The Book of Akbar 222: CHAPTER XXXVIII.

222

arms so that they should not reach the skirt of the poor and needy in this city which was the first fruit of the Divine favour. God forbid that such a proper design should produce a cloud in the mind of the Shah. Inasmuch as it was a long march to Kabul and the Hazara and Afghans were more numerous than ants or locusts, and as they (the Persians) were stumbling-blocks in their path, and above all, as they were intriguing with M. Kamran, ‘the first thing to do was to get hold of a refuge so that their minds should be at rest. At this moment there was no place better for this purpose than Qandahar. It was therefore in accordance both with reason and justice that Budagh Khan be told that he must, nolens volens give up Qandahar. If he did not comply, the city must be besieged and taken possession of; and let a loving letter be written to the Shah, explanatory of the facts of the case and the necessities of the position, and replete with candour and friendship. As the noble Shah was a mine of wisdom and justice he would regard the transaction as one to be approved of. The leading spirit in this matter was Haji Muhammad, the son of Baba Qushqa. His Majesty Jahanbani said “I admit it all, but ’twere base to lay siege to the place, to unsheath the sword of battle, and to put a whole party to death. Though they ’ve left the path of moderation (i'tidal), I do not approve of immoderation (be-i'tidal) on the part of my servants. If this course be taken Budagh Khan’s men will perish, and such a result will look ill in the eyes of good men. It is much better that you devise some plan whereby we may get possession of the fort without war or tumult.” Accordingly he sent a messenger to Budagh Khan, with the request that as they were marching against Kabul he would keep M. ‘Askari in prison in Qandahar so that his Majesty’s mind might be at rest. Budagh Khan thought the proposal advantageous to himself and agreed to it. It was arranged that the courageous heroes of the battlefield should proceed to the environs of Qandahar and lie in ambush there and then suddenly, when they got an opportunity, should enter the fort. Bairam Khan and a body of troops were told off for the Gandigan Gate, while Ulugh Mirza, Haji Muhammad and another body of troops were deputed to the Mashur Gate, and Muayyad Beg and others were stationed near the New Gate. Those tigers of the jungle of courage made a rapid night-march and lay in ambush near Qandahar. When the “true dawn” appeared Haji Muhammad presented himself before all the others at the Mashur Gate. By chance some forage-camels were going in; he advanced under their cover, and tiger-like suddenly entered the gate. The warder saw him and challenged him. He said that he was bringing M. Askari by Budagh Khan’s orders so that he might be confined in the Fort. This pretext did not avail, and the warder was about to shut the gate when Haji Muhammad severed his arm with a blow of his sword. Some others came up from behind, and all the Persians who were there, and offered battle, were killed. Bairam Khan entered by the Gandigan Gate, and the Fort came into the possession of the King’s servants. The Persians fled and took refuge in the citadel. At midday his Majesty Jahanbani arrived and having entered by the Gandigan Gate took post at the Aqca (white) bastion. Thus that fortunate city became by the glory of his arrival an alighting stage of peace and tranquillity and a station of justice and beneficence. All, small and great, raised paeans of joy at this happy advent. Budagh Khan came forward, through the intervention of Haidar Sultan, and paid the homage of ashamedness and apologised for his offence. His Majesty encompassed him with princely favours and dismissed him. He made over the city to Bairam Khan and wrote to the Shah that as Budagh Khan had acted contrary to the Shah’s orders, and been slack in his duty, he had taken Qandahar from