Chapter VII: Part 7

On Monday, the 3rd Muharram of the 5th year, I halted at the Mandakar Garden, which is in the neighbourhood of the city. On the morning on which was the auspicious hour of entry into the city, after a watch and two gharis had passed I mounted and rode on a horse to the beginning of the inhabited part, and when I came to the immediate neighbourhood mounted on an elephant, so that the people from far and near might see, and scattering money on both sides of the road, at the hour that the astrologers had chosen, after midday had passed, entered with congratulation and happiness the royal palace. In accordance with the usual custom of the New Year I had ordered them to decorate the palace, which is like the courts of heaven. After seeing the decorations, Khwaja Jahan laid before me the offering that he had prepared. Having accepted out of the ornaments and jewels, dresses and goods, whatever I approved of, I gave the rest as a reward to him. I had ordered the clerks of the hunting department to write out (a list of) all the animals that had been killed from the time of my leaving until I re-entered the city. At this time they represented that in 56 days 1,362 animals, quadrupeds, and birds had been killed; the tigers were 7 in number; nilgaw, male and female, 70; black buck, 51; does and mountain goats and antelope (rojh), etc., 82; kulang (cranes); peacocks, surkhab, [301] and other birds, 129; fish, 1,023. On Friday, the 7th, Muqarrab Khan came from the ports of Cambay and Surat, and had the honour of waiting on me. He had brought jewels and jewelled things, and vessels of gold and silver made in Europe, and other beautiful and uncommon presents, male and female Abyssinian slaves, Arab horses, and things of all kinds that came into his mind. Thus his presents were laid before me for two and a half months, and most of them were pleasing to me. On this day Safdar Khan, who held the rank of 1,000 personal and 500 horse, had an increase of 500 personal and 200 horse, and was presented with a standard, and given leave to return to his former jagir. Standards were also given to Kishwar Khan and Faridun [302] Khan Barlas. A fighting elephant for Afzal Khan (Abu-l-fazl's son) was handed over to his son Bishutan, to take to his father. I bestowed 1,000 rupees on Khwaja Husain, a descendant of Khwaja Mu`inu-d-din Chishti, as was usual for the half-year. The Khankhanan had sent as an offering a "Yusuf and Zulaikha" in the handwriting of Mulla Mir `Ali, [303] with illustrations and in a beautiful gilt binding, worth 1,000 muhrs. This Ma`sum, his Wakil, brought and submitted. Up to the day of culmination, which is the conclusion of the New Year's feast, every day many offerings were laid before me by the Amirs and servants of the Court. Whichever of the rarities was approved of by me I accepted, and gave back what was left. On Thursday, the 13th, corresponding to the 19th Farwardin, which is the day of culmination of the sun and of gladness and pleasure, I ordered them to prepare an entertainment of different kinds of intoxicating drinks, and an order was given to the Amirs and servants of the Court that everyone might choose the kind of drink he affected. Many took wine and some mufarrih (exhilarating drinks), whilst some ate what they wished of the preparations of opium. The assembly was successfully held. Jahangir Quli Khan from Gujarat had sent as an offering a throne of silver, inlaid and painted, of a new fashion and shape, which was presented to me. A standard was also conferred on Maha Singh. In the commencement of my reign I had repeatedly given orders that no one should make eunuchs or buy or sell them, and whoever did so would be answerable as a criminal. At this time Afzal Khan sent some of these evildoers to Court from the Subah of Behar, who were continually perpetrating this vile offence. I ordered these unthinking ones (bi-`aqibatan) to be imprisoned for life.

On the night of the 12th an uncommon and strange event took place. Some Delhi singers (Qawwalan, see Jarrett, ii, 236) were singing songs in my presence, and Sayyidi [304] Shah was, by way of buffoonery, mimicking a religious dance. This verse of Amir Khusrau was the refrain (miyan-khana) of the song--

"Each nation has its right road of faith and its shrine
(qibla-gahi).
I've set up my shrine (qibla) on the path of him with the
cocked cap."

I asked what was the real meaning of the (last) hemistich. Mulla `Ali Ahmad, [305] the seal engraver, who in his own craft was one of the first of the age, and had the title of Khalifa, and was an old servant, and with whose father I had learned when I was little, came forward and said, "I have heard from my father that one day Shaikh Nizamu-d-din Auliya had put his cap on the side of his head, and was sitting on a terraced roof by the bank of the Jumna and watching the devotions [306] of the Hindus. Just then Amir Khusrau appeared, and the Shaikh turned to him and said, 'Do you see this crowd,' and then he recited this line:--

'Each race has its right road of faith and its shrine'
(qibla-gahi).

The Amir, without hesitating, respectfully did homage to the Shaikh, and addressing him said--

'I've set up my shrine in the direction of him with the
cocked cap.'" [307]

The aforesaid Mulla, when these words were uttered, and the last words of the second hemistich passed over his tongue, became senseless and fell down. Conceiving a great fear from his falling down, I went to his head. Most of those who were present doubted whether he had not had an epileptic fit. The physicians who were present distractedly made inquiry and felt his pulse and brought medicine. However much they beat their hands and feet and exerted themselves, he did not come to. Immediately he fell he had delivered his soul to the Creator. As his body was quite warm, they thought that possibly some life might be left in him. After a short time it became evident that the thing was all over and he was dead. They carried him away dead to his own house. I had never seen this kind of death, and sent money to his sons for his shroud and burial, and the next morning they sent him to Delhi and buried him in the burial-place of his ancestors.

On Friday, the 21st, Kishwar Khan, who held the rank of 1,500, was promoted to 2,000 personal and horse, and, having been presented with an Iraq horse out of my private stable, a robe of honour and a private elephant, named Bakht-jit, [308] and the Faujdarship of the country of Uch, was dismissed with a view to the punishment of the rebels of that region. Bayazid Mankali, having been honoured with a robe and a horse, was sent off together with his brothers in the company of Kishwar Khan. An elephant from my private stud, by name `Alam-guman, was entrusted to Habibu-llah for Raja Man Singh and sent. A special horse was sent to Bengal for Kesho Das Maru, [309] and a female elephant was now given to `Arab Khan, the jagirdar of Jalalabad. At this time Iftikhar Khan had sent an offering of a rare elephant from Bengal. As I approved of it, it was entered among my private elephants. I raised the rank of Ahmad [310] Beg Khan, who had been nominated to the command of the army of Bangash on account of his good service and that of his sons, from his original rank of 2,000 personal and 1,500 horse by 500 more personal. I sent a gold throne [311] of jewelled work for Parwiz, and a sarpich, which was of rubies and pearls, and made at a cost of 2,000 rupees, was sent for Khan Jahan by the hand of Habib, son of Sarbarah Khan, to Burhanpur. At this time it became known that Kaukab, son of Qamar Khan, had become intimate with a Sanyasi, and by degrees his words, which were all blasphemous and impious, made an impression on that foolish fellow. He had made `Abdu-l-Latif, son of Naqib Khan, and Sharif, his cousins, partners in that error. When this affair was discovered, with only a slight frightening they revealed certain circumstances with regard to themselves, the relation of which would be extremely disgusting. Considering their punishment advisable, I imprisoned Kaukab [312] and Sharif after giving them a whipping, and ordered `Abdu-l-Latif a hundred lashes in my presence. This special chastisement (was given) for the purpose of carrying out the Divine law in order that other ignorant persons might not be disposed towards the same actions. On Monday, the 24th, Mu`azzam Khan was despatched to Delhi to punish the rebels and disaffected of that neighbourhood. Two thousand rupees were given to Shaja`at Khan Dakhani. I had ordered Shaikh Husain Darshani to proceed with certain firmans to Bengal and presents to each of the Amirs of that Subah. I now gave him his orders and despatched him. With an eye on his actions and his approved services, I promoted Islam Khan to the rank of 5,000 personal and horse, and bestowed on him a special dress of honour. I gave a special dress of honour also to Kishwar Khan, and presented Raja Kalyan with an Iraq horse, and similarly to the other Amirs there were given robes of honour or horses. Faridun Barlas, who held the rank of 1,500 personal and 1,300 horse, I promoted to 2,000 personal and 1,500 horse.

On the night of Monday, the 1st Safar, through the carelessness of the servants, a great fire occurred in the house of Khwaja Abu-l-hasan, and before they became aware of it and the fire could be put out many of his properties were burnt. In order to afford consolation to the mind of the Khwaja and to make up for the loss he had sustained, I gave him 40,000 rupees. On Saif Khan Barha, who had been cherished and brought up by me, I bestowed a standard. I increased the rank of Mu`izzu-l-mulk, who had been appointed to the Diwanship of Kabul, from his original of 1,000 personal and 225 horse by 200 personal and 275 horse, and dismissed him. The next day I sent a phul-katara (dagger) studded with valuable jewels to Burhanpur to Khan Jahan.

A widow woman complained that Muqarrab Khan had taken her daughter by force in the port of Cambay, and after some while, during which he had kept her in his own house, when she enquired for the girl had said that she had died by an unavoidable death. I ordered an enquiry to be made into the affair. After much search I discovered that one of his attendants had been guilty of this outrage, and had him put to death, and reduced Muqarrab Khan's mansab by one half, and made an allowance to the woman who had been thus injured.

As on Sunday, the 7th of the month, a qiran-i-nahsin (an unlucky conjunction) had occurred, I gave alms of gold and silver and other metals, and different kinds of cereals, to faqirs and indigent people to be divided in most parts of the dominion. On the night of Monday, the 8th, having sent for Shaikh Husain Sirhindi and Shaikh Mustafa, who were celebrated for the adoption of the ways of dervishdom and the state of poverty, a party was held, and by degrees the assembly engaged warmly in sama` and wajd (dervish dancing and ecstasy). Hilarity and frenzy were not wanting. After the meeting was over I gave money to each and gave him leave. As Mirza Ghazi Beg Tarkhan repeatedly made representations with regard to provisions for Qandahar and the monthly pay of the musketeers of the said fort, I ordered 200,000 rupees to be sent there from the treasury of Lahore. [313]

On the 19th Urdibihisht, in the fifth year of my reign, corresponding with the 4th Safar, there occurred a strange affair at Patna, which is the seat of government of the province of Behar. Afzal Khan, the governor of the Subah, went off to the jagir to which he had just been appointed, and which was at a distance of 60 kos from Patna, and handed over the fort and the city to the charge of Shaikh Banarasi and Ghiyas Zain-khani, the Diwan of the Subah, and to a number of other mansabdars. With the idea that there were no enemies in that region he did not satisfy himself as he should have with regard to the protection of the fort and city. By chance, at that time an unknown man of the name of Qutb belonging to the people of Uch, who was a mischievous and seditious fellow, came to the province of Ujjainiyya, [314] which is in the neighbourhood of Patna, with the look of a dervish and the clothes of a beggar, and having made acquaintance with men of that part, who were always seditious, represented to them that he was Khusrau, who had escaped from prison and conveyed himself there; saying that if they would accompany and assist him, after the affair had been completed they would be the ministers of his State. In short, deceiving those simpletons with foolish words he brought them over to him and persuaded them that he was Khusrau. He showed those deceived ones the parts about his eyes, where at some time he had produced scars, of which the marks were still apparent, and told them that in the prison they had fastened cups (katori) on them and those were the marks. [315] Through these falsehoods and deceit a number of foot- and horsemen had collected round him, and had obtained information that Afzal Khan was not at Patna. Considering this a great opportunity, they made a raid, and when two or three hours of the day had passed on Sunday came to the city, and being hindered by nothing went for the fort. Shaikh Banarasi, who was in the fort, obtaining news of this, went in a disturbed state to the gate of the fort. The enemy, who came on with speed, did not give him time to close the gate of the fort. Together with Ghiyas, he betook himself to the side of the river by a wicket gate, and procuring a boat proposed to go to Afzal Khan. Those rebels came with ease into the fort and took possession of Afzal Khan's property and the royal treasury; and some of those wretched creatures who wait on events, who were in the city and its neighbourhood, joined them. This news reached Afzal Khan at Gorakhpur (Kharakpur), [316] and Shaikh Banarasi and Ghiyas also came to him there by way of the river. Letters came from the city that this wretch, who called himself Khusrau, was in reality not Khusrau. Afzal Khan, placing his trust on the grace and mercy of Allah, and through my good fortune, started without delay against those rebels. In five days he reached the neighbourhood of Patna. When the news of Afzal Khan's coming reached those scoundrels, they entrusted the fort to one of those whom they had confidence in, and the horse and foot arraying themselves went out for four kos to meet Afzal Khan. A fight took place on the bank of the river Pun Pun, and after a slight skirmish the array of those ill-fated ones was broken and they became scattered. In great bewilderment a second time that wretch was coming into the fort with a few men. Afzal Khan followed him, and did not allow them to close the gate of the fort. Going to Afzal Khan's house in a state of confusion, they fortified the house and remained there for three watches, and fought. They wounded about thirty people with arrows. After his companions had gone to jahannam (hell) he himself became helpless, and asked for quarter, and waited upon Afzal Khan. In order to put a stop to this affair, Afzal Khan executed him on the same day, and imprisoned some of his companions who had fallen alive into his hand. These items of news one after another reached the royal ear. I summoned to Agra Shaikh Banarasi and Ghiyas Zain-khani and the other mansabdars who had made default in holding the fort and protecting the city, and ordered their hair and beards to be cut off, and that they should be clothed in women's clothes, seated on asses, and paraded round the city of Agra and in the bazars, as a warning and example to others.

At this time representations succeeded each other from Parwiz and the Amirs appointed to the Deccan and those who were well-wishers of the State, that `Adil Khan Bijapuri prayed that they would send to him Mir Jamalu-d-din Husain Inju, on whose words and acts all the rulers of the Deccan had great reliance, that he might associate himself with them and dispel the fear in their minds, and the affairs of that place might be arranged as it might seem proper to `Adil Khan, who had chosen the way of loyalty and service. In any case, he might drive out of their minds the fear that was in them, and soothing them might give him hopes of the royal favour. In order to obtain this end, on the 16th of the same month I despatched the above-mentioned Mir, giving him a present of 10,000 rupees. I increased the former rank of Qasim Khan, which was 1,000 personal and 500 horse, by 500 personal and horse, in order that he might go to the support of his brother Islam Khan in Bengal. At the same time, in order to punish Bikramajit, Zamindar of the province Bandhu, [317] who had withdrawn his foot from the circle of obedience and service, I appointed Maha Singh, grandson of Raja Man Singh, to proceed to put down the disaffection in that region and at the same time administer the estate of the jagir of the Raja, which was in that neighbourhood.

On the 20th of the month I gave an elephant to Shaja`at Khan Dakhani. As the governor of Jalalabad had written and represented the ruinous state of the fort of that place, I ordered what might be required for the repair of the said fort to be taken from the treasury of Lahore. Iftikhar Khan had done approved service in Bengal. On the request of the governor of that Subah I increased his original rank, which was 1,500, by 500. On the 28th a representation came from `Abdu-llah Khan Firuz-jang, containing recommendations in favour of some of the zealous servants who had been sent with him to subdue the rebel Rana. As Ghaznin Khan Jalwari had shown the greatest zeal of all in this service, I increased by 500 personal and 400 horse his former rank, which was 1,500 personal and 300 horse. In the same manner each one of those persons was promoted according to his services.

Daulat Khan, who had been sent to Allahabad to bring the throne of black stone, came on Wednesday, the 4th of the month of Mihr (15th September, 1610), and had an audience and brought the stone safe and sound. In truth it was a wonderful slab, very black and shining. Many say it is of a species of touchstone; in length it was one-eighth less than four cubits, and in breadth 2 1/2 cubits and one tasu, [318] whilst its thickness may be three tasu. I ordered stone-cutters to carve suitable couplets on the sides of it. They had attached feet to it of the same kind of stone. I often sat on that throne.

As the brothers of Khan `Alam became security for him, I brought out of prison `Abdu-s-Subhan Khan, who was in confinement for certain offences, and promoted him to the rank of 1,000 personal and 400 horse, and appointed him to the faujdarship of the Subah of Allahabad, and gave him the jagir of Qasim Khan, the brother of Islam Khan. I sent Tarbiyat Khan to the faujdarship of the Sarkar of Alwar. On the 12th of the same month a representation arrived from Khan Jahan that the Khankhanan, according to my order, had started for the Court in company with Mahabat Khan, and that Mir Jamalu-d-din Husain, who had been nominated by the Court to go to Bijapur, had also gone from Burhanpur, together with the wakils of `Adil Khan, to Bijapur. On the 21st of the same month I promoted Murtaza Khan to the subadarship of the Panjab, which is one of the largest charges in my dominions, and gave him a special shawl. Having appointed Taj Khan, who was in the Subah of Multan to the governorship of Kabul, I added 500 horse to the rank of 3,000 personal and 1,500 horse already held by him. At the request of `Abdu-llah Khan Firuz-jang, the son of Rana Shankar was also promoted in rank. When Mahabat Khan, who had been sent to Burhanpur to ascertain the numbers of the forces of the Amirs appointed to the Deccan, and to bring the Khankhanan, arrived in the neighbourhood of Agra, he left the Khankhanan some stages off the city and came on in front himself, and was honoured with the good fortune of paying his respects and kissing the threshold. After a few days, on the 12th Aban, the Khankhanan came and waited on me. As many of those who were loyal had represented the state of his affairs whether true or false, according to their ideas, and I was displeased with him, because the degree of favour and regard that I previously had observed in his case and that I had seen in my revered father had not produced its effect, I did justice in the matter, for previously to this a letter of appointment to the service of the Deccan for a certain time had been given to him, and he had proceeded there in attendance on Sultan Parwiz with other nobles for that important matter. After he arrived at Burhanpur he had not looked to the opportuneness of the time, and at an improper season for moving, and when forage and other necessaries had not been laid in, he had taken Sultan Parwiz and his forces above the Ghats, and by degrees, in consequence of want of concert among the Sardars and his treachery, and of conflicting opinions, things had come to such a pass that grain was obtained with difficulty, and not a man was to be got for large sums of money. The affairs of the army became so confused that nothing went on properly, and horses, camels, and other four-footed beasts died. In consequence of the exigency of the time he had patched up a kind of peace with the enemy and withdrawn Sultan Parwiz and the army to Burhanpur. As this business did not turn out well, all the well-wishers of the State knew that this division (of counsels) and confusion had arisen from treachery and want of arrangement of the Khankhanan, and represented this to the Court. Although this appeared altogether incredible, at last this impression was left upon my mind, and a representation came from Khan Jahan to the effect that all this mischief and confusion had arisen through the treachery of the Khankhanan; either this service should be left entirely in his control, or, summoning him to Court, I should appoint to this duty this man whom I had myself cherished and brought up, and appoint 30,000 horse to support this slave (Khan Jahan himself), in order that in the space of two years, having freed the whole of the royal province, now in the possession of the enemy, and having brought the fort of Qandahar [319] and other forts on the border into the occupation of the servants of the Court, he should include in the royal dominions the province of Bijapur. If he did not complete this service in that time, he might be debarred from the good fortune of paying his respects (to me) and would not show his face to the servants of the Court. When the relations between the Sardars and the Khankhanan reached this point, I did not consider it advisable for him to be there any longer, and handed over the command to Khan Jahan and sent for him to Court. In reality the cause of my disinclination and want of favour to him was this. The degree of inclination and disinclination towards him in future will be in accordance with whatever may become clear.

I favoured and promoted Sayyid `Ali Barha, who is one of our distinguished young men, with an increase of 500 personal and 200 horse beyond his previous rank, which was 1,000 personal and 500 horse, and gave Darab Khan, son of the Khankhanan, the rank of 1,000 personal and 500 horse, with the Sarkar of Ghazipur as his jagir. Previously to this I had had the daughter of Mirza Muzaffar Husain, son of Sultan Husain Mirza Safawi, ruler of Qandahar, betrothed to my son Sultan Khurram, and on this date, the 17th Aban, as the marriage meeting had been arranged, I went to the house of Baba Khurram and passed the night there. I presented most of the Amirs with robes of honour. Some of those confined in the fort of Gwalior I released, and especially Haji Mirak. Islam Khan had collected 100,000 rupees from the khalisa (directly managed) parganahs. As he was at the head of the army and the service, I handed this over to him as a present. Giving a little gold and silver and some of every kind of jewellery and grain to trustworthy men, I determined that they should distribute them to the poor of Agra. On the same day a report came from Khan Jahan that Iraj, the son of the Khankhanan, had obtained leave from the prince, and according to orders he had despatched him to Court. With regard to what had been ordered in the case of Abu-l-fath, of Bijapur, as the above-mentioned was an experienced man, and his being sent would cause despair to the other Sardars of the Deccan to whom promises had been made, he had (therefore) kept him under surveillance. [320] An order had been sent that as Kesho Das, the son of Ray Kalah(?), was in the service of Parwiz, if any impediment should occur in sending him, he (Khan Jahan) should despatch him whether he wished it or not. Immediately on this becoming known to Parwiz, he gave him leave and said to Khan Jahan: "These few words from my mouth thou wilt represent, that as I would give my existence and life for the service of my visible God (Jahangir), what is there in the being or annihilation of Kesho Das [321] that I should show any resistance in sending him? When they (i.e. the king) send for my confidential servants for any reason it produces a feeling of hopelessness and disquietude of mind in the rest, and becoming known in these regions gives an idea of disfavour on the part of our lord and Qibla (place looked towards in worship). As for the rest, it is His Majesty's order." From the date on which the fort of Ahmadnagar, by the efforts of my deceased brother Daniyal, came into the possession of the heads of the victorious State, up till now, the guardianship and preservation of that place had been entrusted to Khwaja Beg Mirza Safawi, who was a relative of the asylum of pardon Shah Tahmasp. After the disturbance of the rebel Deccanis went to a great length, and they besieged the said fort, he had committed no fault in the duties of devotedness and holding of the fort. When the Khankhanan and the Amirs and other leaders who had assembled at Burhanpur in waiting on Parwiz devoted themselves to the driving back and defeat of the rebels, and from the differences of opinion and quarrels of the Amirs, and the absence of provision of forage and grain, those who looked after matters of importance brought this large army into improper roads and among hills and difficult passes, they in a short space of time rendered it wretched and impotent, and matters had come to such a pass and the difficulty with regard to grain was such that they were giving a life for a loaf. They then turned back helplessly with their objects unfulfilled. The garrison of the fort, who were expecting aid from this army, on hearing this news, lost heart and stability, and tumultuously wished to vacate the fort at once. When Khwaja Beg Mirza became aware of this he endeavoured to soothe and quiet the men, but though he did his best it had no good result. At last, under an agreement, he vacated the fort, and proceeded to Burhanpur, and on the day mentioned waited on the prince. Representations with regard to his coming reached me, and, as it was clear that he had not been wanting in bravery and loyalty, I ordered his rank of 5,000 personal and horse to be confirmed and a jagir to be given him. On the 9th a petition came from some of the Amirs in the Deccan that on the 22nd Sha`ban Mir Jamalu-d-din Husain had gone to Bijapur. `Adil Khan sent his wakil forward for 20 kos, and himself received him at a distance of 3 kos, and took the Mir by the same road to his own residence.

As the desire to hunt overcame me, at a propitious hour determined by the astrologers, when a watch and six gharis had passed on the night of Friday, the 15th Ramazan, corresponding with the 10th Azar in the 5th year (of my reign), I started to hunt, and made my first halt in the Dahrah Garden, which is near the city. At this stage I gave Mir `Ali Akbar leave to go into the city after bestowing on him 2,000 rupees and a special warm wrapper (fargul). In order that the grain and cultivation should not be trodden down by my men I ordered that all should remain in the city but the men who were actually wanted and my personal servants. Having entrusted the charge of the city to Khwaja Jahan I gave him his leave. On the 14th Sa`du-llah Khan, son of Sa`id Khan, was given an elephant. On the 28th, corresponding with the 21st Ramazan, forty-four elephants, which Hashim Khan, son of Qasim Khan, had sent as an offering from Orissa, were produced before me. Of these one was very good and tame; this one I put in my private stud. On the 28th an eclipse (of the sun, kusuf) took place, in order to do away with the unluckiness of which I weighed myself against gold and silver; it came to 1,800 tolas of gold and 4,900 rupees. This, along with several kinds of vegetables and sorts of animals such as elephants and horses and cattle, I ordered to be divided among deserving people who were unprovided for and helpless poor of the city of Agra and other cities in the neighbourhood.

As the affairs of the army which had been nominated for the subjugation of the Deccan under the command of Parwiz, and leadership of the Khankhanan and other high Amirs such as Raja Man Singh, Khan Jahan, Asaf Khan, the Amiru-l-umara, and other mansabdars, and other leaders of every tribe and condition, had ended in this, that they had turned back from half-way and returned to Burhanpur, and all the confidential servants and news-writers who spoke the truth had sent in reports to the Court, that although there were many causes for the ruin of this army, yet the chief reason was the disagreement of the Amirs, especially the treachery of the Khankhanan, it came into my mind that I must send Khan A`zam with another fresh and powerful army to make amends for and set to rights some of the improper proceedings that had arisen from the disagreement of the Amirs that has been described. On the 11th of Day he (Khan A`zam) was honoured with the charge of this duty, and an order was given to the Diwans to make preparations and send him off quickly. I appointed Khan `Alam, Faridun Khan Barlas, Yusuf Khan, son of Husain Khan Tukriyah, `Ali Khan Niyazi, Baz Bahadur Qalmaq, and other mansabdars, near to the number of 10,000 horse, to accompany him. It was settled that in addition to the ahadis who were appointed to this duty 2,000 others should accompany him, making altogether 12,000 horse. Having sent with him thirty lakhs of rupees and several elephants, I gave him his leave and presented him with a magnificent dress of honour, a jewelled sword-belt, a horse with a jewelled saddle, a private elephant, and 500,000 rupees for expenses. An order was given that the chiefs of the civil department should recover this from his jagir. The Amirs who were under his orders were honoured with robes of honour, horses, and presents. I increased by 500 more horse the rank held by Mahabat Khan, of 4,000 personal and 3,000 horse, and ordered him to conduct Khan A`zam and this army to Burhanpur, and having enquired into (the circumstances of) the destruction of the army, should give the order of the appointment of the Khan A`zam to the Amirs of those regions and make them of one purpose and counsel with him. He was to see the state of preparation of the army of those parts, and after arranging all matters should bring the Khankhanan with him to Court. On Sunday, the 4th Shawwal, when near the end of the day, I engaged in a cheetah hunt. I had determined that on this day and Thursdays no animals should be killed and I would eat no meat, on Sunday especially because of the respect my revered father had for that day in not being inclined to eat flesh on it, and in forbidding the killing of any animals for the reason that on the night of Sunday his own honoured birth had taken place. He used to say it was better on that day that all animals should be free from the calamity of those of a butcherly disposition. Thursday is the day of my accession. On that day also I ordered that animals should not be killed, so that whilst sporting I should not shoot an arrow or a gun at wild animals. In hunting with cheetahs Anup Ray, who is one of my close attendants, was heading the men who were with him in the hunt at a little distance [322] from me and came to a tree on which some kites were sitting. When his sight fell on those kites he took a bow and some pointless arrows (tukka) and went towards them. By chance in the neighbourhood of that tree he saw a half-eaten bullock. Near it a huge, powerful tiger got up out of a clump that was near and went off. Though not more than two gharis of day remained, as he knew my liking for tiger-hunting, he and some of those who were with him surrounded the tiger and sent some one to me to give me the news. When it reached me I rode there at once in a state of excitement and at full speed, and Baba Khurram, Ram Das, I`timad Ray, Hayat Khan, and one or two others went with me. On arriving I saw the tiger standing in the shade of a tree, and wished to fire at him from horseback but found that my horse was unsteady, and dismounted and aimed and fired my gun. As I was standing on a height and the tiger below, I did not know whether it had struck him or not. In a moment of excitement I fired the gun again, and I think that this time I hit him. The tiger rose and charged, and wounding the chief huntsman, who had a falcon on his wrist and happened to be in front of him, sat down again in his own place. In this state of affairs, placing another gun on a tripod, [323] I took aim (majra giriftam [324]). Anup Ray stood holding the rest, and had a sword in his belt and a baton (kutaka) in his hand. Baba Khurram was a short distance off to my left, and Ram Das and other servants behind him. Kamal the huntsman (qarawul) loaded the gun and placed it in my hand. When I was about to fire, the tiger came roaring towards us and charged. I immediately fired. The ball passed through the tiger's mouth and teeth. The noise of the gun made him very savage, and the servants who had crowded together could not stand his charge and fell over one another, so that I, through their pushing and shock, was moved a couple of paces from my place and fell down. In fact, I am sure that two or three of them placed their feet on my chest and passed over me. I`timad Ray and the huntsman Kamal assisting me, I stood up. At this moment the tiger made for those who were on the left-hand side. Anup Ray let the rest slip out of his hand and turned towards the tiger. The tiger, with the same activity with which he had charged, turned on him, and he manfully faced him, and struck him twice with both hands on the head with the stick he had in his hand. The tiger, opening his mouth, seized both of Anup Ray's arms with it, and bit them so that his teeth passed through both, but the stick and the bracelets on his arms were helpful, and did not allow his arms to be destroyed. From the attack and pushing of the tiger Anup Ray fell down between the tiger's fore-feet, so that his head and face were opposite the tiger's chest. At this moment Baba Khurram and Ram Das came up to the assistance of Anup Ray. The prince struck the tiger on the loins with his sword, and Ram Das also struck him twice with his sword, once on the shoulder-blade. On the whole it was very warm work, and Hayat Khan struck the tiger several blows over the head with a stick he had in his hand. Anup Ray with force dragged his arms out of the tiger's mouth and struck him two or three times on the cheek with his fist, and rolling over on his side stood up by the force of his knees. At the time of withdrawing his arms from the tiger's mouth, as his teeth had passed through them, they were partly torn, and both his paws passed over his shoulders. When he stood up, the tiger also stood up and wounded him on the chest with his claws, so that those wounds troubled him for some days. As the ground was uneven, they rolled over each other, holding on like two wrestlers. In the place where I was standing the ground was quite level. Anup Ray says that God Almighty gave him so much intelligence that he bore the tiger over deliberately to [325] one side (in the original, that side), and that he knew no more. At this time the tiger left him and was making off. He in that state of bewilderment raised up his sword and followed him and struck him on the head. When the tiger turned his face round, he struck him another blow on the face, so that both his eyes were cut, and the skin of the eyebrows, which had been severed by the sword, fell over his eyes. In this state of affairs, a lamp-man of the name of Salih, as it was time to light the lamps, came in a hurry and by a blind chance [326] came across the tiger. The tiger struck him one blow with his paw and knocked him down. To fall and give up his life were the same thing. Other people came in and finished the tiger's business. As Anup Ray had done this service to me and I had witnessed the way in which he offered his life, after he had recovered from the pain of his wounds and had the honour of waiting on me, I bestowed on him the title of Anira'i Singh-dalan. Anira'i [327] they call in the Hindi language the leader of an army, and the meaning of Singh-dalan is a tiger-slayer. Giving him a special sword of my own, I increased his mansab. I gave Khurram, son of Khan A`zam, who had been appointed to the governorship of the province of Junagadh, the title of Kamil Khan. On Sunday, the 3rd Zi-l-qa`da, I employed myself in fishing, and 766 fish were caught; these were divided in my presence among the Amirs, Ibachkian (?), [328] and most of the servants. I eat no fish but those that have scales, but not because the professors of the Shiah faith look on those without scales as unlawful, but the cause of my aversion is this, that I have heard from old men, and it has become known to me by experience as well, that fish without scales eat the flesh of dead animals and fish with scales do not eat it. From this cause, to eat them is contrary to my disposition. The Shiahs know [329] why they do not eat them and for what reason they consider them unlawful. One of my home-bred camels that was with me in the hunt carried five nilgaws that weighed 42 Hindustani maunds. I had before this sent for Naziri of Nishapur, who excelled other men in the art of poetry, and passed his time in Gujarat as a merchant. At this time he came and waited on me, and imitating a poem of Anwari,

"Again, what youth and beauty this is for the world!"

laid before me a poem that he had composed on me. I presented him with 1,000 rupees, a horse, and a robe of honour as a gift for this poem. I had also sent for Hakim Hamid Gujarati, whom Murtaza Khan greatly praised, and he came and waited on me. His good qualities and purity were better than his doctoring. He waited on me for some time. When it became known that there was no physician but himself in Gujarat, and I found he himself desired leave to go, I gave him and his sons 1,000 rupees and some shawls, and set aside a whole village for his maintenance; he went off to his native place quite happy. Yusuf Khan, son of Husain Khan Tukriyah, came from his jagir and waited on me. On Thursday, the 10th Zi-l-hijja, was the festival of the Qurban (the sacrifice of Ishmael). As it is forbidden to take life on that day (Thursday), I ordered that on the Friday they should kill the sacrificial animals. Having sacrificed three sheep with my own hand, I mounted to go hunting, and returned when six gharis of night had passed. On this day was killed a nilgaw (commonly called blue bull) of the weight of 9 maunds and 35 seers. The story of this nilgaw is written because it is not devoid of strangeness. In the two past years, during which I had come to this same place to wander about and hunt I had shot at him each time with a gun. As the wounds were not in a fatal place, he had not fallen, but gone off. This time again I saw that nilgaw in the hunting-ground (shikargah), and the watchman recognized that in the two previous years he had gone away wounded. In short, I fired at him again three times on that day. It was in vain. I pursued him rapidly on foot for three kos, but however much I exerted myself I could not catch him. At last I made a vow that if this nilgaw fell I would have his flesh cooked, and for the soul of Khwaja Mu`inu-d-din would give it to eat to poor people. I also vowed a muhr and one rupee to my revered father. Soon after this the nilgaw became worn out with moving, and I ran to his head and ordered them to make it lawful (cut its throat in the name of Allah) on the spot, and having brought it to the camp I fulfilled my vow as I had proposed. They cooked the nilgaw, and expending the muhr and rupee on sweets. I assembled poor and hungry people and divided them among them in my own presence. Two or three days afterwards I saw another nilgaw. However much I exerted myself and wished he would stand still in one place, so that I might fire at him, I could get no chance. With my gun on my shoulder I followed him till near evening until it was sunset, and despaired of killing him. Suddenly it came across my tongue, "Khwaja, this nilgaw also is vowed to you." My speaking and his sitting down were at one and the same moment. I fired at and hit him, and ordered him, like the first nilgaw, to be cooked and given to the poor to eat. On Saturday, the 19th Zi-l-hijja, I fished again. This time about 330 fish were caught. On the night of Wednesday, the 28th [330] of the same month, I encamped at Rupbas. As this was one of my fixed hunting-places and there was an order that no one should hunt in the neighbourhood, a great number of antelope had come together in the desert there, so much so that they came into the inhabited parts and were not subject to any kind of molestation. I hunted for two or three days in those desert plains, and shot, and hunted with cheetahs many antelopes. As the hour for entering the city was near, making two halts on the way, I alighted on the night of Thursday, the 2nd Muharram, in the year 1020 (17th March, 1611), at the garden of `Abdu-r-Razzaq Ma`muri, which is near, in fact close to, the city. On this night many of the servants of the Court, such as Khwaja Jahan, Daulat Khan, and a number who had remained in the city, came and waited on me. Iraj also, whom I had sent for from the Subah of the Deccan, had the honour of kissing the threshold. I stayed in that garden also on the Friday. On that day `Abdu-r-Razzaq presented his own offerings. As this was the last day for hunting, an order was given that the duration of the hunt and the number of animals killed should be counted up to me. The time of the hunt was from the 9th of the month of Azar to the 29th Isfandarmuz of the 5th year, or three months and twenty days. In this time tigers 12, deer (gawzan) 1, chikarah (gazelle) 44, kutah-pacha (hog-deer) 1 head, fawns 2 head, black buck 68 head, does 31 head, foxes 4, kurara deer 8, patal (?) 1, bears 5, hyænas 3, hares 6, nilgaw 108, fish 1,096, eagle 1, bustard 1, peafowl 5, herons 5, partridges 5, brahmini ducks (surkhab) 1, saras 5, dhik (?) 1; total, 1,414.

On Saturday, the 29th Isfandarmuz, corresponding to the 4th Muharram, I mounted an elephant and went to the city. From the garden of `Abdu-r-Razzaq to the palace the distance is a kos and 20 tanab. I scattered 1,500 rupees to the crowd. At the fixed hour I entered the palace. The bazars had been decorated with cloths after the manner of the New Year's feast. As at the hunting-time an order had been given to Khwaja Jahan to prepare in the Mahall (Zenanah) a building fit for me to sit in, the said Khwaja had in the space of three months prepared and brought to perfection this kind of lofty building, and with folded hands (in humility) had done exceedingly active work. Coming off the dust of the road I entered that Paradise-like building and went to look round that abode, and it was very much to my taste. Khwaja Jahan was dignified with much praise and commendation. The offerings he had prepared were displayed to me in the same building. Some of these were approved and accepted and the remainder presented to him.

THE SIXTH NEW YEAR'S FEAST AFTER MY AUSPICIOUS ACCESSION.

Two gharis and forty seconds of day had passed on the Monday when the sun (lit. his honour the greatest star) entered his tower of honour, which is in the constellation of Aries. That day was the 1st Farwardin, corresponding with the 6th Muharram [331] (21st March, 1611). The feast of the New Year having been prepared, I seated myself on the throne of good fortune. The Amirs and all the servants of the Court enjoyed the good fortune of waiting on me and gave their congratulations. The offerings of the servants of the Court Miran Sadr Jahan, `Abdu-llah Khan Firuz-jang, and Jahangir Quli Khan, were laid before me. On Wednesday, the 8th Muharram, the offering of Raja Kalyan, who had sent it from Bengal, was laid before me. On Thursday, the 9th of the same month, Shaja`at Khan and some of the mansabdars, who had come on summons from the Deccan, waited on me. I gave a jewelled waist-dagger to Razzaq-wirdi Uzbeg. On the same day the New Year's offering of Murtaza Khan was laid before me. He had prepared all kinds of things. Having inspected all these, I took what I approved in the shape of valuable jewels, fine cloths, elephants, and horses and gave back the rest. I presented a jewelled dagger to Abu-l-fath Dakhani, 3,000 rupees to Mir `Abdu-llah, and an Iraq horse to Muqim Khan. I increased the rank of Shaja`at Khan, which was 1,500 personal and 100 horse, by 500 personal and horse. I had summoned him from the Deccan for the purpose of sending him to Bengal to Islam Khan, in reality to take his place permanently, and I entrusted him with the charge of that Subah. Khwaja Abu-l-hasan laid before me (as offerings) two rubies, one royal pearl, and ten rings. I gave Iraj, the son of Khankhanan, a jewelled dagger. The rank of Khurram was 8,000 personal and 5,000 horse; I increased his personal allowance by 2,000, and increased that of Khwaja Jahan, which was 1,500 personal, 1,000 horse by 500 personal, 200 horse. On 24th Muharram, 18th Farwardin, the day of the ascendant, Yadgar `Ali Sultan, ambassador of Shah `Abbas, ruler of Persia, who had come on a visit of condolence on the death of the late king and with congratulations on my accession, had the honour of waiting on me, and laid before me the gifts Shah `Abbas, my brother, had sent. He had brought good horses, cloth stuffs, and every kind of fitting present. After he had presented the gifts, on the same day I gave him a superb robe of honour and 30,000 rupees, which were equivalent to 1,000 Persian tumans. He handed me a letter in which were mingled congratulations and condolences for the death of my revered father. As in the letter of congratulation he expressed the greatest friendship, and omitted no point of regard and concord, it has pleased me to enter here an exact copy of it.

Copy of the letter of Shah `Abbas.

"May the sprinklings of the cloud of the grace of God and the dropping of the favour of the Almighty impart freshness to the gardens of wonderful men and inventors (of new things)! May the flower-bed of sovereignty and rule and the mead of magnificence and exalted happiness of his Honour of heavenly dignity, of sun-like grandeur, the king whose fortune is young, of Saturn-like majesty, the renowned prince, possessing the authority of the spheres, the Khedive, the world-gripper (Jahangir) and country-conquering sovereign, the prince of the exaltedness of Sikandar, with the banner of Darius, he who sits on the throne of the pavilion of greatness and glory, the possessor of the (seven) climes, the increaser of the joys of good fortune and prosperity, adorner of the gardens of happiness, decorator of the rose-parterre, lord of the happy conjunction (of the planets), the opener of the countenance, the perfection of kinghood, expounder of the mysteries of the sky, the adornment of the face of learning and insight, index of the book of creation, compendium of human perfections, mirror of the glory of God, elevator of the lofty soul, increaser of good fortune and of the beneficent ascension, sun of the grandeur of the skies, the shadow of the benignity of the Creator, he who has the dignity of Jamshid among the stars of the host of heaven, lord of conjunction, refuge of the world, river of the favours of Allah, and fountain of unending mercy, verdure of the plain of purity, may his land (lit. surface) be guarded from the calamity of the evil eye; may his fountain of perfection be preserved in truth, his desire and love; the tale of his good qualities and benevolence cannot be written.

"'The pen has not the tongue to express the secret of love.'