[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Indian literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in) › [Dark Ages](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages) › [Mughals (1526–1857)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.mughal) › [Bābur (1526–1530)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.mughal.babur) › [Bāburnāma](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.mughal.babur.baburnama) › [The Babur-nama in English (A. S. Beveridge)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.mughal.babur.baburnama~en-beveridge) › 908.1.2 # The Memoirs of Bābur 908.1.2 The Bābur-nāma in English (A. S. Beveridge) 908.1.2 - **Language:** English ### [908.1.2](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.mughal.babur.baburnama~en-beveridge.908.1.2) This uncertainty and want of house and home drove me at last to despair. Said I, 'It would be better to take my head\[610\] and go off than live in such misery; better to go as far as my feet can carry me than be seen of men in such poverty and humiliation.' Having settled on China to go to, I resolved to take my head and get away. From my childhood up I had wished to visit China but had not been able to manage it because of ruling and attachments. Now sovereignty itself was gone! and my mother, for her part, was re-united to her (step)-mother and her younger brother. The hindrances to my journey had been removed; my anxiety for my mother was dispelled. I represented (to Shāh Begīm and The Khān) through Khwāja Abū'l-makāram that now such a foe as Shaibāq Khān had made his appearance, Mughūl and Turk\[611\] alike must guard against him; that thought about him must be taken while he had not well-mastered the (Aūzbeg) horde or grown very strong, for as they have said;—\[612\] To-day, while thou canst, quench the fire, Once ablaze it will burn up the world; Let thy foe not fix string to his bow, While an arrow of thine can pierce him; that it was 20 or 25 years\[613\] since they had seen the Younger Khān (Aḥmad \_Alacha\_) and that I had never seen him; should I be able, if I went to him, not only to see him myself, but to bring about the meeting between him and them? - [Previous: 908.1.1](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.mughal.babur.baburnama~en-beveridge.908.1.1) - [Next: 908.1.3](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.mughal.babur.baburnama~en-beveridge.908.1.3) - [Up: 908.1](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.mughal.babur.baburnama~en-beveridge.908.1) --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.mughal.babur.baburnama~en-beveridge.908.1.2](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.mughal.babur.baburnama~en-beveridge.908.1.2) · Pramāṇa