The Book of Akbar 248: CHAPTER XLV.

248

Baba Qushqa, Qasim Husain Sultan, Tardi Beg, Muhammad Quli Barlas, 'Ali Quli Sultan, Mir Latif, and Haidar Muhammad Culi were sent as an advance-guard. As soon as they had crossed the Hindu Koh, Mahdi Sultan, Tardi Muhammad Jang Jang, and the party who were in the fort of Andarab, fled. In accordance with the royal orders, Tardi Beg and Muhammad Quli Barlas hastened to Khost in order to seize the families of the fugitives which were there. M. Kamran, being drunk with the wine of arrogance, was in Qil'a Zafar. Though the runaway officers in Taliqan requested the Mirza to guard the roads, and to block the route from Kabul, they were not successful. Mulla Khirad Zargar, who was then in close contact with M. Kamran, and was a constant sedition-monger, made great efforts in this respect, but could not attain his object. At last Qaraca Khan and his party took the precaution to send Musahib Beg to bring the families from Khost, lest a force should come from Kabul and make them prisoners. Just at this time Tardi Beg and Muhammad Quli arrived at Khost, and Musahib Beg took off the families to Taliqan. Apparently this was done by the connivance which is the result of long service.
When the royal standards approached Andarab, M. Hindal arrived from Qanduz, and brought in Sher 'Ali as a prisoner. His Majesty Jahanbani honoured the Mirza with various favours. Among these was that he should pay his respects on horseback. The short account of the affair of Sher 'Ali is that before the arrival of the imperial troops in the Badakhshanat, and when M. Kamran was in power there, Sher 'Ali in his arrogance always behaved disrespectfully to the Mirza, and urged the taking of Qanduz and the bringing in of M. Hindal. At last the Mirza appointed him to Qanduz, and M. Hindal by the royal good fortune succeeded in making him prisoner. The thing happened thus. One night many of the infantry soldiers of Qanduz surrounded his house (tent ?).
He fled and flung himself into the river, and broke his arm, and was caught in his own snare. When the Mirza brought him before his Majesty Jahanbani, the latter did not regard his improper actions, and drew the pen of forgiveness over his offences, and having given him a robe of honour nominated him to Ghori. For his far-seeing mind looked to his nature and his capabilities, and as he found in him manliness and administrative ability, he passed over so many great crimes, each of which was deserving of condign punishment, and distinguished him by favours. For in the scales of appreciation he found that the subjects of reward were more than those of retribution.
After M. Hindal had been honoured by royal favours, an order was issued that Haji Muhammad Khan and a number of others should advance as a vanguard and that the Mirza should head them. All were to obey the Mirza—who would always be a supporter of dominion—and not to fail in good service, so that each might be rewarded in proportion thereto. In the middle of Jumada-al-akhir 955, 22nd May, 1548, the camp reached the Qazi’s Alang, which is a village of Andarab. The Qazi of Andarab and the men of the Tuqbai and Salqanci tribes, and the Balucis and a number of soldiers and of the Aimaqs of Badakhshan, and of the servants of Musahib Beg did homage, and received royal favours. From thence the army proceeded, march after march, to Taliqan. Most of the fugitive officers, as well as Mirza ‘Abdullah and a number of M. Kamran’s men, were in garrison there. An order was issued to M. Hindal and the officers with him to cross the Bangi river and engage. Just then M. Kamran hastily brought his men from