam, was fixed, original and increase, at 1,000 personal and 300 horse. The mansab of Mu`tamad Khan, [526] who had been appointed to the post of paymaster of the army with Baba Khurram, was settled at 1,000 personal and 250 horse. The time for the leave-taking of Baba Khurram had been fixed as Friday, the 20th (Aban). At the end of this day he paraded before me the pick of his men armed and ready in the public hall of audience. Of the distinguished favours bestowed on the aforesaid son one was the title of Shah, which was made a part of his name. I ordered that thereafter he should be styled Shah Sultan Khurram. I presented him with a robe of honour, a jewelled charqab, the fringe and collar of which were decorated with pearls, an Iraq horse with a jewelled saddle, a Turki horse, a special elephant called Bansi-badan, [527] a carriage, according to the English fashion, [528] for him to sit and travel about in, a jewelled sword with a special pardala (sword-belt) that had been taken at the conquest of the fort of Ahmadnagar and was very celebrated, and a jewelled dagger. He started with great keenness. My trust in Almighty God is that in this service he may gain renown (lit. become red-faced). On each of the Amirs and mansabdars, according to his quality and degree, a horse and an elephant were conferred. Loosening a private sword from my own waist, I gave it to `Abdu-llah Khan Firuz-jang. As Dayanat Khan had been appointed to accompany the prince, I gave the duty of `arz-mukarrir (reviser of petitions) to Khwaja Qasim Qilij Khan. Previously [529] to this a band of thieves had carried off a certain sum of money from the royal treasury in the kotwali chabutara (Police Office). After some days seven men of that band, with their leader, of the name of Nawal, were caught, and a portion of that money was recovered. It occurred to me that as they had been guilty of such boldness I ought to punish them severely. Each was punished in exemplary fashion, and I ordered Nawal, the leader of them all, to be thrown under the feet of an elephant. He petitioned that if I would give the order he would fight the elephant. I ordered it to be so. They produced a very furious elephant. I bade them put a dagger into his hand and bring him in front of the elephant. The elephant several times threw him down, and each time that violent and fearless man, although he witnessed the punishments of his comrades, got up again and bravely and with a stout heart struck the elephant's trunk with the dagger, so that the animal refrained from attacking him. When I had witnessed this pluck and manliness, I ordered them to inquire into his history. After a short time, according to his evil nature and low disposition, he ran away in his longing for his own place and abode. This annoyed me greatly, and I ordered the jagirdars of that neighbourhood to hunt him up and apprehend him. By chance he was caught a second time, and this time I ordered that ungrateful and unappreciative one to be hanged. The saying of Shaikh Muslihu-d-din Sa`di accords with his case--

"In the end a wolf's cub becomes a wolf,
Although he be brought up with man."

On Tuesday, [530] the 1st Zi-l-qa`da (10th November, 1616), corresponding with the 21st Aban, after two watches and five gharis of the day had passed, in good condition and with a right purpose I mounted the Frank carriage, which had four horses attached to it, and left the city of Ajmir. I ordered many of the Amirs to accompany me in carriages, and at about sunset alighted at a halting-place about 1 3/4 kos distant, in the village of Deo Ray (Dorai?). [531] It is the custom of the people of India that if the movement of kings or great men for the conquest of a country is towards the east they should ride a tusked elephant, and if the movement is towards the west on a horse of one colour; if towards the north in a palanquin or a litter (singhasan), and if towards the south, that is, in the direction of the Deccan (as on this occasion), on a rath, which is a kind of cart (araba) or bahal (two-wheeled car). I had stayed at Ajmir for five days less than three years. [532] They consider the city of Ajmir, which is the place of the blessed tomb of the revered Khwaja Mu`inu-d-din, to be in the second clime. Its air is nearly equable. The capital of Agra is to the east of it; on the north are the townships (district) of Delhi, and on the south the Subah of Gujarat. On the west lie Multan and Dealpur. The soil of this province is all sandy; water is found with difficulty in the land, and the reliance for cultivation is on moist [533] soil and on the rainfall. The cold season is very equable, and the hot season is milder than in Agra. From this subah in time of war 86,000 [534] horse and 304,000 Rajput foot are provided. There are two large lakes in this city; they call one of these the Bisal [535] and the other the Anasagar. The Bisal tank is in ruins and its embankment is broken. At this time I ordered it to be repaired. The Anasagar at the time that the royal standards were there was always full of water and waves. This tal is 1 1/2 kos and 5 tanab (lit. tent-ropes) (in circumference?). Whilst at Ajmir I visited nine times the mausoleum of the revered Khwaja, and fifteen times went to look at the Pushkar lake; to the Chashma-i-Nur I went thirty-eight times. I went out to hunt tigers, etc., fifty times. I killed 15 tigers, 1 cheetah, 1 black-ear (lynx), 53 nilgaw, 33 gazelle (gawazn), 90 antelope, 80 boars, and 340 water-fowl. I encamped seven times at Deo Ray (Deo Rani) (Dorai?). At this halt 5 nilgaw and 12 water-fowl were killed. Marching on the 29th from Deo Ray, my camp was pitched at the village of Dasawali, 2 kos and 1 1/2 quarters distant from Deo Ray. On this day I gave an elephant to Mu`tamad Khan. I stayed the next day at this village. On this day a nilgaw was killed, and I sent two of my falcons to my son Khurram. I marched from this village on the 3rd Azar, and pitched at the village of Badhal (Mawal?), 2 1/4 kos distant. On the road six water-fowl, etc., were killed. On the 4th, having gone 1 1/2 kos, Ramsar, [536] which belongs to Nur-Jahan Begam, became the place for the alighting of honour and glory. A halt was made at this place for eight days. In the place of Khidmat-gar Khan I here appointed Hidayatu-llah mir-tuzak (master of ceremonies). On the 5th day 7 antelope, 1 kulang (crane), and 15 fish were killed. The next day Jagat Singh, son of Kunwar Karan, received a horse and a robe of honour and took leave for his native place. A horse was also given to Kesho Das Lala and an elephant to Allah-dad Khan Afghan. On the same day I killed a gazelle, 3 antelope, 7 fish, and 2 water-fowl. On that day was heard the news of the death of Raja Syam Singh, who belonged to the army of Bangash. On the 7th day 3 antelope, 5 water-fowl, and a qashqaldagh [537] (coot) were killed. On Thursday and the eve of Friday, as Ramsar belongs to the jagir of Nur-Jahan, a feast and entertainment were prepared. Jewels, jewelled ornaments, fine cloths, sewn tapestry, and every kind of jewellery were presented as offerings. At night on all sides and in the middle of the lake, which is very broad, lamps were displayed. An excellent entertainment was arranged. In the end of the said Thursday, having also sent for the Amirs, I ordered cups for most [538] of the servants. On my journeys by land some boats are always taken along with the victorious camp; the boatmen convey them on carts. On the day after this entertainment I went to fish in these boats, and in a short time 208 large fish came into one net. Half of these were of the species of raku. At night I divided them among the servants in my own presence. On the 13th Azar I marched from Ramsar, and hunting for 4 kos along the road, the camp was pitched at the village of Baloda. [539] Here I stayed for two days. On the 16th, moving 3 1/4 kos, I alighted at the village of Nihal. [540] On the 18th the march was one of 2 1/4 kos. On this day I gave an elephant to Muhammad Riza Beg, ambassador of the ruler of Persia. The village of Jonsa became the halting-place of the tents of greatness and prosperity. On the 20th I marched to the halting-place of Deogaon; I hunted along the road for a distance of 3 kos. I stayed at this place for two days, and at the end of the day went out to hunt. At this stage a strange affair was witnessed. Before the royal standards arrived at this halting-place, an eunuch went to the bank of a large tank there is in the village, and caught two young saras, which are a kind of crane; at night, when we stopped at this halting-place, two large saras appeared making loud cries near the ghusul-khana (parlour), which they had placed on the edge of the tank, as if somebody were exercising oppression on them. They fearlessly began their cries and came forward. It occurred to me that certainly some kind of wrong had been done to them, and probably their young had been taken. After enquiry was made the eunuch who had taken the young saras brought them before me. When the saras heard the cries of these young ones, they without control threw themselves upon them, and suspecting that they had had no food, each of the two saras placed food in the mouths of the young ones, and made much lamentation. Taking the two young ones between them, and stretching out their wings and fondling them, they went off to their nest. Marching on the 23rd 3 3/4 kos, I alighted at the village of Bahasu (Bhalu?). Here there was a halt of two days, and each day I rode to hunt. On the 26th the royal standards moved and the halt was outside of the village of Kakal. A halt was made after traversing 2 kos. On the 27th the mansab of Badi`u-z-zaman, son of Mirza Shahrukh, original and increased, was fixed at 1,500 personal and 750 horse. Marching on the 29th 2 3/4 kos, a halt was made at the village of Lasa, near parganah Boda. [541] This day corresponded with the festival of Qurban (19th December, 1616). I ordered them to observe the ordinances of that day. From the date on which I left Ajmir up to the end of the aforesaid month, viz. the 30th Azar, 67 nilgaw, antelope, etc., and 37 water-fowl etc., had been killed. A march was made from Lasa on the 2nd Day, and I marched and hunted for 3 kos 10 jarib, and halted in the neighbourhood of the village of Kanra. On the 4th a march of 3 1/4 kos was made to the village of Surath. Marching 4 1/2 kos on the 6th, a halt was made near the village of Barora (Bardara?). On the 7th, when there was a halt, 50 water-fowl and 14 qashqaldagh (coot) were killed. The next day was a halt as well. On this day 27 water-fowl became a prey. On the 9th a march of 4 1/8 kos was made. Hunting and overthrowing prey, I alighted at the halting-place of Khush Tal. At this stage a report came from Mu`tamad Khan that when the territory of the Rana became the halting-place of Shah Khurram, though there had been no agreement to this effect (i.e. to the Rana's meeting him), the fame and dignity of the victorious army had introduced a commotion into the pillars of his patience and firmness, and he had come and paid his respects to him when he halted at Dudpur, [542] which was on the border of his jagir, and observing all the dues and ceremonies of service he had neglected not the smallest portion of them. Shah Khurram had paid him every attention, and pleased him with the gift of a dress of honour, a charqab, a jewelled sword, a jewelled khapwa, Persian and Turki horses, and an elephant, and dismissed him with every honour. He had also favoured his sons and relations with dresses of honour, and out of his offering, which consisted of five elephants, twenty-seven horses, and a tray full of jewels and jewelled ornaments, had taken three horses and given back the remainder. It was settled that his son Karan should attend on the stirrup of Baba Khurram in this expedition with 1,500 horse. On the 10th the sons of Raja Maha Singh came from their jagir and native place (Amber) and waited on me in the neighbourhood of Rantambhor, making an offering of three elephants and nine horses. Each one of them, according to his condition, received an increase of mansab. As the neighbourhood of the said fort became a halting-place for the royal standards, I released some of the prisoners who were confined in that fort. At this place I halted for two days and each day went to hunt. Thirty-eight water-fowl and qashqaldagh (coot) were taken. On the 12th I marched, and after going 4 kos halted at the village of Koyala. On the road I killed fourteen water-fowl and an antelope. On the 14th, having traversed 3 3/4 kos, I halted in the neighbourhood of the village of Ektora, [543] killing on the road a blue bull, twelve herons (karwanak), etc. On the same day Agha Fazil, who had been appointed deputy for I`timadu-d-daulah at Lahore, was dignified with the title of Fazil Khan. At this stage they had erected the royal lodging (daulat-khana) on the bank of a tank, which was exceedingly bright and pleasant. On account of the pleasantness of the place I halted two days there, and at the end of each went to hunt water-fowl. To this place the younger son of Mahabat Khan, by name Bahra-war, came from the fort of Rantambhor, which is his father's jagir, to pay his respects to me. He had brought two elephants, both of which were included in my private stud. I promoted Safi, son of Amanat Khan, to the title of Khan, and, increasing his mansab, made him bakhshi and news-writer of the Subah of Gujarat. Having travelled 4 1/2 kos on the 17th, I halted at the village of Lasaya. [544] During the halt I killed one water-fowl and twenty-three sand-grouse (durraj). As I had sent for Lashkar Khan to Court on account of the disagreement that had occurred between him and Khan Dauran, I at this place appointed `Abid Khan, [545] bakhshi and news-writer, in his stead. On the 19th, having made a march of 2 1/4 kos, an encampment was made in the neighbourhood of the village of Kuraka (Koran?), [546] which is situated on the bank of the Chambal. On account of the excellence of the place and the pleasantness of its air and water, a halt took place here for three days. Every day I sat in a boat and went to hunt water-fowl and to wander over the river. On the 22nd [547] there was a march, and having traversed 4 1/2 kos, shooting on the road, the victorious camp was pitched at the villages of Sultanpur and Chila Mala (Chilamila?). On this day of halt I bestowed on Miran Sadr Jahan 5,000 rupees, and gave him leave to proceed to the place assigned to him as his jagir. Another 1,000 rupees were given to Shaikh Pir. On the 25th I marched and hunted for 3 1/2 kos and encamped at the village of Basur. [548] According to fixed rules one halt and one march took place, and on the 27th I marched and hunted 4 1/8 kos and encamped at the village of Charduha (Varadha?). Two days halt took place here. In this month of Day 416 animals were killed, namely, 97 sand-grouse (durraj), 192 qashqaldagh, 1 saras, 7 herons, 118 water-fowl, and 1 hare. On the 1st Bahman, corresponding with the 12th Muharram, 1026 (20th January, 1617), seating myself in boats with the ladies, I went forward one stage. When one ghari of day remained I arrived at the village of Rupahera, the halting-place, the distance being 4 kos and 15 jarib. I shot five sand-grouse. On the same day I sent by the hands of Kaikana winter dresses of honour to twenty-one Amirs on duty in the Deccan, and ordered him to take 10,000 [549] rupees from those Amirs as a thanksgiving for the dresses of honour. This halting-place had much verdure and pleasantness. On the 3rd a march took place. As on the previous day, I embarked in a boat, and after traversing 2 1/8 kos the village of Kakha-das (Kakhavas?) [550] became the encamping place of the victorious camp. As I came hunting on the way, a sand-grouse fell flying into a thicket. After much search it was marked, and I ordered one of the beaters to surround the thicket and catch it, and went towards it myself. Meanwhile another sand-grouse rose, and this I made a falcon seize. Soon afterwards the beater came and laid the sand-grouse before me. I ordered them to satisfy the falcon with this sand-grouse, and to keep the one we had caught, as it was a young bird. (But) before the order reached him the head huntsman fed the falcon with the sand-grouse (the second one, viz. that which the falcon had caught). After a while the beater represented to me that if he did not kill the sand-grouse it would die (and then could not be eaten as not properly killed). I ordered him to kill it if that was the case. As he laid his sword on its throat, it with a slight movement freed itself from the sword and flew away. After I had left the boat and mounted my horse, suddenly a sparrow (kunjishk) by the force of the wind struck the head of an arrow that one of the beaters who was in my retinue had in his hand, and immediately fell down and died. I was amazed and bewildered at the tricks of destiny; on one side it preserved the sand-grouse, whose time had not arrived, in a short time from three such dangers, and on the other hand made captive in the hand of destruction on the arrow of fate the sparrow whose hour of death had come--

"The world-sword may move from its place,
But it will cut no vein till God wills."

Dresses of honour for the winter had also been sent by the hand of Qara, the yasawul (usher), to the Amirs at Kabul. I halted at this place on account of the pleasantness of the spot and the excellence of the air. On this day there came the news of the death of Nad `Ali Khan Maidani at Kabul. I honoured his sons with mansabs, and at the request of Ibrahim Khan Firuz-jang [551] increased the mansab of Rawat Shankar by 500 personal and 1,000 horse. On the 6th there was a march, and going for 4 1/8 kos by the pass known as Ghate Chanda, the royal camp was pitched at the village of Amhar (Amjar?). This valley is very green and pleasant and good trees are seen in it. Up to this stage, which is the limit of the country of the Subah of Ajmir, 84 kos had been traversed. It was also a pleasant stage. Nur-Jahan Begam here shot with a gun a qarisha(?), the like of which for size and beauty of colour had never been seen. I ordered them to weigh it, and it came to 19 tolas and 5 mashas. The aforesaid village is the commencement of the Subah of Malwa, which is in the second clime. The length [552] of this Subah from the extremity of the province of Garha to the province of Banswala (Banswara?) is 245 kos, and its breadth from the parganah of Chanderi to the parganah of Nandarbar is 230 kos. On the east is the province of Bandho, and on the north the fort of Narwar, on the south the province of Baglana, and on the west the Subahs of Gujarat and Ajmir. Malwa is a large province abounding in water and of a pleasant climate. There are five rivers in it in addition to streams, canals, and springs, namely, the Godavari, [553] Bhima, Kalisindh, Nira, and Narbada. Its climate is nearly equable. The land of this province is low, but part of it is high. In the district of Dhar, which is one of the noted places of Malwa, the vine gives grapes twice in the year, in the beginning of Pisces and the beginning of Leo, but the grapes of Pisces are the sweeter. Its husbandmen and artificers are not without arms. The revenue of the province is 24,700,000 dams. When needful there are obtained from it about 9,300 [554] horse and four lakhs, 70,300 foot-soldiers, with 100 elephants. On the 8th, moving on 3 1/2 kos, an encampment was made near Khairabad. On the road 14 sand-grouse and 3 herons were killed, and having traversed and shot over 3 kos the camp was pitched at the village of Sidhara. On the 11th, while there was a halt, I mounted at the end of the day to hunt, and killed a blue bull. On the 12th, after traversing 4 1/4 kos, a halt was made at the village of Bachhayari. On that day Rana Amar Singh had sent some baskets of figs. In truth it is a fine fruit, and I had never seen such delicious figs in India. But one must eat only a few of them; it does harm to eat many. On the 14th there was a march; having traversed 4 1/8 kos, I encamped at the village of Balbali. Raja Janba who is an influential zamindar in these regions, had sent two elephants as an offering, and they were brought before me. At the same stage they brought many melons grown in Kariz near Herat. Khan `Alam had also sent 50 camels. In former years they had never brought melons in such abundance. On one tray they brought many kinds of fruit--Kariz melons, melons from Badakhshan and Kabul, grapes from Samarkand [555] and Badakhshan, apples from Samarkand, Kashmir, Kabul, and from Jalalabad, which is a dependency of Kabul, and pineapples, a fruit that comes from the European ports, plants of which have been set in Agra. Every year some thousands are gathered in the gardens there which appertain to the private domains (khalisa-i-sharifa) [556]; kaula, [557] which are similar in form to an orange, but smaller and better in flavour. They grow very well in the Subah of Bengal. In what language can one give thanks for such favours? My revered father had a great liking for fruit, especially for melons, pomegranates, and grapes. During his time the Kariz melons, which are the finest kind, and pomegranates from Yezd, which are celebrated throughout the world and Samarkand grapes had not been brought to Hindustan. Whenever I see these fruits they cause me great regret. Would that such fruit had come in those days, so that he might have enjoyed them!

On the 15th, which was a halting day, news came of the death of Mir `Ali, son of Faridun Khan Barlas, who was one of the trusted amir-zadas (descended from amirs) of this family (the Timurides). On the 16th a march took place. Having traversed 4 1/8 kos, the camp of heavenly dignity was pitched near the village of Giri. On the road the scouts brought news that there was a lion in this neighbourhood. I went to hunt him and finished him with one shot. As the braveness of the lion (shir babar) has been established, I wished to look at his intestines. After they were extracted, it appeared that in a manner contrary to other animals, whose gall-bladder is outside their livers, the gall-bladder of the lion is within his liver(?). It occurred to me that the courage of the lion may be from this cause. On the 18th, after traversing 2 3/4 kos, the village of Amriya was our halting-place. On the 19th, which was a halt, I went out to hunt. After going 2 kos, a village came to view exceedingly sweet and pleasant. Nearly 100 mango-trees were seen in one garden; I had seldom seen mango-trees so large and green and pleasant. In the same garden I saw a bar-tree (a banyan), exceedingly large. I ordered them to measure its length, breadth, and height in yards (gaz). Its height from the surface to the highest branch (sar-shakh) was 74 cubits (zira`). The circumference of its trunk was 44 1/2 cubits and its breadth [558] 175 1/2 measured by the gaz. This has been recorded as it is very unusual. On the 20th was a march, and on the road a blue bull was shot with a gun. On the 21st, which was a halt, I went out to hunt at the end of the day. After returning, I came to the house of I`timadu-d-daulah for the festival of Khwaja Khizr, whom they call Khizri; I remained there till a watch of the night had passed, and then feeling inclined for food I went back to the royal quarters. On this day I honoured I`timadu-d-daulah as an intimate friend by directing the ladies of the harem not to veil their faces from him. By this favour I bestowed everlasting honour on him. On the 22nd an order was given to march, and after 3 1/8 kos were traversed the camp was pitched at the village of Bulghari (Nawalkheri?). On the road two blue bulls were killed. On the 23rd day of Tir, which was a halt, I killed a blue bull with a gun. On the 24th, traversing 5 kos, the village of Qasim-khera was the halting-place. On the road a white animal [559] was killed, which resembled the kutah paya (hog-deer); it had four horns, two of which were opposite the extremities of its eyes, and two finger-breadths in height, and the two other horns four finger-breadths towards the nape of the neck. These were four finger-breadths in height. The people of India call this animal dudhadharit (dudhariya?). The male has four horns and the female none. It was said that this kind of antelope has no gall-bladder, but when they looked at its intestines the gall-bladder was apparent, and it became clear that this report has no foundation. On the 25th, which was a halt, at the end of the day I rode out to hunt and killed a female nilgaw with my gun. Balju, nephew of Qilij Khan, who held the mansab of 1,000 personal and 850 horse, and had a jagir in Oudh, I promoted to 2,000 personal and 1,200 horse, dignified him with the title of Qilij Khan, and appointed him to the Subah of Bengal. On the 26th a march took place, and after traversing 4 3/4 kos a halt was made at the village of Dih Qaziyan, which is in the neighbourhood of Ujjain. A number of mango-trees in this place had blossomed. They had pitched the tents on the bank of a lake, and had prepared an enchanting place. Pahar, son of Ghaznin [560] Khan, was capitally punished at this stage. Cherishing this unlucky one after the death of his father, I had given him the fort and province of Jalaur, which was the place of his ancestors. As he was of tender years, his mother used to forbid him certain evil practices. That eternally black-faced one with some of his companions one night came into the house and killed his own full mother with his own hand. This news reached me and I ordered them to bring him. After his crime was proved against him, I ordered them to put him to death (kih ba biyasa rasanidand). At this halting-place a tamarind [561]-tree came to view, the form and habit of which were somewhat strange. The original tree had one trunk; when it had grown to 6 gaz, it turned into two branches, one of which was 10 and the other 9 1/2 gaz. The distance between the two branches was 4 1/2 gaz. From the ground to the place where the branches and leaves came to an end(?), there were on the side of the large branch 16 gaz, and on the other branch 15 1/2 gaz. From the place whence the branches and green leaves began(?) to the top (trunk?) of the tree was 2 1/2 gaz, and the circumference was 2 3/4 gaz. I ordered them to make a chabutara (platform) round it of the height of 3 gaz. As the trunk was very straight and well-shaped, I told my artists to depict it in the illustrations to the Jahangir-nama. A march was made on the 27th. After traversing 2 1/8 kos, a halt was made at the village of Hinduwal [562]; on the road a blue bull was killed. On the 28th, after traversing 2 kos, the village of Kaliyadaha became the halting-place. Kaliyadaha is a building which was made by Nasiru-d-din, son of Ghiyasu-d-din, son of Sultan Mahmud Khalji, who was ruler of Malwa. In the time of his rule he had made it in the neighbourhood of Ujjain, which is one of the most celebrated cities in the Subah of Malwa. They say that the heat overcame him so much that he passed his time in the water. He made this building in the middle of the river, and divided its waters into canals, and brought the water on all sides, as well as inside and outside, of the house, and made large and small reservoirs suited to the place. It is a very pleasant and enjoyable place, and one of the noted habitations of Hindustan. Before it was decided to halt at this place I sent architects and ordered them to clean up the place again. On account of its pleasantness I remained in this place for three days. At the same place Shaja`at Khan came from his jagir and waited on me. Ujjain is one of the old cities, and is one of the seven established places of worship of the Hindus. Raja Bikramajit, who introduced the observation of the heavens and stars into Hindustan, lived in this city and province. From the time of his observations until now, which is the 1026th Hijra year (1617 A.D.) and the 11th year from my accession, 1,675 [563] years have passed. The deductions of the astronomers of India are all based on his observations. This city is on the bank of the River Sipra. The belief [564] of the Hindus is that once in some year at an uncertain time the water of this river turns into milk. In the reign of my revered father, at the time when he had sent Abu-l-fazl to set in order the affairs of my brother Shah Murad, he sent a report from that city that a large body of Hindus and Musulmans had borne testimony that some days previously at night this river had become milk, so that people who took water from it that night found in the morning their pots full of milk. [565] As this obtained currency it has been recorded, but my intelligence will in no way agree to it. The real truth of this affair is known to Allah. On the 2nd Isfandarmuz I embarked in a boat from Kaliyadaha, and went to the next stage. I had frequently heard that an austere Sanyasi [566] of the name of Jadrup many years ago retired from the city of Ujjain to a corner of the desert and employed himself in the worship of the true God. I had a great desire for his acquaintance, and when I was at the capital of Agra I was desirous of sending for and seeing him. In the end, thinking of the trouble it would give him, I did not send for him. When I arrived in the neighbourhood of the city I alighted from the boat and went 1/8 kos on foot to see him. The place he had chosen to live in was a hole on the side of a hill which had been dug out and a door made. At the entrance there is an opening in the shape of a mihrab, [567] which is in length (? height) 1 gaz and in breadth 10 gira, (knots, each 1/16 of a gaz), and the distance from this door to a hole which is his real abode is 2 gaz and 5 knots in length and in breadth 11 1/4 knots. The height from the ground to the roof is 1 gaz and 3 knots. The hole whence is the entrance to the abode is in length 5 1/2 knots and its breadth 3 1/2 knots. A person of weak body (thin?) can only enter it with a hundred difficulties. The length and breadth of the hole are such. It has no mat and no straw. In this narrow and dark hole he passes his time in solitude. In the cold days of winter, though he is quite naked, with the exception of a piece of rag that he has in front and behind, he never lights a fire. The Mulla of Rum (Jalalu-d-din) has put into rhyme the language of a dervish--

"By day our clothes are the sun,
By night our mattress and blanket the moon's rays."