Chapter VI: Part 6

The feast of the New Year was held in the village of Rankatta, [263] which is five kos off (from Agra), and at the time of transit (of the sun) I seated myself on the throne with glory and gladness. The nobles and courtiers and all the servants came forward with their congratulations. In the same assembly I bestowed on Khanjahan the rank of 5,000 personal and horse. I selected Khwaja Jahan for the post of bakhshi. Dismissing Wazir Khan from the Viziership of the province of Bengal, I sent in his place Abu-l-hasan Shihabkhani; and Nuru-d-din Quli became kotwal of Agra. As the glorious mausoleum of the late king Akbar was on the road, it entered my mind that if in passing by I should have the good fortune of a pilgrimage to it, it might occur to those who were short-sighted that I visited it because it was the place where my road crossed. I accordingly had determined that this time I would enter Agra, and after that would go on foot on this pilgrimage to the shrine, which is two and a half kos off, in the same way that the Hazrat (my father), on account of my birth, had gone from Agra to Ajmir. Would that I might also traverse the same on my head! When two watches of day had passed of Saturday, the 5th [264] of the month, at an auspicious hour, I returned towards Agra, and scattering with two hands 5000 rupees in small coins on the way, entered the august palace which was inside the fort. On this day Raja Bir Singh Deo brought a white cheeta to show me. Although other sorts of creatures, both birds and beasts, have white varieties, which they call tuyghan, [265] I had never seen a white cheeta. Its spots, which are (usually) black, were of a blue colour, and the whiteness of the body was also inclined to bluishness. Of the albino animals that I have seen there are falcons, sparrow-hawks, hawks (shikara) that they call bigu [266] in the Persian language, sparrows, crows, partridges, florican, podna [267] (Sylvia olivacea), and peacocks. Many hawks in aviaries are albinos. I have also seen white flying mice (flying squirrels) and some albinos among the black antelope, which is a species found only in Hindustan. Among the chikara (gazelle), which they call safida in Persia, I have frequently seen albinos. At this time Ratan, son of Bhoj-hara, who is one of the chief Rajput nobles, came to the camp and waited on me, bringing three elephants as an offering. One of these was much approved, and they valued it in the office at 15,000 rupees. It was entered among my private elephants, and I gave it the name of Ratangaj. The value of elephants of the former great Rajas of India was not more than 25,000 rupees, but they have now become very dear. I dignified Ratan with the title of Sarbuland Ray. I promoted Miran Sadr Jahan to the rank of 5,000 personal and 1,500 horse and Mu`azzam Khan to 4,000 personal and 2,000 horse. `Abdu-llah Khan was promoted to 3,000 and 500 horse. Muzaffar Khan and Bhao Singh each obtained the rank of 2,000 personal and 1,000 horse. Abu-l-hasan diwan had 1,000 and 500 horse. I`timadu-d-daulah that of 1,000 personal and 250 horse. On the 25th Raja Suraj Singh, the maternal uncle of my son Khurram, came and paid his respects to me. He brought with him Shyam, the cousin of the turbulent Umra. In truth he possesses some skill and understands well how to ride elephants. Raja Suraj Singh had brought with him a poet who wrote verse in the Hindi tongue. He laid before me a poem in my praise to the purport that if the Sun had a son it would be always day and never would be night, because after his setting that son would sit in his place and keep the world in light. Praise and thanksgiving to God that God gave your father such a son that after his death men should not wear mourning which is like the night. The Sun had envy on this account, saying, "Would I might also have a son who, taking my place, should not allow night to approach the world, for from the light of your rising and the illumination of your justice, notwithstanding such a misfortune, the spheres are so bright that one might say 'night had neither name nor sign.'" Few Hindi verses of such freshness of purport have ever reached my ear. As a reward for this eulogy I gave him an elephant. The Rajputs call a poet Charan (name of a caste who are many of them poets). One of the poets of the age has turned [268] these sentiments into (Persian) verse--

"If the world-illuminator had a son,
There would be no night; it would be always day;
For when his gold-crowned head was hidden
His son would display his tiara peak.
Thanks that after such a father
Such a son sits in his place.
For from the demise of that king
No one made black robes for mourning."

On Thursday, the 8th Muharram, 1017 [269] (24th April, 1608), Jalalu-d-din Mas`ud, who held the rank of 400 personal and was not wanting in bravery, and who in several battles had done great deeds, died at about the age of 50 or 60 years of diarrhoea. He was an opium-eater, and used to eat opium after breaking it in pieces, like cheese, and it is notorious that he frequently ate opium from the hand of his own mother. When his disease became violent and there was a prospect of his death, his mother from excessive love for him ate more opium than was right out of that which she used to give her son, and two or three hours after his death she also died. I have never heard of such affection on the part of a mother for her son. It is the custom among the Hindus that after the death of their husbands women burn themselves, whether from love, or to save the honour of their fathers, or from being ashamed before their sons-in-law, but nothing like this was ever manifested on the part of mothers, Musulman or Hindu. On the 15th of the same month I presented my best horse by way of favour to Raja Man Singh. Shah `Abbas had sent this horse with some other horses and fitting gifts by Minuchihr, one of his confidential slaves, to the late king Akbar. From being presented with this horse the Raja was so delighted that if I had given him a kingdom I do not think he would have shown such joy. At the time they brought the horse it was three or four years old. It grew up in Hindustan. The whole of the servants of the Court, Moghul and Rajput together, represented that no horse like this had ever come from Iraq to Hindustan. When my revered father gave the province of Khandesh and the Subah of the Deccan to my brother Daniyal, and was returning to Agra, he by way of kindness told Daniyal to ask of him whatever he desired. Seizing the opportunity, he asked for this horse, and he accordingly gave it to him. On Tuesday, the 20th, a report came from Islam Khan with the news of the death of Jahangir Quli Khan, the governor of the Subah of Bengal, who was my special slave. On account of his natural excellence and innate merit he had been enrolled in the list of the great Amirs. I was much grieved at his death. I bestowed the rule of Bengal and the tutorship to Prince Jahandar on my farzand [270] Islam Khan, and in his place gave the government of the Subah of Behar to Afzal Khan (son of Abu-l-fazl). The son of Hakim `Ali, whom I had sent on some duties to Burhanpur, came and brought with him some Karnatic jugglers who had no rivals or equals; for instance, one of them played with ten balls, each of which was equal to an orange and one to a citron, and one to a surkh, [271] in such a way that notwithstanding some were small and some large he never missed one, and did so many kinds of tricks that one's wits became bewildered. At the same time a dervish from Ceylon came and brought a strange animal called a deonak [272] (or devang). Its face was exactly like a large bat, and the whole shape was like that of a monkey, but it had no tail. Its movements were like those of the black tailless monkey which they call ban manush (jungle man) in the Hindi language. Its body was like that of a young monkey two or three months old. It had been with the dervish for five years. [273] It appeared that the animal would never grow larger. Its food is milk and it also eats plantains. As the creature appeared very strange, I ordered the artists to take a likeness of it in various kinds of movement. It looked very ugly.

On the same day Mirza Faridun Barlas was promoted to the rank of 1,500 personal and 1,300 horse. An order was given that Payanda [274] Khan Moghul, as he had reached old age after exerting himself as a soldier, should receive a jagir equal to 2,000 personal. Ilf Khan was promoted to the rank of 700 personal and 500 horse. The rank of Islam Khan, my son (farzand), the governor of the Subah of Bengal, was fixed at 4,000 personal and 3,000 horse. The guardianship of the fort of Rohtas was bestowed on Kishwar Khan, son of Qutbu-d-din Khan Koka. Ihtimam Khan was raised to the rank of 1,000 personal and 300 horse, and made mir bahr (admiral) and was appointed to the charge of the nawara (fleet) of Bengal. On the 1st Safar Shamsu-d-din Khan, son of Khan A`zam, made an offering of ten elephants, and, receiving the rank of 2,000 personal and 1,500 horse, was selected for the title of Jahangir Quli Khan, and Zafar Khan received the rank of 2,000 personal and 1,000 horse. As I had demanded in marriage the daughter of Jagat Singh, eldest son of Raja Man Singh, I on the 16th sent 80,000 rupees for the sachaq (a marriage present) to the house of the aforesaid Raja in order to dignify him. Muqarrab Khan sent from the port of Cambay a European curtain (tapestry), the like of which in beauty no other work of the Frank painters had ever been seen. On the same day my aunt, Najibu-n-nisa Begam, [275] died in the 61st year of her age of the disease of consumption and hectic fever. I promoted her son, Mirza Wali, to the rank of 1,000 personal and 200 horse. A man of Mawara'a-n-nahr, of the name of Aqam Haji, who for a long time had been in Turkey and was not without reasonableness and religious knowledge, and who called himself the ambassador of the Turkish Emperor, waited upon me at Agra. He had an unknown writing (? illegible letter). Looking to his circumstances and his proceedings none of the servants of the Court believed in his being an ambassador. When Timur conquered Turkey, and Yildirim Bayazid, the ruler of that place, fell alive into his hands, he, after levying tribute and taking one year's revenue, determined to hand back into his possession the whole of the country of Turkey. Just at that time Yildirim Bayazid died, and (Timur), having handed over the kingdom to his son Musa Chelebi, returned. From that time until now, notwithstanding such favours, no one had come on the part of the emperors, nor has any ambassador been sent: how, then, can it now be believed that this person from Mawara'a-n-nahr should have been sent by the emperor? I could in no way understand the affair, and no one could bear witness to the accuracy of his claim: I therefore told him to go wherever he might wish. On the 4th Rabi`u-1-awwal the daughter of Jagat Singh entered the harem, and the marriage ceremony was performed in the house of Her Highness Maryam-zamani. Amongst the things sent with her by Raja Man Singh were 60 elephants.

As I had determined to conquer the Rana, it occurred to me that I should send Mahabat Khan. I appointed 12,000 fully armed cavalry under able officers to go with him, and in addition 500 ahadis, 2,000 musketeers on foot, with artillery made up of 70 to 80 guns mounted on elephants and camels; 60 elephants were appointed to this duty. Two million rupees of treasure were ordered to be sent with this army. On the 16th of the said month Mir Khalilu-llah, grandson of Mir Ni`matu-llah Yazdi, the whole of whose circumstances and family history has already been written, died of diarrhoea. In his appearance the traces of sincerity and dervishhood were manifest. If he had lived and passed a long time in my service he would have risen to high rank. The bakhshi of Burhanpur had sent some mangoes, one of which I ordered to be weighed; it came to 52 1/2 tolas. On Wednesday, the 18th, in the house of Maryam-zamani, the feast of the lunar weighing of my 40th year was held. I ordered the money used in weighing to be divided amongst women and needy persons. On Thursday, the 4th Rabi`u-l-akhir, Tahir Beg, the bakhshi of the Ahadis, was given the title of Mukhlis Khan, and Mulla-i-Taqiyya Shustari, [276] who was adorned with excellencies and perfections, and was well acquainted with the science of history and genealogy, that of Mu'arrikh Khan. On the 10th of the same month, having given Barkhurdar, the brother of `Abdu-llah Khan, the title of Bahadur Khan, I dignified him among his fellows. Munis Khan, son of Mihtar Khan, presented me with a jug of jasper (jade), which had been made in the reign of Mirza Ulugh Beg Gurgan, in the honoured name of that prince. It was a very delicate rarity and of a beautiful shape. Its stone was exceedingly white and pure. Around the neck of the jar they had carved the auspicious name of the Mirza and the Hijra year in riqa` [277] characters. I ordered them to inscribe my name and the auspicious name of Akbar on the edge of the lip of the jar. Mihtar [278] Khan was one of the ancient slaves of this State. He had the honour of serving the late king Humayun, and during the reign of my revered father had attained the rank of nobility. He regarded him as one of his confidential servants. On the 16th a firman was issued that the country of Sangram, [279] which had been given for a year by way of reward to my son (farzand) Islam Khan, should be handed over for the same purpose for a year to Afzal Khan, the governor of the Subah of Behar. On this day I promoted Mahabat Khan to the rank of 3,000 personal and 2,500 horse, and Yusuf Khan, son of Husain Khan Tukriyah, obtained that of 2,000 personal and 800 horse. On the 24th I gave leave to Mahabat Khan and the Amirs and men who had been appointed to subdue the Rana. The aforesaid Khan was honoured with a robe of honour, a horse, a special elephant, and a jewelled sword. Zafar Khan, having been honoured with a standard, was presented with a private robe of honour and a jewelled dagger. Shaja`at Khan also was presented with a standard, and I gave him a robe of honour and a special elephant. Raja Bir Singh Deo received a robe of honour and a special horse, and Mangli Khan a horse and jewelled dagger. Narayan Das Kachhwahah, `Ali Quli Darman, and Hizabr Khan Tahamtan obtained leave. On Bahadur Khan and Mu`izzu-l-mulk the bakhshi jewelled daggers were conferred, and in the same manner all the Amirs and leaders, each one according to his degree, were honoured with royal gifts. A watch of the day had passed when the Khankhanan, who had been selected for the high honour of my Ataliq (guardian), came from Burhanpur and waited on me. Delight and happiness had so overpowered him that he did not know whether he came on his head or his feet. He threw himself bewildered at my feet. By way of favour and kindness I lifted up his head and held it in an embrace of kindliness and affection, and kissed his face. He brought me as offerings two strings of pearls and some rubies and emeralds. The value of the jewels was 300,000 rupees. Besides these he laid before me many valuable things. On the 17th Jumada-l-awwal Wazir Khan, the Diwan of Bengal, came and waited on me, and offered 60 elephants, male and female, and one Egyptian [280] ruby. As he was one of the old servants and he performed every duty, I ordered him to remain in attendance on me. As Qasim Khan and his elder brother, Islam Khan, could in no way keep the peace together, I had sent for the former to my own presence, and he yesterday came and waited on me. On the 22nd, Asaf Khan, made me an offering of a ruby of the weight of seven tank, which Abu-l-qasim, his brother, had bought in the port of Cambay for 75,000 rupees. It is of a beautiful colour and well-shaped, but to my belief is not worth more than 60,000 rupees. Great faults had been committed by Dulip Ray, son of Ray Ray Singh, but as he took refuge with my farzand Khan Jahan his offences were pardoned, and I knowingly and purposely passed over his delinquencies. On the 24th the sons of Khankhanan, who had followed after him, arrived and waited on me and produced as an offering the sum of 25,000 rupees. On the same day the said Khan offered 90 elephants. On Thursday, the 1st Jumada-s-sani, the feast of my solar year was celebrated in the house of Maryam-zamani. Some of the money I divided among the women, and an order was given that the balance should be distributed to the poor of the hereditary kingdoms. On the 4th of the month I ordered the Diwans to give a jagir, according to his rank, of 7,000 rupees to Khan A`zam.

On this day a female antelope in milk was brought that allowed itself to be milked with ease, and gave every day four seers of milk. I had never seen or heard of anything of the kind before. The milk of the antelope, of the cow, and the buffalo in no way differs. They say it is of great use in asthma. On the 11th of the month Raja Man Singh asked for leave to complete the army of the Deccan to which he had been appointed, as well as to visit Amber, his native place. I gave him a male elephant of my own called Hushyar-mast, and gave him leave. On Monday, the 12th, as it was the anniversary of the death of the late king Akbar, in addition to the expenses of that entertainment, which are fixed separately, I sent 4,000 rupees more to be divided among the faqirs and dervishes who are present in the enlightened mausoleum of the venerated one. On that day I exalted `Abdu-llah, the son of Khan A`zam, with the title of Sarfaraz Khan, and `Abdu-r-Rahim, son of Qasim Khan, with that of Tarbiyat Khan. On Tuesday, the 13th, I sent for Khusrau's daughter, and saw a child so like her father as no one can remember to have seen. The astrologers used to say that her advent would not be auspicious to her father, but would be auspicious to me. At last it became known that they had augured rightly. They said that I should see her after three years. I saw her when she had passed this age. On the 21st of the month Khankhanan determined to clear out the province of the Nizamu-l-mulk, into which, after the death of the late king Akbar, some disturbances had found their way, and stated in writing that "If I do not complete this service in the course of two years, I shall be guilty (of a fault), on the condition that in addition to the force that had been allotted to that Subah 12,000 more horse with 1,000,000 rupees should be sent with me." I ordered that materials for the army and the treasure should be quickly prepared, and he should be despatched. On the 26th Mukhlis Khan, bakhshi of the ahadis, was appointed bakhshi of the Subah of the Deccan, and I bestowed his place on Ibrahim Husain Khan, the Mir Bahr. On the 1st Rajab, Pishrau Khan and Kamal Khan, who belonged to the servants who were in constant attendance on me (ru-shinas), died. Shah Tahmasp had given Pishrau Khan as a slave to my grandfather, and he was called Sa`adat. When he was promoted in the service of the late king Akbar to the daroghahship and superintendence of the farrashkhana (carpet department), he obtained the title of Pishrau. He was so well acquainted with this service that one might say it was a garment they had sewn on the stature of his capacity. When he was 90 years old he was quicker than lads of 14. He had the good fortune to serve my grandfather, my father, and me. Until he breathed his last he was never for a moment without the intoxication of wine.

"Besmeared with wine Fighani [281] went to the dust.
Alas! if the angels [282] smelt his fresh shroud!"

He left 1,500,000 rupees. He has one very stupid son, called Ri`ayat. On account of his father's claims for services performed, I gave the superintendence of half the farrashkhana to him and the other half to Tukhmaq Khan. Kamal Khan was one of the slaves sincerely devoted to my service; he is of the caste of the Kalals of Delhi. On account of the great honesty and trustworthiness that he had shown I made him bakawal-begi (chief of the kitchen). Few such servants are ever met with. He had two sons, to both of whom I showed great kindness, but where are there others like him? On the 2nd of the said month La`l [283] Kalawant, who from his childhood had grown up in my father's service, who had taught him every breathing and sound that appertains to the Hindi language, died in the 65th or 70th year of his age. One of his girls (concubines) ate opium on this event and killed herself. Few women among the Musulmans have ever shown such fidelity.

In Hindustan, especially in the province of Sylhet, [284] which is a dependency of Bengal, it was the custom for the people of those parts to make eunuchs of some of their sons and give them to the governor in place of revenue (mal-wajibi). This custom by degrees has been adopted in other provinces, and every year some children are thus ruined and cut off from procreation. This practice has become common. At this time I issued an order that hereafter no one should follow this abominable custom, and that the traffic in young eunuchs should be completely done away with. Islam Khan and the other governors of the Subah of Bengal received firmans that whoever should commit such acts should be capitally punished, and that they should seize eunuchs of tender years who might be in anyone's possession. No one of the former kings had obtained this success. Please Almighty God, in a short time this objectionable practice will be completely done away with, and the traffic in eunuchs being forbidden, no one shall venture on this unpleasant and unprofitable proceeding. I presented the Khankhanan with a bay horse out of those sent me by Shah `Abbas; it was the head of the stable of my private horses. He was so rejoiced over it that it would be difficult to describe. In truth a horse of this great size and beauty has hardly come to Hindustan. I also gave him the elephant Futuh, that is unrivalled in fighting, with twenty other elephants. As Kishan Singh, who was accompanying Mahabat Khan, performed laudable service, and was wounded in the leg by a spear in the fight with the Rana's men, so that about twenty noblemen of his were killed and about 3,000 made captive, he was promoted to the rank of 2,000 personal and 1,000 horse. On the 14th of the same month I gave an order for Mirza Ghazi to betake himself to Qandahar. A strange occurrence was that as soon as the aforesaid Mirza started from Bakhar for that province the news of the death of Sardar Khan, the governor of that place, came. Sardar Khan was one of the permanent and intimate attendants of my uncle Muhammad Hakim, and was known as Tukhta [285] Beg. I gave half his rank (the pay of it) to his sons. On Monday, the 17th, I went on foot on my pilgrimage to the enlightened mausoleum of the late king. If it had been possible, I would have traversed this road with my eyelashes and head. My revered father, on account of my birth, had gone on foot on a pilgrimage to the shrine of Khwaja Mu`inu-d-din Sanjari Chishti, from Fathpur to Ajmir, a distance of 120 kos: if I should traverse this road with my head and eyes, what should I have done? When I was dignified with the good fortune of making this pilgrimage, I saw the building that had been erected in the cemetery. It did not come up to my idea of what it ought to be, for that would be approved which the wayfarers of the world should point to as one the like of which was not in the inhabited world. Inasmuch as at the time of erecting the aforesaid building the affair of the ill-starred Khusrau took place, I started for Lahore, and the architects had built it after a design of their own. At last a certain expenditure was made until a large sum was expended, and work went on for three or four years. I ordered that experienced architects should again lay the foundations, in agreement with men of experience, in several places, on a settled plan. By degrees a lofty building was erected, and a very bright garden was arranged round the building of the shrine, and a large and lofty gateway with minarets of white stone was built. On the whole they told me the cost of this lofty edifice was 1,500,000 rupees, equivalent to 50,000 current tumans of Persia and 4,500,000 khanis, according to the currency of Turan.

On Sunday, the 23rd, I went with a band of courtiers who had not seen it to look at the reservoir in the house of Hakim `Ali like one that had been made at Lahore in the time of my father. The reservoir is 6 gaz by 6 gaz. At its side has been erected a well-lighted room, the entrance to which is through the water, but the water does not get into it. Ten or twelve people could meet in it. He made an offering of some of the cash and jewels that had accumulated [286] in his time. After looking at the room, and the entering of a number of courtiers therein, I raised him to the rank of 2,000, and returned to the palace. On Sunday, the 14th Sha`ban, the Khankhanan was honoured with a jewelled sword for the waist, a robe of honour, and a special elephant, and was given leave to go to his duty in the Deccan. Raja Suraj Singh, who was attached to him in that service, was raised to the rank of 3,000 personal and 2,000 horse. As it was again represented to me that oppression was being committed by the brethren and attendants of Murtaza Khan on the ryots and people of Ahmadabad in Gujarat, and that he was unable properly to restrain his relations and people about him, I transferred the Subah from him and gave it to A`zam Khan, and it was settled that the latter should attend at court, and that his eldest son Jahangir Quli Khan should go to Gujarat as his deputy. The rank of Jahangir Quli Khan was fixed at 3,000 personal and 2,500 horse. An order was given that in company with Mohan Das diwan and Mas`ud Beg Hamazani bakhshi he should carry on the business of the province. Mohan Das was promoted to the rank of 800 with 500 horse, and Mas`ud Beg to 300 with 150 horse. Tarbiyat Khan, one of the personal servants, was given the rank of 700 with 400 horse, and Nasru-llah the same. Mihtar Khan, whose circumstances have been related, died at this time, and I promoted his son Munis Khan to the rank of 500 personal and 130 horse. On Wednesday, the 4th Zi-l-hijja, Khusrau had a son born to him by the daughter of the Khan A`zam, and I gave him the name of Buland-akhtar. On the 6th of the same month Muqarrab Khan sent a picture (with a report) that the belief of the Franks was this, that the picture was that of Timur. At the time when Yildirim Bayazid was taken prisoner by his victorious army, a Nazarene, who at that time was ruler [287] of Constantinople, had sent an ambassador with gifts and presents in token of submission and service, and an artist who had been sent with the ambassador took his likeness and brought it away. If this story were true, no better gift could be presented to me. But as the picture had no resemblance to any of his descendants I was not satisfied of the truth of the statement.

THE FOURTH NEW YEAR'S FEAST AFTER THE AUSPICIOUS ACCESSION.

The passing of the great star that illumines the world into the constellation of Aries took place on the night of Saturday, the 14th Zi-l-hijja, in Hijra 1017 (21st March, 1609), and New Year's Day that made brilliant the world began with good auspices and rejoicing. On Friday, the 5th Muharram, in the year 1018, Hakim `Ali died. He was an unrivalled physician; he had derived much profit from Arabic sciences. He had written a commentary on the Canon (of Avicenna) in the time of my revered father. He had greater diligence than understanding, just as his appearance was better than his disposition, and his acquirements better than his talents; on the whole he was bad-hearted, and of an evil spirit. On the 20th Safar I dignified Mirza Barkhurdar with the title of Khan `Alam. They brought from the neighbourhood of Fathpur a water-melon, greater than any I had ever seen. I ordered them to weigh it, and it came to 33 seers. On Monday, the 19th Rabi`u-l-awwal, the feast of my annual lunar weighing was arranged in the palace of my revered mother; a part of the money was divided among the women who had assembled there on that day.

As it had been evident that in order to carry on the affairs of the State in the Subah of the Deccan it was necessary to send one of the princes there, it came into my mind to send my son Parwiz there. I ordered them to send his equipments and fix the hour for his departure. I summoned to Court Mahabat Khan, who had been nominated to the command of the army against the rebel Rana to arrange certain matters at headquarters, and appointed in his place `Abdu-llah Khan, whom I exalted with the title of Firuz-jang. I sent `Abdu-r-Razzaq bakhshi to carry an order to all the mansabdars of that army not to depart from the orders of the aforesaid Khan, and to pay every heed to his thanks and blame. On the 4th Jumada-l-awwal one of the goatherds, who are a particular tribe, brought before me a gelded goat that had teats like a female, and gave every day sufficient milk to take with a cup of coffee. [288] As milk is one of the favours of Allah, and the source which nourishes many animals, I looked on this strange affair as an omen for good. On the 6th of the same month, having given him the rank of 2,000 personal and 1,500 horse, I sent Khurram, son of Khan A`zam, to the government of the province of Sorath, which is known as Junagadh (in Kathiyawad). I honoured [289] Hakim Sadra with the title of Masihu-z-zaman, and gave him the rank of 500 personal and 30 horse. On the 16th a jewelled waist-sword was sent to Raja Man Singh. On the 22nd, having handed over 2,000,000 rupees for the expenses of the army of the Deccan, which had been ordered for Parwiz, to a separate treasurer, 500,000 rupees more were given for the private expenses of Parwiz. On the 25th, Wednesday, Jahandar (his son), who previously to this had been appointed, together with Qutbu-d-din Khan Koka, to Bengal, came and waited on me. In reality it became known to me that he was a born devotee. [290] As my mind was taken up with the preparations for the Deccan, on the 1st Jumada-l-akhir I nominated the Amiru-l-umara as well to that duty. He was honoured with the favour of a robe of honour and a horse. Having promoted Karam Chand, son of Jagannath, to the rank of 2,000 personal and 1,500 horse, I sent him in company with Parwiz. On the 4th of the month 370 ahadi horse were appointed with `Abdu-llah Khan to the assistance of the army employed against the Rana. One hundred horses were also despatched from the government stables to be given as he thought proper to the mansabdars and ahadis. On the 17th I gave a ruby of the value of 60,000 rupees to Parwiz, and another ruby with two single pearls, worth about 40,000 rupees, to Khurram. On Monday, the 28th, Jagannath was promoted to the rank of 5,000 personal and 3,000 horse, and on the 8th of Rajab, Ray Jay Singh was promoted to that of 4,000 personal and 3,000 horse, and was dismissed for service in the Deccan. On Thursday, the 9th, Prince Shahriyar from Gujarat came and waited on me. On Tuesday, the 4th, I despatched my son Parwiz on the service of conquering the country of the Deccan. He was presented with a robe of honour, a special horse, a special elephant, a sword, and a jewelled dagger. The Sardars and Amirs who were appointed with him each according to his condition received and were made happy with the favour of a horse, a robe of honour, an elephant, a sword, and a jewelled dagger. I appointed 1,000 ahadis to be in attendance on Parwiz for the service of the Deccan. On the same day a representation came from `Abdu-llah Khan that having pursued the rebel Rana into the hill country into rough places, he had captured several of his elephants and horses. When night came on he had escaped with difficulty with his life. As he had made things go hard with him, he would soon be taken prisoner or killed. I promoted the said Khan to the rank of 5,000 personal, and a rosary of pearls, worth 10,000 rupees, was given to Parwiz. As I had given the province of Khandesh and Berar to the said son, I also conferred on him the fort of Asir, and 300 horse were sent with him to be given to ahadis, mansabdars, and whomever else he might consider worthy of favour. On the 26th, Saif Khan Barha was given the rank of 2,500 personal and 1,350 horse, and appointed to the faujdarship of the Sarkar of Hisar. On Monday, the 4th Sha`ban, an elephant was given to Wazir Khan. On Friday, the 22nd, I gave an order that as bang and buza (rice spirit) were injurious, they should not be sold in the bazars and that gambling should be abolished, and on this subject I issued stringent orders. On the 25th they brought a tiger from my private menagerie to fight with a bull. Many people gathered together to see the show, and a band of Jogis (religious mendicants) with them. One of the Jogis was naked, and the tiger, by way of sport, and not with the idea of rage, turned towards him. It threw him on the ground and began to behave to him as it would to its own female. The next day and on several occasions the same thing took place. As no such thing had ever been seen before and was exceedingly strange, this has been recorded. [291] On the 2nd of the month of Ramazan, at the request of Islam Khan, Ghiyas [292] Khan was promoted to the rank of 1,500 personal and 800 horse. Faridun Khan Barlas was promoted to the rank of 2,500 with 2,000 horse. One thousand tolcha of gold and silver and 1,000 rupees were given in alms on the day of the procession of the sun into the constellation of the Scorpion, which, according to the general acceptation of the Hindoos, is called the Sankrant. On the 10th of that month an elephant was presented to Shah Beg Yuzi [293] (? the panther-keeper), and Salamu-llah, the Arab, who is a distinguished young man and a relative (son-in-law?) of Mubarak, the ruler of Darful. [294] On account of some suspicion that Shah `Abbas had entertained against him, he came to wait upon me. I patronised him, and gave him the rank of 400 personal and 200 horse. Again, another force, containing 193 mansabdars and 46 ahadis, I sent after Parwiz for service in the Deccan. Fifty horses were also entrusted to one of the servants of the Court to convoy to Parwiz.

On Friday, the 13th, a certain idea came into my mind, and this rhymed ghazal was produced:--

"What shall I do, for the arrow of loss of thee has pierced my liver!
So that the (evil) eye not reaching me again may reach another?
Thou movest as if frenzied, and the world is frenzied for thee.
I burn rue lest thy eye should reach me.
I am frenzied at union with my friend, and in despair at her absence.
Alas for the grief that has o'erwhelmed me!
I've grown mad that I may rush on the pathway of meeting:
Woe for the time that brought me the news!
Jahangir, the time for humility and prayer is every morning, [295]
I hope that some spark of light may take effect."

On Sunday, the 15th, I sent 50,000 rupees as sachaq to the house of the daughter of Muzaffar Husain Mirza, son of Sultan Husain Mirza, son of Bahram Mirza, son of Shah Isma`il Safawi, who had been demanded in marriage for my son Khurram. On the 17th of the month Mubarak Khan Sarwani was honoured with the rank of 1,000 personal and 300 horse. Five thousand rupees were also given to him, and 4,000 rupees to Haji Bi Uzbeg. On the 22nd a ruby and a pearl were given to Shahriyar. One hundred thousand rupees were given for the subsistence of the Uymaqs (special cavalry) who had been appointed for service in the Deccan. Two thousand rupees were given to Farrukh Beg, the painter, who is unrivalled in the age. Four thousand rupees were sent for expenditure on Baba Hasan Abdal. One thousand rupees were handed to Mulla `Ali Ahmad Muhrkan (engraver) and Mulla Ruzbihan Shirazi to expend on the anniversary festival of Hazrat Shaikh Salim at his mausoleum. An elephant was given to Muhammad Husain, the writer, and 1,000 rupees to Khwaja `Abdu-l-Haqq Ansari. I gave orders to the Diwans that having raised the rank of Murtaza Khan to 5,000 personal and horse they should give him a jagir. I ordered Bihari Chand Qanungu, of the Sarkar of Agra, to take 1,000 footmen and equipment from the Zamindars of Agra, and, fixing their monthly pay, to send them to Parwiz in the Deccan, and 500,000 rupees more were fixed for the expenses of Parwiz. On Thursday, the 4th Shawwal, Islam Khan was promoted to the rank of 5,000 personal and 5,000 horse, Abu-l-wali Beg Uzbeg to that of 1,500 and Zafar Khan to that of 2,500. Two thousand rupees were given to Badi`u-z-zaman, son of Mirza Shahrukh, and 1,000 rupees to Pathan Misr. I ordered that drums should be given to all of them as their rank had been raised to 3,000 and higher. Five thousand rupees more of the money from my weighing were entrusted for the construction of a bridge at Baba Hasan Abdal and the building that is there to Abu-l-wafa, son of Hakim Abu-l-fath, in order that he might exert himself and put the bridge and the aforesaid building in perfect order. On Saturday, the 13th, when four gharis of day were left, the moon began to be eclipsed. By degrees the whole of its body was obscured, and it continued till five gharis of night had passed. In order to avert the bad omen of this I had myself weighed against gold, silver, cloth, and grain, and gave away in alms all kinds of animals, such as elephants, horses, etc., the cost of all of which was 15,000 rupees. I ordered them to be distributed among the deserving and the poor. On the 25th, at the request of her father, I took the daughter of Ram Chand Bandilab into my service (i.e. married her). I gave an elephant to Mir Fazil, nephew of Mir Sharif, who had been appointed to the faujdarship of Qabulah and those regions `Inayat-ullah was dignified with the title of `Inayat Khan. On Wednesday, the 1st Zi-l-qa`da, Bihari Chand was granted the rank of 500 personal and 300 horse. A khapwa (dagger), adorned with jewels was given to my son Baba Khurram. Mulla Hayati, by whom I had sent a message to the Khankhanan, with a verbal message containing (expressions of) all kinds of condescension and affection, came and brought before me a ruby and two pearls of the value of about 20,000 rupees, which the Khankhanan had sent by him. Mir Jamalu-d-din Husain, who was in Burhanpur and whom I had sent for, came and waited on me. I presented Shaja`at Khan Dakhani with 2,000 rupees. On the 6th of the aforesaid month, before Parwiz arrived at Burhanpur, a petition came from the Khankhanan and the Amirs that the Dakhanis had assembled together and were making disturbances. When I discovered that, notwithstanding the nomination of Parwiz and the army that had proceeded with him and been appointed to his service, they were still in need of support and assistance, it occurred to me that I should go myself, and by Allah's favour satisfy myself with regard to that affair. In the meanwhile a petition came also from Asaf Khan that my coming there would be for the advantage of the daily-increasing State. A petition from `Adil Khan, from Bijapur, also came, that if one of the trusted ones of the Court could be appointed there to whom he could tell his desires and claims, so that the envoy might convey them to me, he hoped that it might become the means of affording profit to these slaves (i.e. himself). On this account I consulted with the Amirs and loyal men, and told them to represent whatever entered into anyone's mind. My son Khan Jahan represented that inasmuch as so many Amirs had been despatched for the conquest of the Deccan, it was not necessary for me to go in person. If he were ordered, he himself would go and attend on the prince and would, please God, perform this duty while serving him. Those words were approved of by all those who were loyal. I had never contemplated separation from him, but as the affair was an important one I necessarily gave him permission, and ordered that as soon as matters had been arranged he should return without delay, and should not remain more than a year in those regions. On Tuesday, the 17th Zi-l-qa`da, he was free to go. I presented him with a special gold-embroidered robe of honour, a special horse with a jewelled saddle, a jewelled sword, and a special elephant I also gave him a yak-tail standard (tuman tugh). I appointed Fida; Khan, who was one of my faithful servants, and to whom I gave a robe of honour and a horse and his expenses, promoting him to the rank of 1,000 personal and 400 horse, original and extra, to go with Khan Jahan, in order that if it were necessary to send anyone to `Adil Khan according to his request, he might despatch him. Lanku Pandit, who in the time of the late king Akbar had come with offerings from `Adil Khan, I also gave leave to go with Khan Jahan, bestowing on him a horse, a robe of honour, and money. Of the Amirs and soldiers who had been appointed with `Abdu-llah Khan to the duty of beating back the Rana, men such as Raja Bir Singh Deo, Shaja`at Khan, Raja Bikramajit, and others, with 4,000 or 5,000 horse, were nominated to support Khan Jahan. I sent Mu`tamad Khan with the announcement that I had made him a sazawal (i.e. one who urges on others), and that he was to act along with Khan Jahan in Ujjain. Out of the men of the palace, I sent 6,000 or 7,000 horse with him, such as Saif Khan Barha, Haji Bi Uzbeg, Salamu-llah `Arab, brother's son of Mubarak `Arab, who had in his possession the province of Jutra(?) [296] and Darful(?) and that neighbourhood, and other mansabdars and courtiers. At the time of giving them leave I gave each one an increase of rank and robe of honour and money for their expenses. Making Muhammad Beg paymaster of the army, I provided him with 1,000,000 rupees to take with him. I sent to Parwiz a special horse, and to the Khankhanan and other Amirs and officers who were appointed to that Subah dresses of honour.

After carrying out these matters I left the city for the purpose of hunting. One thousand rupees were given to Mir `Ali Akbar. As the Rabi` Fasl (Spring season) had arrived, for fear any damage should happen to the cultivation of the ryots from the passage of the army, and notwithstanding that I had appointed a qurisawul [297] (Erskine has Kor, the Yasawal) (probably a kind of provost marshal) with the band of ahadis for the purpose of guarding the fields, I ordered certain men to see what damage had been done to the crops from stage to stage and pay compensation to the ryots. I gave 10,000 rupees to the daughter of the Khankhanan, the wife of Daniyal, 1,000 rupees to `Abdu-r-Rahim Khar (i.e. ass) for expenses, and 1,000 to Qacha the Dakhani. On the 12th, Khanjar Khan, brother of `Abdu-llah Khan, received the rank of 1,000 personal and 500 horse original and extra, and Bahadur Khan, another brother, that of 600 personal and 300 horse. On this day two antelopes with horns and one doe were taken. On the 13th I bestowed on and sent to Khan Jahan a special horse. Having promoted Badi`u-z-zaman, son of Mirza Shahrukh, to the rank of 1,000 and 500 horse, I gave him 5,000 rupees for expenses, and he was sent off with Khan Jahan for service in the Deccan. On this day two male and three female antelope were killed. On Wednesday, the 10th, I killed a female nilgaw and a black antelope with a gun, and on the 15th a female nilgaw and a chikara (gazelle). On the 17th of the month two rubies and a pearl were brought to me by Jahangir Quli Khan from Gujarat, as well as a jewelled opium box, which Muqarrab Khan had sent from the port of Cambay. On the 20th I killed with a gun a tigress and a nilgaw. There were two cubs with the tigress, but they disappeared from view in consequence of the thickness of the jungle and the number of trees. An order was given that they should search for and bring them. When I reached the halting-place my son Khurram brought me one of the cubs, and the next day Mahabat Khan caught the other and brought it. On the 22nd, when I had got within shot of a nilgaw, suddenly a groom (jilaudar) and two kahar (bearers) appeared, and the nilgaw escaped. In a great rage I ordered them to kill the groom on the spot, and to hamstring [298] the kahars and mount them on asses and parade them through the camp, so that no one should again have the boldness to do such a thing. After this I mounted a horse and continued hunting with hawks and falcons, and came to the halting-place.

Next day, under the guidance of Iskandar Mu`in, I shot a large nilgaw, and promoted him to the rank of 600 personal and 500 horse. On Friday, the 24th, Safdar Khan, who had come from the Subah of Behar, had the good fortune to perform his obeisance to me. He presented as offerings a hundred muhrs, a sword, and five female and one male elephant. The male elephant was accepted. On the same day Yadgar Khwaja of Samarkand came from Balkh and paid his respects. He made offerings of an album, some horses, and other presents, and was dignified with a robe of honour. On Wednesday, 6th Zi-l-hijja, Mu`izzu-l-mulk, who had been removed from the paymastership of the army against the rebel Rana, ill and miserable, waited on me. On the 14th of the said month, having pardoned all the faults of `Abdu-r-Rahim Khar, [299] I promoted him to the rank of yuzbashi (centurion) and 20 horse, and ordered him to go to Kashmir and in company with the bakhshi of that place hold a muster of the troops of Qilij Khan and all the jagirdars and Uymaks in the service or not, and to bring the list. Kishwar Khan, son of Qutbu-d-din Khan, came from the fort of Rohtas and had the good fortune to pay his respects to me.

THE FIFTH NEW YEAR'S FEAST FROM THE AUSPICIOUS ACCESSION.

On Sunday, the 24th Zi-l-hijja (20th March, 1610), after two watches and three gharis the sun entered into the constellation of Aries, which is the house of honour and good fortune, and at this auspicious hour the New Year's feast was arranged at Bak Bhal, one of the villages of the parganah of Bari, and according to the rules of my revered father I mounted the throne. On that morning, which was the New Year's Day that lighted up the world, and coincided with the 1st of Farwardin of the 5th year from my accession, I held a public reception, and all the nobles and servants of the Court had the good fortune to pay their respects. Some of the nobles' offerings were laid before me. Khan A`zam gave a pearl worth 4,000 rupees; Miran Sadr Jahan, twenty-eight hawks and falcons, and other gifts; Mahabat Khan, two European boxes, the sides of which were made with slabs of glass, so that whatever was placed inside could be seen from outside in a way that you might say there was nothing between them; Kishwar Khan, twenty-two male and female elephants. In the same way each of the servants of the Court laid before me the presents and offerings that they had. Nasru-llah, son of Fathu-llah sharbatchi (in charge of the sharbat), was placed in charge of the offerings. By Sarang Deo, who had been appointed to carry orders to the victorious army of the Deccan, I sent souvenirs (tabarruk) to Parwiz and to each of the officers. I presented Husamu-d-din, son of Ghazi Khan [300] Badakhshi, who had taken to the ways of a dervish and seclusion, with 1,000 rupees and a farji shawl. The day after the New Year's Day I mounted and started for a tiger-hunt. Two males and a female were killed. I gave rewards to the ahadis who had shown bravery and gone in to the tigers, and increased their monthly pay. On the 26th of the same month I went and busied myself mostly with hunting nilgaw. As the air was hot and the (propitious) hour for re-entering Agra had nearly arrived, I went to Rupbas, and hunted antelope in that neighbourhood for some days. On Saturday, the 1st Muharram, 1019, Rup Khawass, who was the founder of Rupbas, presented the offering that he had prepared. That which pleased was accepted and what remained was given him back as a reward. At the same time Bayazid Mankali and his brothers, who had come from the Subah of Bengal, were honoured with paying their respects. Sayyid Adam, son of Sayyid Qasim Barha, who had come from Ahmadabad, also had the same good fortune. He presented an elephant as an offering. The faujdarship of the Subah of Multan was given to Wali Bi Uzbeg in place of Taj Khan.