Chapter II: Part 2

On Thursday, the 24th, I went to see the Bagh-i-Fath, [59] and spent two days there in enjoyment and pleasure. At the end of the day on Saturday I returned to the palace. As Asaf K. had represented that his hawili (house) garden was exceedingly green and pleasant, and all sorts of flowers and scented plants had bloomed there, at his request I went to it on Mubarak-shamba (Thursday), the 31st. In truth, it was a very nice villa, and I was much pleased. His offering of jewels and jewelled things, and cloth, of the value of Rs. 35,000, was accepted. Muzaffar K. was favoured with a dress of honour and an elephant, and, as before, was entrusted with the charge of the government of Thatta (Sind). My brother Shah `Abbas sent a letter with some trifling presents by `Abdu-l-Karim of Gilan, who had come with merchandise from Iran. On this day I presented him with a dress of honour and an elephant, and gave him leave to return, and sent an answer to the Shah's letter with a memorandum. Khan `Alam was also honoured with a gracious farman and a special dress of honour. Friday was the 1st of the month of Shahriwar. From Sunday, the 3rd, till the eve of Thursday (the 7th) rain fell. It is strange that on other days the pair of saras sate on the eggs five or six times in turn, but during this twenty-four hours, when there was constant rain and the air was somewhat cold, the male, in order to keep the eggs warm, sate from early in the morning until midday, and from that time until the next morning the female sat without an interval, for fear that in rising and sitting again the cold air should affect them, and the eggs become wet and be spoilt. Briefly, men are led by the guidance of Reason, and animals according to the Divine wisdom implanted in them by Nature. Stranger still is it that at first they keep their eggs together underneath the breast, and after fourteen or fifteen days have passed they leave a little space between them, for fear the heat should become too great from their contact with each other. Many become addled in consequence of (too great) heat.

On Thursday, the 7th, with great joy and congratulation, the advance camp was started towards Agra. The astrologers and astronomers had already fixed the auspicious hour for the march. As excessive rain fell, the main camp could not cross the river of Mahmudabad (the Vatrak) and the Mahi at this hour. Out of necessity, the advanced camp was started at the appointed hour, and the 21st Shahriwar [60] was fixed for the march of the main camp.

My son Shah-Jahan took upon himself the responsibility of the conquest of the fort of Kangra, over which the noose of victory had not been thrown by any of the Sultans of lofty dignity, and an army under the leadership of Raja Suraj Mal, s. Raja Baso, and Taqi, who was one of his attached servants, had before this been sent for that purpose. It was now clear that the conquest could not be achieved by the force that had been previously appointed. Raja Bikramajit, [61] who was one of his principal officers, with 2,000 horse who were present of his private attendants, and a force of Jahangiri servants, such as Shah-baz K. Lodi, Hardi Narayan Hada, Ray Prithi Chand, and the sons of Ram Chand, with 200 mounted musketeers and 500 foot-musketeers (topchi, perhaps cannoniers), in addition to the force that had previously been sent, were appointed to the duty. As the hour for departure was fixed on this day, the aforesaid (Bikramajit) presented as an offering a rosary of emeralds of the value of Rs. 10,000. He was honoured with the gift of a dress of honour and a sword, and took his leave for this duty. As he had not a jagir in that Subah, my son Shah-Jahan asked for him as a jagir the pargana of Barhana (?), [62] the revenue of which was 2,200,000 of dams, which [63] he himself (? Shah-Jahan) held in in`am. [64] Khwaja Taqi, the Diwan-i-Buyutat, who had been appointed to the Diwani of the Deccan, was honoured with the title of Mu`taqid [65] K., a dress of honour, and an elephant. I appointed Himmat K. to the faujdarship of the Sarkar of Bharuch (Broach) and that neighbourhood, with the gift of a horse and a special parm narm (shawl), and despatched him. The pargana of Bharuch (Broach) was also bestowed on him as jagir. Ray Prithi Chand, who had been nominated for service at Kangra, was promoted to the rank of 700 and 450 horse. As the anniversary of Shaikh Muhammad Ghaus [66] had arrived, I gave his sons 1,000 darbs (Rs. 500) for its expense. Muzaffar, s. Bahaduru-l-mulk, who was attached to the Deccan, was given the mansab of 1,000 personal and 500 horse.

As the events of twelve years of Jahangir-nama have been recorded, I ordered [67] the clerks of my private library to make one volume of these twelve years, and to prepare a number of copies so that I might give them to my special servants, and that they might be sent to the various cities, so that administrators (arbab-i-daulat) and the auspicious might adopt them as their code. On Friday, the 8th, [68] one of the news-writers had written the whole and made a volume, which he produced to me. As it was the first copy that had been prepared, I gave it to my son Shah-Jahan, whom I consider to be in all respects the first of my sons. On the back of it I wrote with my own hand that I had given it him on a certain day and at a certain place. I hope that the favour of the receipt of those writings which are intended for the satisfaction of the creature and for supplication to the Creator may be a cause of good fortune.

On Tuesday, the 12th, Subhan Quli, huntsman, was brought to punishment. The details of this are that he is the son of Haji Jamal Baluch, who was my father's best huntsman, and after his (the King's) death, he entered the service of Islam K., and went with him to Bengal. Islam Khan, on account of his (Subhan Quli's) connection with this Court, showed him proper consideration, and considering him trustworthy always kept him near him when travelling or hunting. `Usman, the Afghan, who for many years passed his days in that Subah in disobedience and stubbornness, and the end of whose affairs has been recorded in the preceding pages, being much troubled by Islam Khan, sent someone to this wretch, and made proposals for his murdering Islam. He undertook the business, and associated two or three other men with himself. By chance, before the futile idea of this ungrateful fellow was carried into execution, one of them came and informed him (Islam K.). Islam K. immediately seized and imprisoned the scoundrel. After the latter's death he came to Court. As his brothers and relatives were included among the huntsmen, he was also ordered to be enrolled among them. At this time the son (Ikram K.) of Islam K. represented in an enigmatical way that he was unworthy of service near my person. After explanation it appeared what the charge was. Notwithstanding this, as his brothers strenuously represented that there was only suspicion, and Baluch K., the head huntsman, became security for him, I forbore to put him to death, and ordered him to do duty with Baluch K. In spite of this grace and the gift of his life, without cause or motive he fled from the Court, and went to Agra and that neighbourhood. Baluch K., having become his security, was ordered to produce him. He sent people to inquire for him. In one of the villages of Agra, which was not wanting in sedition, and is called Jahanda, [69] the brother of Baluch Khan, who had gone to make inquiries, found him, and although he endeavoured to bring him by persuasion to Court, he would in no way consent, and the people rose to assist him.

Being without remedy, he (the brother) went to Khwaja Jahan at Agra, and told him the circumstances. He sent a detachment against that village to take him by force and bring him. The people of the village, seeing their own ruin in the mirror of the case, handed him over to him. This day he came to Court in chains. I gave an order for his execution. The man of wrath (the executioner) took him to the place of punishment with all haste. After a while, through the intercession of one of the courtiers, I gave him his life, and ordered his feet to be cut off, but according to his destiny (what was written on his head) before the order arrived he had been punished. Although that doomed man was deserving of punishment, yet I regretted [70] the circumstance, and directed that whenever an order was given for anyone's execution, notwithstanding that the command were imperative, they should wait till sunset before putting him to death. If up to that time no order for release arrived, he should without fail be capitally punished.

On Sunday there was a great commotion in the River Mahi, and very large waves were visible. Although there formerly had been (great) rains, yet such violence, or even the half of it, had never been known. From the beginning of the day the flood began to come, and at the end of the day began to decrease. Old inhabitants of this city represented that once, during the government of Murtaza K. (Farid Bukhari), a similar great flood had occurred. But with that exception they did not remember another such flood.

In these days mention was made of an ode by Mu`izzi, [71] the panegyrist of Sultan Sanjar, and his Poet-laureate. It is a very smooth and equable [72] composition. It begins thus:

"O thou whose commands heaven obeys
Ancient Saturn is the slave of thy young Fortune."

Sa`ida, [73] the chief goldsmith, has a poetical temperament and he imitated this ode, and presented his paraphrase to me. It was very well composed. The following are some verses from it:

"O thou, of whose threshold the nine spheres are an examplar
Aged Time hath grown young in thy reign
Thy heart is bounteous as the Sun, and like it needs no cause
(for bounty).
All lives are devoted to thy gracious heart
Heaven is but a green [74] orange from the garden of Power
Tossed by thy gardener into the atmosphere,
O God, Thy essence has shone from eternity
The souls of all the saints receive light from Thine,
O king, may the world ever be at thy beck,
May thy Shah-Jahan ever rejoice in thy shade
O Shadow of God, may the world be filled with thy light
May the Light of God ever be thy canopy."

On Mubarak-shamba, the 14th, in reward for this ode, I ordered Sa`ida to be weighed against money (zar, perhaps gold). At the end of the day I went to walk about the garden of Rustam-bari, [75] which appeared to me very green and pleasant. Sitting in a boat in the evening, I returned to the palace.

On Friday, the 15th, a Mulla of the name of Amiri, an old man, came from Ma-wara'a-n-nahr (Transoxiana), and had the good fortune to kiss the threshold. He represented to me that he was one of the ancient (servants) of `Abdu-llah Khan Uzbeg, and from the days of infancy [76] and youth was brought up by the Khan until his death. He had been included among his old servants, and had been a confidential friend. [77] After the death of the Khan until now he had passed his days respected in that country. He had left his native country with a view to visit the blessed house (Mecca), and had come to pay his respects to me. I made him free to remain or go. He asked to remain in attendance on me for some days. Rs. 1,000 for expenses and a dress of honour were given him. He is an old man of very pleasing face, and full of talk and anecdote. My son Shah-Jahan also gave him Rs. 500 and a robe of honour.

In the middle of the garden of Khurram (Shah-Jahan's) residence there is a bench and a reservoir. On one side [78] of that bench there is a Mulsari-tree (Mimusops elengi) against which to lean the back. As in one side of its trunk there was a hollow to the extent of three-fourths of a yard, it had an ugly look. I ordered them to cut a tablet of marble and fix it firmly in that place, so that one could lean one's back on it and sit there. At this time an impromptu couplet came to my tongue, and I ordered the stone-cutters to engrave it on that stone, that it might remain as a memento on the page of time. This is the couplet:

"The seat of the Shah of the seven worlds (kishwar),
Jahangir, son of Akbar Shahinshah.

On the eve of Tuesday, [79] the 19th, a bazaar was arranged in the private palace. Up to this time the custom has been for the people of the bazaar and the artificers of the city in every place to bring their shops according to order into the courtyard of the palace (royal abode, whether in camp or elsewhere), and bring jewels and jewelled things and various kinds of cloth and other goods such as are sold in the bazaar. It occurred to me that if a bazaar were prepared in the night-time, and a number of lamps were arranged in front of the shops, it would look well. Undoubtedly it came off well and was unusual. Going round all the shops, whatever jewels and jewelled things pleased me I bought. I gave some present from each shop to Mulla Amiri, and he received so many things that he was unable to hold them.

On Mubarak-shamba (Thursday) the 21st of the Divine month of Shahriwar, in the thirteenth year from my accession, corresponding with the 22nd Ramazan (September 2, 1618), in the Hijri year 1027, when two and a half hours of day had passed, in prosperity and happiness, the standards of purpose turned towards the capital of Agra. From the palace as far as the Kankriya tank, the place of alighting, I passed along in the usual manner, scattering money (nisar-kunan). On the same day the feast of my solar weighment took place, and according to solar reckoning the fiftieth year of the age of his suppliant at the throne of God commenced auspiciously. According to my usual rule I weighed myself against gold and other valuables. I scattered pearls and golden roses, and looking at night at the show of lamps passed my time in the private apartments of the royal abode in enjoyment. On Friday, the 22nd, I ordered that all the Shaikhs and men of piety who lived in the city should be brought in order that they might break their fast [80] in attendance on me. Three nights were passed after this manner, and every night at the end of the meeting I stood up and recited with the tongue of ecstasy:

"Thou art the mighty One, O Lord,
Thou art the cherisher of rich and poor;
I'm not a world-conqueror or law-giver,
I'm one of the beggars at this gate.
Help me in what is good and right,
Else what good comes from me to any one?
I'm a master [81] to my servants,
To the Lord I'm a loyal servant."

All the Faqirs who as yet had not waited on me prayed for allowances. According to their merits I gave to each of them land or money for expenses, and gratified them.

On the eve of Mubarak-shamba (Thursday) the 21st, the saras hatched one young one, and on the eve of Monday, the 25th, a second: that is, one young one was hatched after thirty-four [82] days, and the other after thirty-six days. One might say that they were one-tenth [83] larger than the young of a goose, or equal to the young of the peafowl at the age of a month. Their skin was of a blue colour. On the first day they ate nothing, and from the second day the mother, taking small locusts (or grasshoppers) in her mouth, sometimes fed them like a pigeon, or sometimes like a fowl threw them before them for them to pick up of themselves. If the locust were small, it went off well, but if it were large, she sometimes made two or three pieces of it so that the young ones might eat it with ease. As I had a great liking for seeing them I ordered them to be brought before me with every precaution that no harm might happen to them. After I had seen them I ordered them to be taken back to the same little garden inside the royal enclosure, and to be preserved with the greatest care, and that they should be brought to me again whenever they were able to walk.

On this day Hakim Ruhu-llah was exalted with the gift of Rs. 1,000. Badi`u-z-zaman, s. M. Shahrukh, came from his jagir and waited on me. On Tuesday, the 26th, marching from the Kankriya tank, I halted at the village of Kaj. [84] On Wednesday, the 27th, I pitched my camp on the bank of the river at Mahmudabad called the Izak [85] (now called Meshva). As the water and air of Ahmadabad were very bad, Mahmud Bigara, by the advice of his physicians, founded a city on the bank of the aforesaid river and lived there. After he conquered Champaner, he made that place his capital, and until the time of Mahmud the martyred [86] the rulers of Gujarat chiefly lived there. This Mahmud was the last of the Sultans of Gujarat, and he took up his residence at Mahmudabad. Undoubtedly the water and air of Mahmudabad have no resemblance to those of Ahmadabad. By way of testing this I ordered them to hang up a sheep on the bank of the Kankriya tank after taking off its skin, and at the same time one at Mahmudabad, that the difference of the air might be ascertained. It happened that after seven gharis of day had passed in that place (Ahmadabad) they hung up the sheep. When three gharis of day remained it became so changed and putrid that it was difficult to pass near it. They hung up the sheep at Mahmudabad in the morning, and it was altogether unchanged until the evening, and began to be putrid when one and a half watches of night had passed. Briefly, in the neighbourhood of Ahmadabad it became putrid in eight sidereal hours, and in Mahmudabad in fourteen hours.

On Thursday, the 28th, Rustam K., whom my son of prosperous fortune, Shah-Jahan, had appointed to the charge and government of Gujarat, was honoured with the gift of an elephant, a horse, and a special parm narm (shawl), and given leave to depart, and the Jahangiri officers who were attached to that Subah were presented with horses and dresses of honour according to the rank and standing of each. On Friday, 29th Shahriwar, corresponding with 1st Shawwal, Ray Bihari was honoured with the bestowal of a dress of honour, a jewelled sword and a special horse, and took leave to go to his native place. His sons were also honoured with horses and dresses of honour. On Saturday I ordered Sayyid Muhammad, grandson [87] (?) of Shah `Alam, to ask for whatever he desired without concealment, and I took an oath on the Qoran to this effect. He said that as I had sworn on the Qoran he would ask for a Qoran that he might always have it by him, and that the merit of reading it might accrue to His Majesty. Accordingly, I gave the Mir a Qoran in Yaqut's [88] handwriting. It was a small, elegant [89] volume, and was the wonder of the age. On the back of it I wrote with my own hand that I had made this gift on a certain day and in a certain place to Sayyid Muhammad. The real reason for this is that the Mir is of an exceedingly good disposition, endowed with personal nobility and acquired excellencies, of good manners and approved ways, with a very pleasing face and open forehead. I have never seen a man of this country of such a pleasing disposition as the Mir. I told him to translate this Qoran into plain language without ornament, and that without occupying himself with explanations or fine language he [90] should translate the Qoran in simple language (lughat-i-rikhta) word by word into Persian, and should not add one letter to its exact purport. After he had completed it he should send it by his son Jalalu-d-din Sayyid to the Court. The Mir's son is also a young man of external and internal intelligence. The signs of piety and blessedness are distinct on his forehead. The Mir is proud of his son, and in truth he is worthy, as he is an excellent youth. As I had repeatedly shown kindness to the holy men of Gujarat, according to their merits, I again bestowed on each cash and jewels, and dismissed them to their homes.

As the climate [91] of this country was not suited to my temperament, the physicians thought it right that I should decrease somewhat my usual number of cups. According to their advice I began to decrease their number, and in the course of a week reduced them by the weight of one cup. At first it was six cups every evening, each cup being 7 1/2 tola, or altogether 45 tolas. The wine was usually mixed with water. Now I drank six cups, each of which was 6 tolas and 3 mashas, [92] altogether 37 1/2 tolas.

Sixteen or seventeen years ago I had vowed with my God at Allahabad that when I reached fifty I would give up shooting with gun and bullet, and would injure no living thing with my own hand. Muqarrab K., who was one of my confidants, knew of my determination. At this date I have reached the commencement of my fiftieth year, and one day, in consequence of excessive fever (dud u bukhar) my breath was short and I was very unwell. While in this condition the compact I had made with my God came, by Divine inspiration, into my mind, and I resolved that when my fiftieth year was completed and the period of fulfilling my vow had arrived, I would, on the day [93] on which I visited my father's tomb--may the light of God be his testimony--by God's help, seek the confirmation of my resolve from my father's holy elements, and renounce the practice (of shooting). As soon as this thought occurred to me, my illness and trouble disappeared. I revived, and opened my mouth to praise God, and tasted the joy of thanksgiving for His mercies. I hope that I shall be sustained.

"How well said Firdusi of pure nature
May mercy rest on that (his) pure tomb.

"Ah! spare yon emmet [94] rich in hoarded grain,
He lives with pleasure, and he dies with pain."

On Thursday, the 4th of the Divine month, Sayyid Kabir and Bakhtar K., the Wakils of `Adil K., who had brought his offering to the exalted Court, obtained leave to return. Sayyid Kabir was honoured with a dress of honour, a horse, and a jewelled dagger, and Bakhtar K. with a horse, a dress of honour, and a jewelled urbasi, [95] which the people of that country (the Deccan?) wear round their necks, and a present of 6,000 darbs was given to each of them for expenses.

As `Adil K. was constantly asking for a likeness of myself through my prosperous son Shah-Jahan, I sent him one with a ruby of great value and a special elephant. A gracious farman was issued that he should be presented with whatever territory of Nizamu-l-mulk or Qutbu-l-mulk he might get into his possession, and whenever he should require any support and assistance, Shah-nawaz K. should prepare an army and appoint it to assist him. In former days Nizamu-l-mulk was the largest of the rulers of the Deccan, a superior whom all acknowledged, and whom they considered as their eldest brother. At this period `Adil K. did approved service, and was honoured with the exalted title of "son." I appointed him the head and leader of the whole country of the Deccan, and wrote this quatrain on the portrait with my own hand:

"O thou towards whom is always (turned) the eye of my kindness
Repose at ease under the shadow of my fortune.
I have sent thee my own portrait,
That thou mayest see me spiritually from my picture."

My son Shah-Jahan sent Hakim Khush-hal, son of Hakim Humam, who was one of the excellent house-born ones of this Court, and from his early years had been in my son's service, in company with the Wakils of `Adil K. to convey to him the good news of the Jahangiri favour towards him. On the same day Mir Jumla was honoured with the duty of `Arz-mukarrir. As Kifayat K., the Diwan of Gujarat, at the time when he was employed in the Diwani of Bengal, in consequence of certain accidents, had lost property (az saman uftada), a sum of Rs. 15,000 was presented to him.

At this time two copies of the Jahangir-nama that had been prepared were laid before me. One of these I had some days previously given to the Madaru-l-mulk (centre of the kingdom), I`timadu-d-daula, and the other I on this day bestowed on my (adopted) son (farzandi), Asaf K. On Friday, the 5th, Bahram, son of Jahangir Quli Khan, came from the province of Bihar, and had the good fortune to pay his respects. He laid before me some diamonds he had obtained from the mine of Kokra. Approved service had not been performed in that province by Jahangir Quli K., and it was also frequently reported that certain of his brothers and sons-in-law had stretched out the hand of tyranny in that country, and were oppressing the servants of God (the people), and that each of them, cutting out a governorship for himself, did not regard the authority of Jahangir Quli. On this account a farman written with my own hand was given to Muqarrab K., one of my confidential old servants, stating that he was appointed Governor of Bihar. I ordered that immediately on receipt of the farman he should hasten to that quarter. Some of the diamonds that Ibrahim Fath-jang had sent to Court after the taking of the mine had been given to the Government lapidaries to cut. At this time Bahram suddenly came to Agra, and was going on to the Court (in Gujarat). Khwaja Jahan (the Governor of Agra) sent along with him some diamonds that were ready. One of them is of a violet [96] colour, and cannot be outwardly distinguished from a sapphire. Up to this time I had not seen a diamond of this colour. It weighed several surkh, [97] and jewellers estimated its value at Rs. 3,000, and represented that if it had been white (safid) and had had perfect marks, it would have been worth Rs. 20,000.

This year I had mangoes up to the 6th Mihr (middle of September). In this country there is abundance of lemons (limun), and they are large (balida?). A Hindu brought some from a garden called Kaku (or Gangu), which were very pleasant and large (balida, perhaps ripe). I ordered them to weigh the largest of them, and it came to 7 tolas.

On Saturday, the 6th, the Dasahra festival took place. First, they decked out my horses, and paraded them before me. After that they produced the elephants, decorated in a similar way.

As the Mahi had not become fordable, so that the sublime camp could cross it, and the climate of Mahmudabad was quite different (i.e., it was better) from that of other stages, I remained here for ten more days. On Monday, the 8th, I marched and encamped at Muda. [98] I had already sent Khwaja Abu-l-Hasan Bakhshi with an active body of servants, such as boatmen, and also oars, [99] to make a bridge over the Mahi, with instructions not to wait till it was fordable, so that the victorious camp might cross at ease. On Tuesday, the 9th, there was a halt, and on Kamshamba (Wednesday), the 10th, the camp was at the village of Aina. [100]

At first the male saras used to hold its young one by its leg upside down in his beak, and there was a fear that he might be unkind to it and it might be destroyed. I accordingly ordered them to keep the male separately, and not allow it near its young ones. I now ordered by way of experiment that it should be allowed near them, that the real degree of its unkindness and affection might be ascertained. After allowing it, he displayed much attachment and kindness, and his affection was found to be no less than that of the female; I thus knew that this performance was out of real love. On Thursday, the 11th, there was a halt, and at the end of the day I went to hunt with cheetahs, and two black buck, four does, and a chikara were caught. On Sunday, the 14th, I also went to hunt with cheetahs, and caught fifteen head of male and female antelopes. I had ordered Rustam and Suhrab [101] Khan, his son, to go out hunting and shoot as many nilgaw as they could. The father and son together killed seven head, male and female. As it was represented to me that there was a tiger in this neighbourhood, a man-killer that had taken to eating men's flesh, and the people of God were afflicted by it, I ordered my son Shah-Jahan to save them from its wickedness. He, as ordered, shot it with his gun, and brought it to me at night. I ordered them to skin it in my presence. Although large in appearance, as it was thin, it turned out less in weight than the large tigers I had myself killed. On Monday, the 15th, and Tuesday, the 16th, I went to shoot nilgaw, and on each day shot two blue bulls. On Thursday, the 18th, on the bank of a tank at which I pitched, a feast of cups was held. Rare lotus (kanwal) flowers had blossomed on the face of the water. My private servants enjoyed themselves greatly with cups of wine. Jahangir Quli had sent twenty elephants from Bihar, and Muruwwat K. eight from Bengal, and these were brought before me. One of Jahangir Quli's and two of Muruwwat's were placed in my private stud, and the rest were divided amongst my followers. Mir K., s. Mirza Abu-l-Qasim Namakin, who was one of the khanazads of this Court, was promoted to the mansab, original and increased, of 800 personal and 600 horse. Qiyam K. was appointed to the duty of chief huntsman, and had given him the rank of 600 personal and 150 horse. `Izzat [102] K., one of the Barha Sayyids, who was distinguished for bravery and ambition, is attached to the province of Bangash. At the request of Mahabat K., the Governor of that Subah, he was promoted to the mansab of 1,500 personal and 800 horse. Kifayat K., Diwan of Gujarat, had an elephant given him, and was allowed to depart. I conferred a sword on Safi K., Bakhshi of that Subah. On Friday, the 19th, I went to hunt, and killed a blue bull. I do not remember a bullet passing through a large male nilgaw. Many have passed through females. On this day, at a distance of forty-five paces (qadam), it went through both skins. In the language of hunters a qadam means two feet (gam [103]) placed one in front of the other. On Sunday, the 21st, I enjoyed myself with hawking, and ordered Mirza Rustam, Darab K., Mir Miran, and other servants to go and shoot as many nilgaw as they could. They killed nineteen head, male and female. Ten head of antelope were also caught with cheetahs. Ibrahim K., Bakhshi of the Deccan, was, at the request of the Commander-in-Chief, Khan Khanan, promoted to the mansab of 1,000 personal and 200 horse. On Monday, the 22nd, a march was made, and on Tuesday, the 23rd, I again marched. The huntsmen represented that there had been seen in the neighbourhood a tigress with three cubs. As it was on the road I went myself after them and shot all four, and then went on to the next stage. I crossed the Mahi by the bridge that had been made. Though there were no boats on this river of which a bridge could be made, and the water was very deep and flowing rapidly, Khwaja Abu-l-Hasan, the chief Bakhshi, had built with great exertions a very strong bridge two or [104] three days before. Its length was 140 yards and its breadth 4 yards (dara`). By way of testing it I ordered the elephant Gun Sundar Khass which is one of the large and strong elephants, with three females, to be sent across it. It was so firmly built that its supports did not shake with the weight of elephants of mountainous form.

From the most honoured lips of my father I heard as follows: "In early youth I had taken two or three cups (of wine), and had mounted a full-blooded (mast) elephant. Though I was in my senses, and the elephant in very good training, and was under my control, I pretended that I was out of my senses, and that the elephant was refractory and vicious, and that I was making him charge the people. After that, I sent for another elephant, and made the two fight. They fought, and in doing so went to the head of the bridge that had been made over the Jumna. It happened that the other elephant ran away, and as there was no other escape, he went towards the bridge. The elephant I was on pursued him, and although I had him under control, and he would have halted at the slightest signal, I thought that if I held him back from the bridge the people would regard those drunken ways (of mine) as a sham, and would believe that neither was I beside myself, nor was the elephant violent and headstrong. Such pretences on the part of kings are disapproved of, and so after imploring the aid of God--Glory be to Him--I did not restrain my elephant. Both of them went upon the bridge, and as it was made of boats, whenever an elephant put his forefeet on the edge of a boat, half of it sank, and the other half stood up. At each step there came the thought that the lashings might give way. People on seeing this were overwhelmed in the sea of perplexity and alarm. As the care and guardianship of the Great and Glorious God is ever and in all places the protection of this suppliant, both elephants crossed the bridge in safety." [105]

On Thursday, the 25th, a wine-feast was held on the banks of the Mahi, and some of my intimate servants who had admittance to such assemblies had their hearts delighted by brimming cups and ample favours. Certainly it was an entrancing halting-ground. I stayed here four days for two reasons--first, because of the beauty of the spot, and secondly in order that the people might not be confused in crossing the river.

On Sunday, the 28th, I marched from the bank of the Mahi. On Monday I marched again. On this day a strange sight was witnessed. The pair of saras that had had young ones had been brought from Ahmadabad on Thursday (the 25th). In the Court of the royal enclosure, which had been placed on the bank of a tank, they were walking about with their young ones. By chance both the male and female raised a cry, and a pair of wild saras hearing it, and crying out from the other side of the tank, came flying towards them. The male with the male, and the female with the female, engaged in a fight, and although some people were standing about, the birds paid no heed to them. The eunuchs who had been told off to protect them hastened to seize them. One clung to the male and the other to the female. He who had caught the male kept hold of it after much struggling, but the one who seized the female could not hold her, and she escaped from his hand. I with my own hand put rings in his beak and on his legs, and set him free. Both went and settled in their own place. [106] Whenever the domestic saras raised a cry they responded. I saw a sight of this kind in wild antelopes when I had gone to hunt in the pargana of Karnal. About thirty of my huntsmen and servants were in attendance when a black buck with some does came in sight, and we let loose the decoy-antelope [107] to fight him. They butted two or three times, and then the decoy came back. A second time I wanted to put a noose on its horns and to let it go, that it might capture (the wild one). Meanwhile the wild antelope, in the excess of its rage, not looking at the crowd of men, ran without regard to anything, and butting the tame buck two or three times fought with it till it fled. The wild antelope thereupon made its escape.

On this day news came of the death of `Inayat K. He was one of my intimate attendants. As he was addicted to opium, and when he had the chance, to drinking as well, by degrees he became maddened with wine. As he was weakly built, he took more than he could digest, and was attacked by the disease of diarrhoea, and in this weak state he two or three times fainted. By my order Hakim Rukna applied remedies, but whatever methods were resorted to gave no profit. At the same time a strange hunger came over him, and although the doctor exerted himself in order that he should not eat more than once in twenty-four hours, he could not restrain himself. He also would throw [108] himself like a madman on water and fire until he fell into a bad [109] state of body. At last he became dropsical, and exceedingly low and weak. Some days before this he had petitioned that he might go to Agra. I ordered him to come into my presence and obtain leave. They put him into a palanquin and brought him. He appeared so low and weak that I was astonished.

"He was skin drawn over bones."

Or rather his bones, too, had dissolved. Though painters have striven much in drawing an emaciated face, yet I have never seen anything like this, nor even approaching to it. Good God, can a son of man come to such a shape and fashion? These two couplets of Ustad [110] occurred as appropriate:

"If my shadow do not hold my leg
I shall not be able to stand till the Resurrection
Nor, from weakness, does my soul see a refuge
Where it may for a while rest on my lips."

As it was a very extraordinary case I directed painters to take his portrait. In fact, I found him wonderfully changed. I said to him: "Beware; in your present state do not for a moment forget God, nor despair of His mercy! If Death grant you quarter (aman), regard the reprieve as a time for apologizing and for amendment. If your life has come to its close, consider every moment passed in remembrance of God as gain. Trouble not your head about those you are leaving behind. A slight claim of service is a great thing with us." As they had spoken to me about his poverty, I gave him Rs. 2,000 for road-expenses, and let him go. Next day he travelled the road of non-existence.

On Tuesday, the 30th, the bank of the River Manab [111] became the halting-place for the sublime camp. The New Year's [112] feast of Thursday was prepared at this place on the 2nd of the Ilahi month of Aban. Amanu-llah, s. Mahabat K., at his request, was promoted to the mansab of 1,000 personal and 300 [113] horse, and Girdhar, s. Ray Sal, to that of 1,000 personal and 800 horse. `Abdu-llah, son of Khan A`zam, obtained the mansab of 1,000 personal and 300 horse. Dilir K., who was one of the jagirdars of Gujarat, I presented with a horse and an elephant. Ran-baz K., s. Shah-baz K. Kambu, came by order from the Deccan, and was promoted to the post of Bakhshi and Recorder of the army of Bangash, and his mansab was fixed at 800 personal and 400 horse. I marched on Friday, the 3rd. At this stage [114] Prince Shuja`, the beloved son (liver-corner) of my son Shah-Jahan, who was being brought up in the chaste lap of Nur-Jahan Begam, and towards whom I have so much affection that he is dearer to me than life, was attacked by a specially infantile disease which they call "ummu-s-sibyan," [115] and for a long time his senses left him. Although experienced people devised many remedies, they were unprofitable, and his insensibility (bi-hushi) took away my senses (hush). As visible remedies were hopeless, by way of humility and submission I rubbed the head of supplication on the Court of the gracious Ruler who cherishes his slaves, and begged for the child's recovery. In this state it occurred to me that as I had made a vow [116] to my God that after I had passed my fiftieth year, this suppliant would give up hunting with bullet and gun, and would injure no creature with his own hand, if for the sake of his safety I were to give up shooting from the present date, it were possible that his life would become the means of preserving the lives of many animals, and God Almighty might give him to me. In fine, with true purpose, and sincere belief I vowed [117] to God that I would thenceforward not harm any living thing with my own hand. By the grace of Allah his illness diminished. At the time when this suppliant was in his mother's womb, one day I made no movement after the manner that other children make. The attendants were amazed, and inquiring into the cause stated the case to my father (Akbar). At that time my father was engaged in hunting with cheetahs. As that day was a Friday, for the purpose of my safety he made a vow that during his life he would not hunt with cheetahs on a Friday. Till the end of his life he remained firm in this determination, and I also in obedience to him until now have never hunted with cheetahs on a Friday. Finally, on account of the weakness of the light of my eye, Shah Shuja`, for three days I halted at this stage, that God Almighty might give him his natural [118] life.

On Tuesday, the 7th, I marched. One day the son of Hakim [119] `Ali was praising the milk of a camel. It occurred to me that if I could continue that for some days, it was possible that it might do some good, and it might prove agreeable to me. Asaf Khan had a Persian camel in milk, and I took a little of it. Contrary to the milk of other camels, which is not devoid of saltness, it appeared to my taste sweet and delicious, and now for a month past I have been drinking every day a cup of it, equal in quantity to half a water-cup, and it is clearly advantageous, for it quenches my thirst. It is strange that two years ago Asaf K. bought this camel, but at that time it had not a young one, and had no sign of milk. At this time by chance milk flowed from its dugs. They gave it every day to drink four seers of cow's milk with five seers of wheat, one seer of black [120] sugar, and one seer of fennel (badyan), to make its milk delicious, sweet, and profitable. Certainly it suited me admirably, and was to my taste. By way of testing it, I sent for some cow's and buffalo's milk, and tasted all three. There was no comparison in sweetness and flavour with the milk of this camel. I ordered them to give the same kind of food to some other female camels, that it might become clear whether the purity was in consequence of eating good food, or whether it was due to the natural sweetness of this (particular) camel's milk. [121]

On Wednesday, the 8th, I marched, and halted on the 9th. The royal tent was pitched near a large tank. Shah-Jahan presented me with a boat made after the Kashmir fashion, the sitting-place of which they had made of silver. At the end of that day I embarked in that boat and went round the tank. On this day `Abid K., Bakhshi of Bangash, who had been summoned, came and had the good fortune to kiss the threshold, and was honoured with the post of Diwan-i-buyutat. Sar-faraz Khan, who was one of the auxiliaries of Gujarat, received a standard, a private tipchaq horse, and an elephant, and, overwhelmed with honour, obtained leave to go. `Izzat [122] Khan, who was one of those attached to the army of Bangash, was exalted with the gift of a standard. Marching was ordered on Friday, the 10th. Mir Miran was promoted to the mansab of 2,000 personal and 600 horse. On Saturday, the 11th, the auspicious equipage alighted in the pargana of Dohad. On the eve of Sunday, the 12th of the Ilahi month of Aban, in the thirteenth year from my accession, corresponding with the fifteenth Zi-l-Qa`da of the Hijri year 1027, in the nineteenth degree of Libra, the Giver of blessings gave my prosperous son Shah-Jahan a precious son by the daughter of Asaf K. I hope that his [123] advent may be auspicious and blessed to this everlasting State. Halting for three days at this place, on Wednesday, [124] the 15th Aban, the camp was pitched at the village of Samarna. [125] As it was necessary that the Mubarak-shamba entertainment should as far as possible be arranged for on the bank of a river and a clean place, and there was in this neighbourhood no spot which met those requirements, there was no help for it but to order a start when half of the night of Thursday (i.e., Wednesday), the 16th, had passed, and when the sun rose the camp was pitched on the bank of the tank of Bakhur. At the end of the day, the feast of cups was held and I presented cups to some of my private servants. On Friday, the 17th, I ordered a march. Kesho Das Maru is a jagirdar in that neighbourhood. According to orders, he came from the Deccan, and was honoured by doing homage.

On Saturday, the 18th (Aban), the camp was at Ramgarh. For some nights before this there appeared, at three gharis before sunrise, in the atmosphere, a (luminous) vapour in the shape of a pillar. [126] At each succeeding night it rose a ghari earlier. When it assumed its full form, it took the shape of a spear (harba), thin at the two ends, and thick in the middle. It was curved like a sickle, and had its back to the south, and its face to the north. It now showed itself a watch (pahar) before sunrise. Astronomers took its shape and size by the astrolabe, and ascertained that with differences of appearance (?) it extended over twenty-four degrees. It moved in high heaven, but it had a movement of its own, differing from that of high heaven, for it was first in Scorpio and afterwards in Libra. Its declination (harakat-i-`arz?) was mainly southerly. Astrologers call such a phenomenon a spear (harba) in their books, and have written that its appearance portends weakness to the kings of Arabia, and points to their enemies prevailing over them. God knows! Sixteen nights after this phenomenon, a star showed itself in the same quarter. Its head was luminous, and its tail was two or three yards long, but the tail was not luminous. It has now appeared for eight nights; when it disappears, the fact will be noticed, as well as the results of it.

I halted on Sunday, the 19th, and on Monday I alighted at the village of Sitalkhera. [127] On Tuesday, the 21st, there was again a halt. I presented Rashid K., the Afghan, with a robe of honour and an elephant, sending them to him by Ran-baz K. On Wednesday, the 22nd, the camp rested in pargana Madanpur. [128] On Thursday, the 23rd, I halted and had a feast of cups, and Darab K. had a nadiri dress of honour given to him. Halting on Friday, on Saturday the camp was pitched in the pargana of Nawari. [129] On Sunday, the 26th, I pitched on the bank of the River Chambal, and on Monday on the bank of the River Kahnar [130] (?). On Tuesday, the 28th, the royal standards were raised in the neighbourhood of the city of Ujain. From Ahmadabad to Ujain is a distance of ninety-eight kos. It was traversed in twenty-eight marches and forty-one halts--that is, in two months and nine days. On Wednesday, the 29th, I had an interview with Jadrup, who is one of the austere ones of the Hindu religion, and the particulars of whose circumstances have been described in the preceding pages, and went with him to see Kaliyadaha. Certainly association with him is a great privilege.

On this day it was made known to me in the contents of a report from Bahadur K., the Governor of Qandahar, that in the Hijri year 1026--that is, last year--the number of mice in Qandahar and the neighbourhood was so great that they destroyed all the crops and grain and cultivation and the fruits of the trees of the province, so that there had been no produce. They (the mice) cut off the ears of corn and ate them. When the cultivators gathered their crops, before they were threshed and cleaned, another [131] half was destroyed, so that perhaps one-fourth of the crops only came to hand. In the same way no vestige was left of the melons (melon-beds) or garden produce. After some time the mice disappeared.

As my son Shah-Jahan had not made a birthday entertainment for his son (Aurangzib), he petitioned at Ujain, which is the place of his jagir, that the Thursday entertainment of the 30th should be held at his abode. Of necessity, having consented to the carrying out of his wish, the day was passed in enjoyment at his quarters. My private servants who have the entrée into this kind of parties and assemblies were delighted with brimming cups. My son Shah-Jahan brought that auspicious child before me, and, presenting as offerings a tray of jewels, and jewelled ornaments, and fifty elephants, thirty male and twenty female, asked me for a name for him. Please God it will be given him in a favourable hour. Of his elephants seven were included in my private stud; the rest were distributed among the faujdars. The value of the offerings that were accepted will be Rs. 200,000.

On this day `Azudu-d-daula (Jamalu-d-din Husain Anju) came from his jagir, and had the good fortune to kiss the threshold. He gave eighty-one muhars as nazr, and an elephant as an offering. Qasim K., whom I had dismissed from the government of Bengal, had been sent for, and having had the good fortune to do homage, presented 1,000 muhars as nazr. On Friday, the 1st of Azar, I amused myself with hawking. As the retinue passed along, a field of millet (jwar) was met with. Though generally a stem has only one head, each of them had twelve. I was astonished, and at this time the tale of "The King and the Gardener" occurred to me.

TALE OF "THE KING AND THE GARDENER." [132]