The Rashīdī History 244.4

244.4

"I will now lay before you what seems to me your wisest course. It involves great hardships, but it is you who have made hard what was once easy. And moreover, if you do not bear patiently your present troubles, they will become yet more onerous. My advice is as follows: Shir Khan will still take four months to reach Lahur. During these four months, the mountain slopes of Hindustan should be given to the Sultans, and each one, in proportion to his share, should be made to pledge his allegiance. "Let every man attend to the particular business to which he has been appointed. Let me, for instance, be appointed to the task of subduing Kashmir, and I engage that within two months I will accomplish it. As soon as you hear of my arrival in Kashmir, let every one send his family and baggage thither, while he betakes himself to the mountains, and forms a strong position on the slopes—from the hills of Sarind to those [occupied by] Sarang. The mortars [dig] and swivels [zarb-zan] of Shir Khan are the mainstay of his fighting power. It is impossible to bring gun-carriages into the hills, and he will not hazard a battle without them. His army, from stress of numbers, will perish for want of grain, and must perforce retreat." Kámrán Mirza, frowning at these words, said: "Although what you recommend is plausible enough, it involves difficulties too great." I replied: "When I began, I represented, in excuse for myself, that the business was a difficult one.