The Memoirs of Bābur 901.1

901.1

901 AH.—SEP. 21ST. 1495 TO SEP. 9TH. 1496 AD.[282] (_a. Sulṯān Ḥusain Mīrzā's campaign against Khusrau Shāh_). In the winter of this year, Sl. Ḥusain Mīrzā led his army out of Khurāsān against Ḥiṣār and went to opposite Tīrmīẕ. Sl. Mas`ūd Mīrzā, for his part, brought an army (from Ḥiṣār) and sat down over against him in Tīrmīẕ. Khusrau Shāh strengthened himself in Qūndūz and to help Sl. Mas`ūd Mīrzā sent his younger brother, Walī. They (_i.e._, the opposed forces) spent most of that winter on the river's banks, no crossing being effected. Sl. Ḥusain Mīrzā was a shrewd and experienced commander; he marched up the river,[283] his face set for Qūndūz and by this having put Sl. Mas`ūd Mīrzā off his guard, sent `Abdu'l-laṯīf _Bakhshī_ (pay-master) with 5 or 600 serviceable men, down the river to the Kilīf ferry. These crossed and had entrenched themselves on the other bank before Sl. Mas`ūd Mīrzā had heard of their movement. When he did hear of it, whether because of pressure put upon him by Bāqī _Chaghānīānī_ to spite (his half-brother) Walī, or whether from his own want of heart, he did not march against those who had crossed but disregarding Walī's urgency, at once broke up his camp and turned for Ḥiṣār.[284]