The Book of Akbar 129.2

129.2

The third time, on Monday, 1 Muharram 925 (3rd Jan., 1519), while the army was marching against Bajaur, there was a great earthquake which lasted for half a sidereal hour. Sultan 'Ala'u-d-din Siwādī (of Swat) arrived as an envoy on the part of Sultan Yais Siwādī. In a short time, the fort of Bajaur was captured and was presented to Khwaja Kilan Beg, son of Maulana Muhammad Sadr, who had been one of the great officers under Mirza 'Umar Shaikh. This Khwaja was related to his Majesty in a singular manner for his six brothers had given their lives in his service. He himself was a special protege of his Majesty on account of his wisdom and sagacity. When his Majesty was contemplating the Siwad (Swat) expedition and the conquest of the Yusufzais, Taus Khan, the younger brother of Shah Mansur, who was chieftain of the Yusufzai tribe, brought the latter's daughter and uttered words of humility and submission. There was also a difficulty about supplies of corn in that country of wild beasts. His (Babar's) fixed determination too was to undertake the expedition to Hindustan. He turned his rein from Siwad. Although the preparations for the march to India had not been made and the officers were not in favour of it, he lighted the torch of courage and set forth for the tenebrous regions of Hindustan. On the morning of Thursday, 16 Muharram, he crossed the river (Indus) with horses, camels and baggage, while the camp (urdu) bazar was floated across on rafts. They encamped at Kacakot.