The Rashīdī History 237: MARCH OF THE AUTHOR TOWARDS URSANG. THE SLAYING OF HIS BROTHER ABDULLAH MIRZA. DETAILS OF THE EXPEDITION.
The Tarikh-i-Rashidi (Elias, Ross) 237
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MARCH OF THE AUTHOR TOWARDS URSANG. THE SLAYING OF HIS BROTHER ABDULLAH MIRZA. DETAILS OF THE EXPEDITION.
237.1
When the Khan set out for Yarkand, I took leave of him, and in the first ten days of Zulhijja of the year 939, after keeping the feast of the Sacrifice in Maryul, I set out to destroy the idol-temple of Ursang. After marching for twenty days in that part of Tibet, we found no signs of infidels, except a few fortresses. These were so strongly situated and fortified, that they could only have been taken with great difficulty, and the gain was not worth the pain. Leaving behind Iskandar Sultan, my brother Abdullah Mirza and my cousin Mahmud Mirza, together with the heavy baggage and the tired beasts of burden, I took the strongest and freshest of the horses with me, and started in all haste. On the first of Safar we reached a place called Barmang. Here we found some of the Champa people of Tibet, whom we plundered; nearly 300,000 sheep fell to the lot of our victorious army, besides prisoners, horses and goods, in proportion. For the completion of our desires, and the satisfaction of our necessities, we halted in a suitable pasture land, to rest and refresh our horses; by this means we afforded Iskandar Sultan, Abdullah Mirza and Mahmud Mirza, time to overtake and rejoin us. But while I had hastened forward, they had followed leisurely, and on the first of Moharram 940, they had approached one of the above-mentioned fortresses, which was called Kardun.
237.2
The despicable men [in the fortress] being reduced to extremities, applied for aid to one of the Rai of Hindustan, who sent 3,000 Hindu Katard-dar infantry [men armed with short swords]. [Couplet . . .]. Iskandar Sultan and my brothers advanced with 200 men, to give them battle, but they pushed forward so rapidly that only a few of the 200 kept up with them. My brother, Abdullah Mirza, was a daring youth, and had already distinguished himself in the Khan's service in Balti, where having gained the juldu, he was respected by all the army. Elated and animated by this distinction, and without reflection, he neglected to await the main body, but advancing with only three men, threw himself into the middle of the 3,000. He was dismounted, but at this juncture my cousin Mahmud Mirza came up with four men. Seeing his brother [cousin ?] in this plight, he too made a daring charge, and saved his brother from imminent danger; whereupon the latter again returned to the charge, only to be a second time dismounted. At this moment five of the bravest warriors arrived on the scene, and seeing the two brothers so hard pressed, they charged the enemy ; but by this time my brother, Abdullah, had been cut in pieces — so completely that each separate part of his cuirass and coat was in the possession of some infidel. [Four couplets] .... I repeated the verse, "Verily unto God do we return."
237.3
I halted for some days in that pasture-ground, until the beasts were rested and refreshed. I then sent back all the booty that had fallen into our hands, and having chosen out 900 men from the army, set forth with them for Ursang. From Maryul of Tibet to that place is two months' journey. After one month's journey, one comes to a spot where a lake is situated ; it is forty farsakhs in circumference, and on its shores there is a castle, which is called Luk-u-Labuk. We halted there for the night ; the next morning we found all our horses had died, except a few that were half dead — groaning and writhing [with pain]. Thus of my own twenty-seven horses, only one was, on that morning, in a sound condition, two others were dying, and the remaining twenty-four were dead. The cause [of their death] was the dam-giri, which has been described above.
237.4
When we left that place, [only] a fifth part of the army were mounted, all the rest proceeded on foot. On the second day we plundered the province of Ham [or Hari]. The people of that place assert that it is twenty-four days' journey into Bangala. Many captives were taken by us. Those of our army who were mounted on serviceable horses, only numbered ninety men. With these ninety, I advanced and plundered a place called Askabrak. About 100,000 sheep, 20,000 kutas and a proportionate number of prisoners and horses, fell into our hands. There remained eight days' journey from Askabrak to Ursang. However, the horses of our party being entirely broken down, we were obliged to turn back. Six days later, we reunited and set out on our return. This took place on the 8th of Rabi II. On the last day of Jamad II. we overtook the party that had been sent back with the booty and plunder, at a place called Tamlik, which is twenty days' journey from Maryul.
237.5
The Guga people came and represented to us that Guga was the chief district of Tibet; they were willing to pay any capitation tax which I might impose, in accordance with the extent and wealth of the country; I therefore proceeded to Gugeh, where I arrived in two marches from Tamlik. I was received by the people in the most respectful, obedient, and hospitable way. After staying there three days, and fixing the levy at 3,000 Tibetan mithkals (one of which is equal to one and a half statute mithkal) I returned, and on the road heard of the dispersion [viran] of my army, which I will speak of immediately.