Chapter V: Part 5

News came that Shah Beg Khan, the governor of Qandahar, had reached the parganah of Shor, [216] which is his jagir. I determined to give Kabul to him and return to Hindustan. A petition came from Raja Birsing-deo that he had made a prisoner of his nephew, who had been creating a disturbance and had killed many of his men. I ordered him to send him to the fort of Gwalior to be imprisoned there. The parganah of Gujrat [217] in the Panjab Sarkar I bestowed on Shir Khan, the Afghan. I promoted Chin Qilij, son of Qilij Khan, to the rank of 800 personal and 500 horse. On the 12th I sent for Khusrau and ordered them to take the chains off his legs that he might walk in the Shahr-ara garden. My fatherly affection would not permit me to exclude him from walking in the aforesaid garden. I transferred the fort of Attock and that neighbourhood from Ahmad Beg to Zafar Khan. To Taj Khan, who was nominated to beat back the Afghans of Bangash, I gave 50,000 rupees. On the 14th I gave `Ali Khan Karori, [218] who was one of my revered father's old servants and was the darogha of the Naqarakhana (drum-house), the title of Naubat Khan, and promoted him to the rank of 500 personal and 200 horse. I made Ram Das ataliq to Maha Singh, grandson of Raja Man Singh, who had also been nominated to drive back the rebels of Bangash. On Friday, the 18th, the wazn-i-qamari (the weighing according to the lunar year) for my 40th year took place. On that day the assembly was held when two watches of the day had passed. I gave 10,000 rupees of the money of the weighing to ten of my confidential servants to divide amongst those who deserved it and the needy. On this day a petition came from Sardar Khan, governor of Qandahar, by way of Hazara and Ghaznin, in twelve days; its purport was that the ambassador of Shah `Abbas, who had started for the Court, had entered the Hazara [219] (country). The Shah had written to his own people: "What seeker of occasion and raiser of strife has come against Qandahar without my order? Perhaps he does not know what is our connection with H.M. Sultan Timur, and especially with Humayun and his glorious descendants. If they by chance should have taken the country into their possession they should hand it to the friends and servants of my brother Jahangir Padshah and return to their own abodes." I determined to tell Shah Beg Khan to secure the Ghaznin road in such a way that travellers from Qandahar might reach Kabul with ease. At the same time I appointed Qazi Nuru-d-din to the Sadarat of the province of Malwah and Ujjain. The son of Mirza Shadman Hazara and grandson of Qaracha Khan, who was one of the influential Amirs of Humayun, waited on me. Qaracha Khan had married a woman from the Hazara tribe, and this son [220] had been born by her. On Saturday, the 19th, Rana Shankar, son of Rana Uday Singh, was promoted to the rank of 2,500 personal and 1,000 horse. An order was given for the rank of 1,000 personal and 600 horse for Ray Manohar. The Shinwari Afghans brought a mountain ram the two horns of which had become one and had become like a rang's horns. The same Afghans killed and brought a markhur (Erskine translates this 'a serpent-eating goat'), the like of which I had never seen or imagined. I ordered my artists to paint him. He weighed four Hindustani maunds; the length of his horns was 1 1/2 gaz. [221] On Sunday, the 27th, I gave the rank of 1,500 personal and 1,000 horse to Shaja`at Khan, and the hawili (district surrounding) of Gwalior was placed in the jagir of I`tibar Khan. I appointed Qazi `Izzatu-llah with his brothers to the Bangash duty. At the end of the same day a petition came to me from Islam Khan from Agra, together with a letter which Jahangir Quli Khan had written to him from Bihar. Its purport was that on the 3rd Safar (30th May, 1607), after the first watch, `Ali Quli Istajlu had wounded Qutbu-d-din Khan at Bardwan, in the province of Bengal, and that he had died when two watches of the same night had passed. The details of this matter are that the aforesaid `Ali Quli was sufrachi (table servant) to Shah Isma`il (the 2nd), ruler of Iran; after his death he took to flight through his natural wickedness and habit of making mischief, and came to Qandahar, and having met at Multan the Khankhanan, who had been appointed to the charge of the province of Tulamba, [222] started with him for that province. The Khankhanan in the field [223] placed him among the servants of the late king (Akbar), and he having performed services in that campaign was promoted to a rank in accordance with his condition, and was a long time in the service of my revered father. At the time when he (Akbar) went in prosperity to the provinces of the Deccan, and I was ordered against the Rana, he came and became servant to me. I gave him the title of Shir-afgan (tiger-throwing). When I came from Allahabad to wait on my revered father, on account of the unfriendliness that was shown me, most of my attendants and people were scattered abroad, and he also at that time chose to leave my service. After my accession, out of generosity I overlooked his offences, and gave an order for a jagir for him in the Subah of Bengal. Thence came news that it was not right to leave such mischievous persons there, and an order went to Qutbu-d-din Khan to send him to Court, and if he showed any futile, seditious ideas, to punish him. The aforesaid Khan had reason to know him (his character), and with the men he had present, immediately the order arrived, went hastily to Bardwan, which was his jagir. When he (Shir-afgan) became aware of the arrival of Qutbu-d-din Khan, he went out to receive him alone with two grooms. After he arrived and entered into the midst of his army (his camp) the aforesaid Khan surrounded him. When from this proceeding on the part of Qutbu-d-din Khan a doubt arose in his mind, he by way of deceiving him said: "What proceeding is this of thine?" [224] The aforesaid Khan, keeping back his own men, joined him alone in order to explain the purport of the order to him. Seeing his opportunity he immediately drew his sword and inflicted two or three severe wounds upon him. Amba Khan Kashmiri, who was descended from the rulers of Kashmir and was connected (by marriage?) with the aforesaid Khan, and had a great regard for him by way of loyalty and manliness, rushed forward and struck a heavy blow on `Ali Quli's head, and that vicious fellow inflicted a severe wound on Amba Khan with the point of his sword. [225] When they saw Qutbu-d-din Khan in this state, his men attacked him (Shir-afgan), and cut him in pieces and sent him to hell. It is to be hoped that the place of this black-faced scoundrel will always be there. Amba Khan obtained martyrdom on the spot, and Qutbu-d-din Khan Koka after four watches attained the mercy of God in his quarters. What can I write of this unpleasantness? How grieved and troubled I became! Qutbu-d-din Khan Koka was to me in the place of a dear son, a kind brother, and a congenial friend. What can one do with the decrees of God? Bowing to destiny I adopted an attitude of resignation. After the departure of the late King and the death of that honoured one, no two misfortunes had happened to me like the death of the mother of Qutbu-d-din Khan Koka and his own martyrdom.

On Friday, the 6th Rabi`u-l-akhir, I came to the quarters of Khurram (Shah-Jahan), which had been made in the Urta Garden. In truth, the building is a delightful and well-proportioned one. Whereas it was the rule of my father to have himself weighed twice every year, (once) according to the solar and (once according to the) lunar year, and to have the princes weighed according to the solar year, and moreover in this year, which was the commencement of my son Khurram's 16th lunar year, the astrologers and astronomers [226] represented that a most important epoch according to his horoscope would occur, as the prince's health [227] had not been good, I gave an order that they should weigh him according to the prescribed rule, against gold, silver, and other metals, which should be divided among faqirs and the needy. The whole of that day was passed in enjoyment and pleasure in the house of Baba Khurram, and many of his presents were approved.

As I had experienced the excellencies of Kabul, and had eaten most of its fruits, in consequence of important considerations and the distance from the capital, on Sunday, the 4th Jumada-l-awwal, I gave an order that they should send out the advance camp in the direction of Hindustan. After some days I left the city, and the royal standards proceeded to the meadow of Safid-sang. Although the grapes were not yet fully ripe, I had often before this eaten Kabul grapes. There are many good sorts of grapes, especially the Sahibi and Kishmishi. The cherry also is a fruit of pleasant flavour, and one can eat more of it than of other fruits; I have in a day eaten up to 150 of them. The term shah-alu means gilas [228] (cherry), which are obtainable in most places of the country, but since gilas is like gilas, which is one of the names of the chalpasa (lizard), my revered father called it shah-alu. The zard-alu paywandi [229] is good, and is abundant. There is especially a tree in the Shahr-ara garden, that Mirza Muhammad Hakim, my uncle, planted, and is known as the Mirza'i. The apricots of this tree are quite unlike the apricots of other trees. The peaches also are very delicious and plentiful. They had brought some peaches from Istalif. I had them weighed in my presence, and they came exactly in weight to 25 rupees, which is 68 current misqal. Notwithstanding the sweetness of the Kabul fruits, not one of them has, to my taste, the flavour of the mango. The parganah of Mahaban was given as jagir to Mahabat Khan. `Abdu-r-Rahim, paymaster of the Ahadis, was promoted to the rank of 700 personal and 200 horse. Mubarak Khan Sarwani was appointed to the faujdarship of the sarkar of Hisar. I ordered that Mirza Faridun Barlas should have a jagir in the Subah of Allahabad. On the 14th of the aforesaid month I gave Iradat Khan, brother of Asaf Khan, the rank of 1,000 personal and 500 horse, and presenting him with a special robe of honour and a horse, bestowed on him the paymastership of the Subah of Patna and Hajipur. As he was my qurbegi, I sent by his hand a jewelled sword for my son (farzand) Islam Khan, the governor of the aforesaid Subah. As we were going along I saw near `Ali Masjid and Gharib-khana a large spider of the size of a crab that had seized by the throat a snake of one and a half gaz in length and half strangled it. I delayed a minute to look on at this, and after a moment it died (the snake).

I heard at Kabul that in the time of Mahmud of Ghazni a person of the name of Khwaja Tabut [230] had died in the neighbourhood of Zuhak and Bamiyan, and was buried in a cave, whose limbs had not yet rotted asunder. This appeared very strange, and I sent one of my confidential record writers with a surgeon to go to the cave and, having seen the state of affairs as they were, to make a special report. He represented that half of the body which was next the ground had most of it come asunder, and the other half which had not touched the ground remained in its own condition. The nails of the hands and feet and the hair of the head had not been shed, but the hair of the beard and moustache as far as one side of the nose had been shed. From the date that had been engraved on the door of the cave it appeared that his death had occurred before the time of Sultan Mahmud. No one knows the exact state of the case.

On Thursday, the 15th Arslan Bi, governor of the fort of Kahmard, who was one of the servants of middle rank (?) of Wali Muhammad Khan, ruler of Turan, came and waited on me. [231] I had always heard that Mirza Husain, son of Shahrukh Mirza, had been killed by the Uzbegs. At this time a certain person came and presented a petition in his name, and brought a ruby of the colour of an onion, which was worth 100 rupees, as an offering. He prayed that an army might be appointed to assist him, so that he might take Badakhshan out of the Uzbegs' hands. A jewelled dagger-belt was sent him, and an order given that, as the royal standards had alighted in those regions, if he really was Mirza Husain, son of Mirza Shahrukh, he should first hasten into my presence, so that having examined his petitions and claims I might send him to Badakhshan. Two hundred thousand rupees were sent for the army that had been sent with Maha Singh and Ram Das against the rebels of Bangash.

On Thursday, the 22nd, having gone to the Bala Hisar, I inspected the buildings in that place. As the place was not fit for me I ordered them to destroy these buildings and to prepare a palace and a royal hall of audience. On the same day they brought a peach from Istalif, barabar sar-i-buh bakalani, "as big as an owl's head" (?). [232] I had not seen a peach of such a size, and ordered it to be weighed, and it came to 63 Akbari rupees, or 60 tolas. When I cut it in half its stone also came into two pieces, and its substance was sweet. I had in Kabul never eaten better fruit from any tree. On the 25th news came from Malwa that Mirza Shahrukh had bid farewell to this transitory world, and God Almighty had submerged him in His mercy. From the day on which he entered the service of my revered father till the time of his departure, from no act of his could dust be brought into the royal mind. He always did his duty with sincerity. The aforesaid Mirza apparently had four sons: Hasan and Husain were born of the same womb (i.e. they were twins). Husain fled from Burhanpur and went by sea to Iraq, and thence to Badakhshan, where they say he now is, as has been written about his message and his sending some one to me. No one knows for certain whether it is the same Mirza Husain, or the people of Badakhshan have raised up this one like other false Mirzas and given him the name of Mirza Husain. From the time when Mirza Shahrukh came from Badakhshan and had the good fortune to wait on my father until now, nearly 25 years have passed. For some time the people of Badakhshan, on account of the oppression and injury they have to undergo from the Uzbegs, have given notoriety to a Badakhshan boy, who had on his face the marks of nobility, as really the son of Mirza Shahrukh and of the race of Mirza Sulaiman. A large number of the scattered Uymaqs, and the hill-people of Badakhshan, whom they call Gharchal (Georgians?), collected round him, and showing enmity and disputing with the Uzbegs, took some of the districts of Badakhshan out of their possession. The Uzbegs attacked that false Mirza and captured him, and placing his head on a spear sent it round to the whole country of Badakhshan. Again the seditious people of Badakhshan quickly produced another Mirza. Up to now several Mirzas have been killed. It appears to me that as long as there is any trace of the people of Badakhshan they will keep up this disturbance. The third son of the Mirza is Mirza Sultan, who excels in appearance and disposition all the other sons of the Mirza. I begged him from his revered father, and have kept him in my own service, and having taken great pains with him reckon him as my own child. In disposition and manners he has no likeness to his brothers. After my accession I gave him the rank of 2,000 personal and 1,000 horse, and sent him to the Subah of Malwa, which was his father's place. The fourth son is Badi`u-z-zaman, whom he always had in attendance on himself; he obtained the rank of 1,000 personal and 500 horse.

While I was at Kabul, no qamargah hunt had taken place. As the time for returning to Hindustan had come near, and I was very desirous of hunting red deer, I ordered them to go forward as soon as possible and surround the hill Faraq, [233] which is seven kos from Kabul. On Tuesday, the 4th Jumada-l-awwal, I went to hunt. Nearly 100 deer had come into the enclosure (qamargah). About a half of these were taken, and a very hot hunt took place. I gave 5,000 rupees in rewards to the ryots who were present at the hunt. On the same day an increase of 500 horse was ordered to the rank of Shaikh `Abdu-r-Rahman, son of Shaikh Abu-l-fazl, so as to bring it to 2,000 personal and (2,000) horse. On Thursday, the 6th, I went to the throne-place of the late king Babar. As I was to leave Kabul on the next day I looked on that day as a feast day, and ordered them to arrange a wine-party on the spot, and fill with wine the little reservoir they had cut in the rock. Cups were given to all the courtiers and servants who were present, and few days have passed in such enjoyment and pleasure. On Friday, the 7th, when a watch of day had passed, leaving the city auspiciously and with pleasure, a halt was made at the julgah (meadow) of the Safid-sang. From the Shahr-ara as far as the julgah I scattered to faqirs and poor people darb and charan, that is, half and quarter rupees. [234] On that day, when I mounted my elephant for the purpose of leaving Kabul, the news arrived of the recovery of the Amiru-l-umara and Shah Beg Khan. The news of the good health of these two chief servants of mine I took as an auspicious omen for myself. From the julgah of the Safid-sang, marching one kos on Tuesday, the 11th, I halted at Bikram. I left Tash Beg Khan at Kabul to take proper care of Kabul and neighbourhood until the coming of Shah Beg Khan. On Tuesday, the 18th, I marched two and a half kos from the halting-place of Butkhak by the road Du'aba, [235] and encamped at a spring on the bank of which there are four plane-trees. No one till now had looked to the preparation of this halting-place, and they were ignorant of its condition and suitability. It is in truth a most excellent spot, and one fit to have a building erected in it. At this halting-place another qamargah hunt took place, when about 112 deer, etc., were taken. Twenty-four rang antelope and 50 red antelope and 16 mountain goats were taken. I had never till now seen a rang antelope alive. [236] It is in truth a wonderful animal of a beautiful shape. Although the black buck of Hindustan looks very finely made, the shape and fashion and appearance of this antelope is quite a different thing. They weighed a ram and a rang; the ram came to a maund and 33 seers and the rang to two maunds and 10 seers. The rang, although of this size, ran so that ten or twelve swift dogs were worn out and seized it with a hundred thousand difficulties. The flesh of the sheep of the Barbary goat in flavour does not surpass that of the rang. In the same village kulangs (demoiselle crane) were also caught.

Although Khusrau had repeatedly done evil actions and deserved a thousand kinds of punishment, my fatherly affection did not permit me to take his life. Although in the laws of government and the ways of empire one should take notice of such disapproved deeds, I averted my eyes from his faults, and kept him in excessive comfort and ease. It became known that he was in the habit of sending men to scoundrels who did not consider consequences, and of inciting them to give trouble and attempt my life, and making them hopeful with promises. A band of these ill-fated ones of little foresight having joined together, desired to attack me in the hunts that took place in Kabul and those parts. As the grace and protection of God Almighty are the guardians and keepers of this sublime dynasty, they did not attain to their end. On the day when the halt was at the Surkhab, one of that band went at the risk of his life to Khwaja Waisi, the Diwan of my son Khurram, and revealed that nearly 500 men at Khusrau's instigation had conspired with Fathu-llah, son of Hakim Abu-l-fath, Nuru-d-din, son of Ghiyasu-d-din `Ali Asaf-khan, and Sharif, son of I`timadu-d-daulah (Nur-Jahan's father), and were awaiting an opportunity to carry out the designs of the enemies and evil-wishers of the king. Khwaja Waisi told this to Khurram, and he in great perturbation immediately told me. I gave Khurram the blessing of felicity, and prepared to get hold of the whole set of those short-sighted ones and punish them with various kinds of punishment. Again, it came to my mind, as I was on the march, and the seizure of these people would create a disturbance and confusion in the camp, [237] to order the leaders of the disturbance and mischief to be apprehended. I handed over Fathu-llah in confinement to certain trusty men, and ordered capital punishment for the other two wretches, with three or four of the chief among the black-faced (conspirators). I had dignified Qasim `Ali, who was one of the servants of the late king Akbar, after my accession with the title of Dayanat Khan. He always accused Fathu-llah of a want of loyalty, and said things about him. One day he said to Fathu-llah: "At the time when Khusrau fled and the king pursued him, you said to me: 'The Panjab should be given to Khusrau and this quarrel cut short.'" Fathu-llah denied this, and both resorted to oaths and curses (on themselves). Ten or fifteen days had not passed after this altercation when that hypocritical wretch was arrested, and his false oath did its business.

On Saturday, the 22nd Jumada-l-awwal, the news came of the death of the Hakim Jalalu-d-din Muzaffar Ardistani, who was of a family of skill and medicine and claimed to be a descendant of Galen. At all events he was an unequalled healer. His experience added to his knowledge. [238] As he was very handsome and well-made in the days of his youth (sada-ru'iha) [239] he frequented the assemblies of Shah Tahmasp, and the king recited this hemistich about him:--

"We have a pleasant physician: come, let as all be ill."

Hakim `Ali, who was his contemporary, exceeded him in skill. In short, in medical skill and auspiciousness and rectitude and purity of method and disposition he was perfect. Other physicians of the age could not compare with him. In addition to his medical skill he had many excellencies. He had perfect loyalty towards me. He built at Lahore a house of great pleasantness and purity, and repeatedly asked me to honour it (with my presence). As I was very fond of pleasing him I consented. In short, the aforesaid Hakim, from his connection with me and being my physician, had great skill in the management of affairs and business of the world, so that for some time at Allahabad I made him Diwan of my establishment. On account of his great honesty he was very exacting in important business, and people were vexed at this method of proceeding. For about twenty years he had ulcerated lungs, and by his wisdom preserved in some measure his health. When he was talking he mostly coughed so much that his cheek and eyes became red, and by degrees his colour became blue. I often said to him: "Thou art a learned physician; why dost thou not cure thy own wounds?" He represented that wounds in the lungs were not of such a nature that they could be cured. During his illness one of his confidential servants put poison into some medicine he was in the habit of taking every day and gave it to him. When he perceived this he took remedies for it. He objected very much to be bled, although this was necessary. It happened that he was going to the privy when his cough overcame him and opened the wounds in his lungs. So much blood poured out of his mouth and brain that he became insensible and fell, and made a fearful cry. An aftabachi (ewer-bearer) becoming aware of this, came into the assembly-room, and seeing him smeared with blood cried out: "They have killed the hakim." After examining him it was seen that there was no sign of wounds on his body, and that it was the same wound in the lungs that had begun to flow. They informed Qilij Khan, who was the Governor of Lahore, and he, having ascertained the true state of the affair, buried him. He left no capable son.

On the 24th, between the garden of Wafa and Nimlah, a hunt took place, and nearly forty red antelope were killed. A female panther (yuz) fell into our hands in this hunt. The zamindars of that place, Laghmanis, Shali, and Afghans, came and said that they did not remember nor had they heard from their fathers that a panther had been seen in that region for 120 years. A halt was made on the 2nd Jumada-l-akhir, at the Wafa Garden, and the assembly for the solar weighing was held. On the same day Arslan Bi, an Uzbeg who was one of the Sardars and nobles of `Abdu-l-Mumin Khan, and was at that time governor of the fort of Kahmard, having left his fort, had the blessing of waiting on me. As he had come from friendship and sincerity, I exalted him with a special robe of honour. He is a simple Uzbeg, and is fit to be educated and honoured. On the 4th of the month an order was given that `Izzat Khan, the governor [240] of Jalalabad, should make the hunting-ground of the Arzina plain into a qamargah (ring-hunting ground). Nearly 300 animals were captured, namely, 35 quch (rams?), 25 qushqi (?), 90 arghali (wild sheep), 55 tughli (yaks?), 95 antelope (safida).

As it was the middle of the day when I arrived at the hunting-place and the air was very hot, the (tazi) Arabian dogs had been exhausted. [241] The time for running dogs is in the morning or at the end of the day. On Saturday, the 12th, the halt was at Akura Saray (?). At this stage Shah Beg Khan, [242] with a good force, came and waited on me. He was one who had been brought up by my father, the late king Akbar. In himself he is a very brave man and energetic, so much so that constantly in the time of my father he fought several single combats, and in my own reign defended the fort of Qandahar from the hosts of the ruler of Iran. It was besieged for a year before the royal army arrived to his assistance. His manners towards his soldiers are those of an Amir (nobleman, umarayana), and not according to discipline (qudrat), especially towards those who have helped him in battles or are with him in campaigns. He jokes much with his servants, and this gives him an undignified appearance. [243] I have repeatedly warned him about this, but as it is in his nature my remonstrances have had no effect.

On Monday, the 14th, I promoted Hashim Khan, who is one of the household, born ones of our dynasty, to the rank of 3,000 with 2,000 horse, and I made him governor of the province of Orissa. On the same day news came that Badi`u-z-zaman, son of Mirza Shahrukh, who was in the province of Malwa, through folly and youth had started with a body of rebels to go to the province of the Rana and join him. `Abdu-llah Khan, the governor of that place, being informed of this event went after him, and having made him prisoner on the way, slew several of the wretches who had joined with him. An order was given that Ihtimam Khan should start from Agra and bring the Mirza to the court. On the 25th of the aforesaid month news came that Imam Quli Khan, nephew of Wali Khan, ruler of Mawara'a-n-nahr, had killed him who was called Mirza Husain, who had been reported to be the son of Mirza Shahrukh. In truth, the killing of the sons of Mirza Shahrukh is like the killing of the demons, as they say that from every drop of their blood demons are produced. In the station of Dhaka, Shir Khan, the Afghan, whom when I left I had placed at Peshawar to guard the Khaibar Pass, came and waited on me. He had made no default in preserving and guarding the road. Zafar Khan, son of Zain Khan Koka, had been appointed to move on the Dalazak Afghans and the tribe of Khatur, who had perpetrated all kinds of misdeeds in the neighbourhood of Attock and the Beas and that vicinity. After performing that service and the conquest of those rebels, who numbered about 100,000 houses, and sending them off towards Lahore, he came and waited upon me at the same halting-place, and it was evident that he had performed that service as it ought to have been done. As the month of Rajab, corresponding with the Ilahi month of Aban, had arrived, [244] and it was known that this was one of the months fixed for the lunar weighing (wazn-i-qamari) of my father, I determined that the value of all the articles which he used to order for his own weighing in the solar and lunar years should be estimated, and that what this came to should be sent to the large cities for the repose of the soul of that enlightened one, and be divided amongst the necessitous and the faqirs. The total came to 100,000 rupees, equal to 300 Iraq tumans, and 300,000 of the currency of the people of Mawara'a-n-nahr.

Trustworthy men divided that sum among the twelve chief cities, such as Agra, Delhi, Lahore, Gujarat (Ahmadabad), etc. On Thursday, the 3rd Rajab, I favoured with the title of Khan-jahan my son (farzand) Salabat Khan, who is not less to me than my own sons, and ordered that they should in all firmans and orders write of him as Khan-jahan. A special robe of honour and a jewelled sword were also given him. Also, having entitled Shah Beg Khan Khan-dauran, I presented him with a jewelled waist-dagger, a male elephant, and a special horse. The whole of the sarkars of Tirah, Kabul, Bangash, and the province of Sawad (Swat) Bajaur, with the (task of) beating back the Afghans of those regions, and a jagir and the faujdarship were confirmed to him. He took leave from Baba Hasan Abdal. I also ordered Ram Das Kachhwaha to receive a jagir in this province and to be enrolled among the auxiliaries of this Subah. I conferred on Kishan Chand, son of the Mota (fat) Raja, the rank of 1,000 personal and 500 horse. A firman was written to Murtaza Khan (Sayyid Farid), governor of Gujarat, that as the good conduct and excellence and abstemiousness of the son of Miyan Wajihu-d-din [245] had been reported to me, he should hand over to him from me a sum of money, and that he should write and send me some of the names of God which had been tested. If the grace of God should be with me I would continually repeat [246] them. Before this I had given leave to Zafar Khan to go to Baba Hasan Abdal to collect together game for sport. He had made a shakhband (literally a tying together of horns or branches). Twenty-seven red deer and 68 white ones came into the shakhband. I myself struck with arrows 29 antelope, and Parwiz and Khurram also killed some others with arrows. Afterwards orders were given to the servants and courtiers to shoot. Khan Jahan was the best shot, and in every case of his striking an antelope the arrow penetrated through and through. [247] Again, on the 14th of the month of Rajab, Zafar Khan had arranged a qamargah at Rawalpindi. I struck with an arrow a red deer at a long distance, and was highly delighted at the arrow striking him and his falling down. Thirty-four red deer and 35 qara-quyrugh (black-tailed) antelope, which in the Hindi language they call chikara, and two pigs were also killed. On the 21st another qamargah had been arranged within three kos of the fort of Rohtas by the efforts and exertions of Hilal Khan. I had taken with me to this hunt those who were screened by the curtains of honour (the members of the zananah). The hunt was a good one and came off with great éclat. Two hundred red and white antelope were killed. Passing on from Rohtas, the hills of which contain these antelope, there are in no place in the whole of Hindustan, with the exception of Girjhak and Nandanah, red deer of this description. I ordered them to catch and keep some of them alive, in order that possibly some of them might reach Hindustan for breeding purposes. On the 25th another hunt took place in the neighbourhood of Rohtas. In this hunt also my sisters and the other ladies were with me, and nearly 100 red deer were killed. It was told me that Shams Khan, uncle of Jalal Khan [248] Gakkhar who was in that neighbourhood, notwithstanding his great age took much delight in hunting, such that young men had not so much enjoyment in it. When I heard that he was well-disposed towards faqirs and dervishes I went to his house, and his disposition and manners pleased me. I bestowed on him 2,000 rupees, and the same sum on his wives and children, with five other villages with large receipts by way of livelihood for them, that they might pass their days in comfort and contentment. On the 6th Sha`ban, at the halting-place of Chandalah, the Amiru-l-umara came and waited on me. I was greatly pleased at obtaining his society again, for all the physicians, Hindu and Musulman, had made up their minds that he would die. Almighty God in His grace and mercy granted him the honour of recovery, in order that it might be known to such as do not recognize His will that for every difficult ill, which those who look on the outside of causes only may have given up as hopeless, there is One who is powerful to provide a cure and remedy out of His own kindness and compassion. On the same day Ray Ray Singh, [249] one of the most considerable of the Rajput Amirs, ashamed on account of the fault he had committed in the matter of Khusrau, and who was living at his home, came, and under the patronage of the Amiru-l-umara obtained the good fortune of waiting on me; his offences were pardoned. At the time that I left Agra in pursuit of Khusrau I had in full confidence left him in charge of Agra, so that when the ladies (mahalha) [250] should be sent for he might come with them. After the ladies were sent for he went for two or three stages with them, and in the village of Mathura, on merely hearing foolish tales, separated from them, and went to his native place (Bikanir). He thought that as a commotion had arisen he would see where the right road was. The merciful God, who cherishes His servants, in a short time having arranged that affair broke the rope of the alliance of those rebels, and this betrayal of his salt remained a burden on his neck. In order to please the Amiru-l-umara I ordered the rank which he formerly held to be confirmed to him, and his jagir to remain as it was. I promoted Sulaiman Beg, who was one of my attendants from the time when I was prince, to the title of Fida'i Khan. On Monday, the 12th, a halt was made at the garden of Dil-amiz, which is on the bank of the river Ravi. I waited on my mother in this garden. Mirza Ghazi, who had done approved service in command of the army at Qandahar, waited on me, and I bestowed great favour on him.

On Tuesday, the 13th, I auspiciously entered Lahore. The next day Mir Khalilu-llah, son of Ghiyasu-d-din Muhammad, Mirmiran, who was of the descendants of Shah Ni`matu-llah Wali, paid his respects. [251] In the reign of Shah Tahmasp there was no family of such greatness in the whole country, for the sister of the Shah, by name Janish Begam, was in the house of (married to) Mir Ni`matu-llah, the father of the Mirmiran. A daughter who was born to them, the Shah gave in marriage to his own son Isma`il Mirza, and making the sons of that Mirmiran sons-in-law, gave his younger daughter to his eldest son, who had the same name as his grandfather, and connected (in marriage) the daughter of Isma`il Mirza, who was born of the niece of the Shah, to another son, Mir Khalilu-llah. After the death of the Shah, by degrees the family went to decay, until in the reign of Shah `Abbas they became all at once extirpated, and they lost the property and effects that they had and could no longer remain in their own place. Mir Khalilu-llah came to wait upon me. As he had undergone trouble on the road, and the signs of sincerity were apparent from his circumstances, having made him a sharer of my unstinted favours I gave him 12,000 rupees in cash, and promoted him to the rank of 1,000 personal and 200 horse, and gave an order for a jagir.

An order was given to the civil department (diwaniyan) to confer the rank of 8,000 personal and 5,000 horse on my son Khurram, and to provide a jagir for him in the neighbourhood of Ujjain, and to assign the Sarkar of Hisar Firuza to him. On Thursday, the 22nd, on the invitation of Asaf Khan, I went with my ladies to his house and passed the night there. The next day he presented before me his own offerings, of the value of ten lacs of rupees, in jewels and jewelled things, robes, elephants, and horses. Some single rubies and jacinths and some pearls, also silk cloths with some pieces of porcelain from China and Tartary, were accepted, and I made a present of the rest to him. Murtaza Khan from Gujarat sent by way of offering a ring made of a single ruby of good colour, substance, and water, the stone, the socket, and the ring being all of one piece. They weighed 1 1/2 tanks and one surkh, which is equal to one misqal and 15 surkh. This was sent to me and much approved. Till that day no one had ever heard of such a ring having come to the hands of any sovereign. A single ruby weighing six surkhs or two tanks and 15 surkhs, [252] and of which the value was stated to be £25,000, was also sent. The ring was valued at the same figure.

On the same day the envoy of the Sharif of Mecca came to wait on me with a letter and the curtain of the door of the Ka`bah. He showed great friendship towards me. The said envoy had bestowed on him 500,000 dam, equal to 7,000 or 8,000 rupees, and I resolved to send the Sharif the equivalent of 100,000 rupees of the precious things of Hindustan. On Thursday, the 10th of the month, a piece of the Subah of Multan was added to the jagir of Mirza Ghazi, though the whole of the province of Thattah had been given to him in jagir. He was also promoted to the rank of 5,000 personalty and 5,000 horse. The government of Qandahar and the protection of that region, which is the frontier of Hindustan, were assigned to his excellent administration. Conferring on him a robe of honour and a jewelled sword I gave him his leave. In fine, Mirza Ghazi possessed perfection, [253] and he made also good verses. He used Waqari as his takhallus, or poetic name (Ruz-i-rushan, Bhopal 1297, p. 455; also Ma'asiru-l-umara, vol. iii, p. 347). This is one of his couplets:--

"If my weeping should cause her to smile, what wonder?
Though the cloud weep, the cheek of the rose-bush smiles."

On the 15th the offering of the Khankhanan was presented to me: 40 elephants, some jewelled and decorated vessels, some Persian robes, and cloth that they make in the Deccan and those parts, had been sent by him, altogether of the value of 150,000 rupees. Mirza Rustam and most of the office-holders of that Subah had also sent good offerings. Some of the elephants were approved. News of the death of Ray Durga, [254] who was one of those who had been brought up by my revered father, arrived on the 18th of the month. He had been in attendance for forty years and more in the position of an Amir on my revered father, until, by degrees, he had risen in rank to 4,000. Before he obtained the good fortune of waiting on my father he was one of the trusted servants of Rana Uday Singh. He died on the 29th. He was a good military man. Sultan Shah, the Afghan, whose disposition was turbulent and mischievous, passed his time in the service of Khusrau, and had his complete intimacy, so much so that this rebel was the cause of the running away of that unfortunate one. After the defeat and capture of Khusrau he went off alone(?) [255] into the skirts of the hills of Khizrabad and that region. At last he was made prisoner by Mir Mughal, the karori of that place. As he had been the cause of the destruction and ruin of such a son, I ordered them to shoot him with arrows on the plain of Lahore. The aforesaid karori was promoted to higher rank, and was dignified with a grand dress of honour. On the 29th Shir Khan, the Afghan, who was one of my old servants, died. One might say that he took his own life, because he was continually drinking wine, to the extent that in every watch he used to drink four brimming cups of arrack of double strength. He had broken the fast of the Ramazan of the past year, and took it into his head this year that he would fast in the month of Sha`ban on account of his having broken the fast of Ramazan, and would fast for two months together. In abandoning his usual custom, which is a second nature, he became weak and his appetite left him, and becoming very weak he passed away in his 57th year. Patronising his children and brothers according to their circumstances, I bestowed on them a portion of his rank and jagir.

On the 1st of the month of Shawwal I went to visit Maulana Muhammad Amin, who was one of the disciples of Shaikh Mahmud Kamangar (the bow-maker). The Shaikh Mahmud [256] mentioned was one of the great men of his age, and H.M. Humayun had entire reliance on him, so much so that he once poured water on his hands. The aforesaid Maulana is a man of good disposition, and is free, notwithstanding the attachments and accidents (of the world), a faqir in manner and ways, and acquainted with brokenness of spirit. His company pleased me exceedingly. I explained to him some of the griefs that had entangled themselves in my mind and heard from him good advice and agreeable words, and found myself greatly consoled at heart. Having presented him with 1,000 bigha and 1,000 rupees in cash by way of maintenance, I took leave. One watch of day had passed on Sunday when I left Lahore on my way to the capital of Agra. Having made Qilij Khan governor, Mir Qawamu-d-din diwan, Shaikh Yusuf bakhshi, and Jamalu-d-din kotwal, and presented each according to his circumstances with dresses of honour, I turned towards my desired way. On the 25th, having passed over the river at Sultanpur, I proceeded two kos and halted at Nakodar. My revered father had given Shaikh Abu-l-fazl [257] gold of the weight of 20,000 rupees to build an embankment between these two parganahs and prepare a waterfall, and in truth I found a halting-place exceedingly pleasant and fresh. I ordered Mu`izzu-l-mulk, the jagirdar of Nakodar, to erect a building and prepare a garden on one side of this embankment, so that wayfarers seeing it might be pleased. On Saturday, 10th Zi-l-qa`da, Waziru-l-mulk, who before my ascension had the good fortune to serve me, and was Diwan of my establishment, died of diarrhoea. At the end of his life a son of evil fortune (lit footsteps) had been born in his house, who in the space of forty days ruined [258] (Erskine has 'ate') both his father and mother, and who himself died when he was two or three years old. It occurred to me that the house of Waziru-l-mulk must not all at once be ruined, and patronising Mansur, his brother's son, I gave him rank. Indeed, [259] he showed no love to me (the scent of love did not come from him). On Monday, the 14th, I heard on the road that between Panipat and Karnal there were two tigers that were giving much trouble to wayfarers. I collected the elephants and sent them off. When I arrived at their (the tigers') place I mounted a female elephant, and ordered them to place the elephants round them after the manner of a qamargah (enclosure), and by the favour of Allah killed both with a gun, and thus got rid of the raging tigers that had closed the road to the servants of God. On Thursday, the 18th, [260] I halted at Delhi and alighted at the residence which Salim Khan, the Afghan, had made in the days of his rule in the middle of the river Jumna and called Salimgadh. My revered father had given the place to Murtaza Khan, who was originally an inhabitant of Delhi. The aforesaid Khan had built on the margin of the river a terrace of stone excessively pleasant and bright. Below that building [261] near the water there was made a square chaukandi with glazed tiles by the order of H.M. Humayun, and there are few places with such air. In the days when the late king Humayun honoured Delhi with his presence, he often sat there with his intimates, and associated with the members of his assemblies. I passed four days in that place, and with my courtiers and intimates enjoyed myself with wine parties. Mu`azzam Khan, who was governor of Delhi, presented offerings. The jagirdars and citizens also made offerings and presents, each according to his circumstances. I was desirous to employ some days in a qamargah hunt in the parganah of Palam, which is one of the places near the aforesaid city and one of the fixed hunting-grounds. As it was represented to me that the (fortunate) hour for approaching Agra had come very near, and another proper hour was not to be obtained at all near that time, I gave up the intention, and embarking on board a boat went on by water. On the 20th of the month of Zi-l-qa`da four boys and three girls, children of Mirza Shahrukh, whom he had not mentioned to my father, were brought. I placed the boys among my confidential servants, and made over the girls to the attendants of the ladies of the harem in order that they might look after them. On the 21st of the same month Raja Man Singh came and waited on me from the fort of Rohtas, which is in the province of Patna and Behar, after orders had been sent to him six or seven times. He also, like Khan A`zam, is one of the hypocrites and old wolves of this State. What they have done to me, and what has happened to them from me, God the knower of secrets knows; possibly no one could mention such another case(?). The aforesaid Raja produced as offerings 100 elephants, male and female, not one of which was fit to be included among my private elephants. As he was one of those who had been favoured by my father, I did not parade his offences before his face, but with royal condescension promoted him.

On this day they brought a talking jal (lark) which distinctly said "Miyan Tuti." It was very strange and wonderful. In Turki they call this bird turghai. [262]

THE THIRD NEW YEAR'S FEAST FROM MY ACCESSION.

On Thursday, the 2nd Zi-l-hijja, corresponding with the 1st Farwardin (19th March, 1608), the Sun, which enlightens and heats the world with its splendour, changed from the constellation of Pisces to the joyful mansion of Aries, the abode of pleasure and rejoicing. It gave the world fresh brightness, and being aided by the Spring clothed those who had been plundered by the cold season, and tyrannised over by the Autumn, with the robes of honour of the New Year and the garments of emerald green, and gave them compensation and recuperation.

"Again to Not-Being came the world's lord's order,
'Restore what thou hast devoured.'"