The Rashīdī History 112.3
The Tarikh-i-Rashidi (Elias, Ross) 112.3
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112.3.1
"At these words the people became very despondent and grieved ; and each one, forming whatever plan seemed best to himself, they split up into factions. One party under the leadership of Uchku Muhammad Mirza, Sháh Mirak and Zikul Bahadur, set out for Turfan, the capital of Mansur Khan. Another division under Kura Kulák, took the road to Andiján, in the hope that the Khans who had preceded them had been well received by Sháhi Beg Khán. And a third division, under the direction of Khush Gildi Kukildash and Aziz Birdi Aghá, resolved to go to the court of Mirzá Aba Bakr in Káshghar. Thus did they form themselves into different parties." The Khan used always to say : "When I learnt these facts, I was filled with amazement and alarm. Dismay took possession of my mind. I asked him how many days ago this had happened ; he replied that on the particular day he had left them, the discussion had taken place, and they had separated. "I then dismounted, and for a while remained buried in thought. At length I resolved to leave my horse in the impenetrable jungles of Kárin, and myself to lie in ambush for antelopes ; and when I had killed them, to eat their flesh and to clothe myself with their skins ; thus I would spend several years, until I should see how events might fall out. "With this intention, having withdrawn my led horse to one side, I set out on my road."
112.3.2
[It must be understood that] it is a custom among the Moghuls, for the bravest of their youth to spend a long time alone, either in the deserts, the mountains or the forests, at a distance of one or two months' journey from any of their fellow creatures, and to feed and clothe themselves with the flesh and skins of antelopes. Such persons they esteem as brave and manly ; and it is, in fact, a very difficult and dangerous mode of life.
112.3.3
[The Khan] having resolved upon this strange and perilous adventure, gave the slave his liberty, and set out on his own design. He spent the night in what he considered a suitable spot, and on the morrow again started on his road. But first of all he surveyed the country, in accordance with the Moghul practice of circumspection and caution. For it is their custom, in the morning, to examine carefully the road by which they have just come, and also to reconnoitre that by which they intend to travel the same day ; the travellers having ascended a piece of rising ground, and having carefully inspected both the roads, then give some fodder to their horses, which have been tethered all night. The purpose of this vigilance which they practise is, that if anybody should happen to be following them, and should have come on during the night, he would be seen, and could be guarded against. When the horses have grazed long enough, and no one is visible in either direction, the road is again taken at midday, and the journey continued till midnight, so that no one may discover the traveller or his nightly resting-place. Such is the cautious practice of the Moghuls.
112.3.4
The Khan, looking round carefully on all sides, after a short time descried something black on the road by which he had come the day before, and began to fear lest those tribesmen, regretting that they had let him go, were come in pursuit of him. But he presently saw that it was only one person, and that there was no one behind him, as far as he could see. Then, as was his practice, he placed himself in ambush. He noticed that this man was ever and again uttering cries, as if calling for somebody. And as he came nearer [the Khan] recognised his voice as that of Khwaja Ali Bahadur. He rushed out to meet him, and the Khwaja, also recognising the Khan, dismounted, and they both began to weep as they met in affectionate embrace.
112.3.5
One can imagine the extent of the Khan's joy at this meeting. Having made an end of weeping, [the Khan] asked the Khwaja where he had been and what had befallen him. The Khwaja replied : "They carried me off and kept my horse, and placed me in the house of one of my acquaintances. After a while a decrepit and frail old woman, who claimed a blood relationship with me, came to me secretly and began to heap reproaches on my head, saying : 'Some have been known to serve a Khan yet unborn, or an Amir still in his cradle, and to have reaped their reward ; yet you, with your lack of zeal, have deserted a great Khan, who is worthy of a throne and a crown, and in your sluggishness have debased yourself. Rise up: if you have not a horse, I have left mine tied up in such and such a place : take it and go!' Then my old enthusiasm, which seemed to have died within me, revived: I hastened out and went to the spot she had indicated, found the horse, and here I am."
112.3.6
The Khan, having bestowed thanks and praises on him, said: "When I found myself alone, I resolved upon the following plan" (and the Khan proceeded to relate to him, from beginning to end, what has been told above). Khwaja Ali Bahadur replied: "Peace on you! It was a most excellent resolve for a brave man like yourself, under existing circumstances. And it is all the better that it should have been so. But now it is possible to proceed with greater comfort and ease. However, even if we do spend a few years in this way, we must get news of the world whenever we can; for the wheel of the spheres does not always turn in the same groove, and we must be on the look out for any opportunity that may arise to again obtain the control of affairs. We must also be bold."
112.3.7
The two then set out with strong hearts and cheerful spirits, riding bridle to bridle. On the following day they noticed in front of them some black objects: and the same care and precautions were observed as on the other occasion. As the objects approached, they recognised the two brothers of Khwaja Ali Bahadur, Tika and Ali Mirak, and two of his sons-in-law, Asil Fulad and Buzana [each one accompanied by his servant]. After this meeting, the Khan's position was as sovereignty compared with that of the day before. The new-comers were then asked their story. They related what has been mentioned above, and added: "Khush Gildi and Aziz Birdi, who had determined to go to Kashghar, separated from us yesterday." With these two came Sukar and some of the Kaluchi (who were relatives of a certain woman of the name of Makhtum, with whom, during the time of the great disturbances in Moghulistan, the Khan had contracted a marriage), and they brought with them several horses from the royal stables. Having announced this news, the whole party set out in pursuit without delay, and came upon the fugitives towards the end of the night; when these heard the sound of the hoofs of the approaching horses, they were filled with dismay and alarm. The Khan and his companions called out to each one by name, and they, recognising his voice and that of the others, were filled with joy.
112.3.8
They came, running, to the stirrup of his Excellency the Khan and, kissing his feet, gave vent to expressions of thankfulness. The Khan, being rejoined by Khwaja Ali, was relieved of the distress of solitude, but now, on falling in with Tika and his party, he had become a veritable king, compared with his former position. When, under the guidance of these men, they had rejoined the party who had separated from them, the Khan was overjoyed at the prospect of a meeting with a slave, who was his wife. All were delighted at coming together again, and hoped that that night they would enjoy a refreshing sleep. The Khan, in the same hope, had already taken off his boots and coat, when Aziz Birdi Agha came and persuaded him to put them on again. Although it was apparently a trouble to do so, it was at least a fitting precaution, so he consented, in order to quiet Aziz Birdi, and with one boot off [and one boot on] he slumbered peacefully on the breast of his wife. For he had taken no rest for several nights and days, and was exceedingly fatigued from rough travelling and watchful nights. The full enjoyment of sleep had not yet come to him, when he heard a war cry [«ttra»] and the sound of giving and taking of blows. Before the Khan could jump out of bed, he saw by the light of the burning camp that the enemy were upon them, and were dealing out blows to right and left. He had just time to gird on his quiver, when Khwaja Ali arrived.
112.3.9
They rushed together, from the blazing camp into the darkness, and began to shower down arrows upon the enemy who were doing their work in the light, and in the same way, the men from the camp came out on all sides into the darkness, and began to discharge their arrows. The enemy, who were all mounted, then withdrew from the light, and the Khan's men, who were on foot, shot at them from different ambuscades. On account of the darkness it was not possible to judge of the great numbers of the one side or the small numbers of the other. Some of the men, in imitation of the Khan, were engaged in discharging arrows, while the rest had gone back to secure the horses.