The Rashīdī History 238.4

238.4

They gave us the castle of Shaya, which is the capital of Maryul. In Shaya we took the opportunity to recover [from our fatigues], and here, some of the army who had stayed behind, now rejoined us. Among them was Maulana Darvish Muhammad Kara Tagh, one of the attendants of Khwaja Muhammad Yusuf, who has been mentioned above. This Maulana Darvish Muhammad was a pious and devoted Musulman. He knew the Tibetan language remarkably well, and enjoyed the entire confidence of all the Chui of Tibet. He was thus able to settle all our affairs with them in a satisfactory way. From Kashmir there came a certain man named Haji, who attached himself to my service ; he will be mentioned frequently hereinafter ; our party now numbered more than sixty persons. But the disbanded army, as it advanced, began to suffer from the change in the season; so much so, that most of the men were unable to proceed, while those who attempted to go on, lost all their effects. Nearly one hundred and fifty men died from exposure to the cold. The rest arrived in a half-dead state at Yarkand. Another party, turning back, reached Maryul in a helpless condition. Thus a body numbering five hundred men was again assembled, together with about 10,000 sheep. [For a time] we enjoyed a complete rest.