The Memoirs of Bābur 925.11
The Bābur-nāma in English (A. S. Beveridge) 925.11
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(_ff. Incidents in Kābul._) In Court next morning Qulī Beg waited on me. He had been to Sl. Sa'īd Khān's presence in Kāshghar as my envoy. To him as envoy to me had been added Bīshka Mīrzā _Itārchī_[1514] who brought me gifts of the goods of that country. (_Oct. 25th_) On Wednesday the 1st of Ẕū'l-qa`da, I went by myself to Qābil's tomb[1515] and there took my morning. The people of the party came later by ones and twos. When the Sun waxed hot, we went to the Violet-garden and drank there, by the side of the reservoir. Mid-day coming on, we slept. At the Mid-day Prayer we drank again. At this mid-day party I gave wine to Tīngrī-qulī Beg and to Mahndī (?) to whom at any earlier party, wine had not been given. At the Bed-time [Sidenote: Fol. 246b.] Prayer, I went to the Hot-bath where I stayed the night. (_Oct. 26th_) On Thursday honorary dresses were bestowed on the Hindūstānī traders, headed by Yaḥya _Nūḥānī_, and they were allowed to go. (_Oct. 28th_) On Saturday the 4th, a dress and gifts were bestowed on Bīshka Mīrzā, who had come from Kāshghar, and he was given leave to go. (_Oct. 29th_) On Sunday there was a party in the little Picture-hall over the (Chār-bāgh) gate; small retreat though it is, 16 persons were present. (_gg. Excursion to the Koh-dāman._)
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(_Oct. 30th_) Today we went to Istālīf to see the harvest (_khizān_). Today was done the sin (? _irtikāb qīlīb aīdī_) of _ma'jūn_. Much rain fell; most of the begs and the household came into my tent, outside the Bāgh-i-kalān. (_Oct. 31st_) Next day there was a wine-party in the same garden, lasting till night. (_November 1st_) At dawn we took our morning (_ṣubāḥī ṣubūḥī qīldūk_) and got drunk, took a sleep, and at the Mid-day Prayer rode from Istālīf. On the road a confection was eaten. We reached Bih-zādī at the Other Prayer. The harvest-crops were very beautiful; while we were viewing them those disposed for wine began to agitate about it. The harvest-colour was extremely beautiful; wine was drunk, though _ma'jūn_ had been eaten, sitting under autumnal trees. The party lasted till the Bed-time Prayer. Khalīfa's Mullā Maḥmūd arriving, we had him summoned to join the party. `Abdu'l-lāh was very drunk [Sidenote: Fol. 247.] indeed; a word affecting Khalīfa (_ṯarfidīn_) being said, `Abdu'l-lāh forgot Mullā Maḥmūd and recited this line:— Regard whom thou wilt, he suffers from the same wound.[1516] Mullā Maḥmūd was sober; he blamed `Abdu'l-lāh for repeating that line in jest; `Abdu'l-lāh came to his senses, was troubled in mind, and after this talked and chatted very sweetly. Our excursion to view the harvest was over; we dismounted, close to the Evening Prayer, in the Chār-bāgh. (_Nov. 12th_) On Friday the 16th, after eating a confection
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with a few special people in the Violet-garden, we went on a boat. Humāyūn and Kāmrān were with us later; Humāyūn made a very good shot at a duck. (_hh. A Bohemian episode._) (_Nov. 14th_) On Saturday the 18th, I rode out of the Chār-bāgh at midnight, sent night-watch and groom back, crossed Mullā Bābā's bridge, got out by the Dīūrīn-narrows, round by the bāzārs and _kārez_ of Qūsh-nādur (var.), along the back of the Bear-house (_khirs-khāna_), and near sunrise reached Tardī Beg _Khāk-sār's[1517] kārez_. He ran out quickly on hearing of me. His shortness (_qālāshlīghī_) was known; I had taken 100 _shāhrukhīs_ (£5) with me; I gave him these and told him to get wine and other things ready as I had a fancy for a private and unrestrained party. He went for wine towards Bih-zādī[1518]; I sent my horse by his slave to the valley-bottom and sat down on the slope behind the _kārez_. At the first watch (9 a.m.) Tardī Beg brought [Sidenote: Fol. 247b.] a pitcher of wine which we drank by turns. After him came Muḥammad-i-qāsim _Barlās_ and Shāh-zāda who had got to know of his fetching the wine, and had followed him, their minds quite empty of any thought about me. We invited them to the party. Said Tardī Beg, "Hul-hul Anīga wishes to drink wine with you." Said I, "For my part, I never saw a woman drink wine; invite her." We also invited Shāhī a qalandar, and one of the _kārez_-men who played the rebeck. There was drinking till the Evening Prayer on the rising-ground behind the _kārez_;
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we then went into Tardī Beg's house and drank by lamp-light almost till the Bed-time Prayer. The party was quite free and unpretending. I lay down, the others went to another house and drank there till beat of drum (midnight). Hul-hul Anīga came in and made me much disturbance; I got rid of her at last by flinging myself down as if drunk. It was in my mind to put people off their guard, and ride off alone to Astar-ghach, but it did not come off because they got to know. In the end, I rode away at beat of drum, after letting Tardī Beg and Shāh-zāda know. We three mounted and made for Astar-ghach. (_Nov. 15th_) We reached Khwāja Ḥasan below Istālīf by the first prayer (_farẓ waqt_); dismounted for a while, ate a confection, [Sidenote: Fol. 248.] and went to view the harvest. When the Sun was up, we dismounted at a garden in Istālīf and ate grapes. We slept at Khwāja Shahāb, a dependency of Astar-ghach. Ātā, the Master of the Horse, must have had a house somewhere near, for before we were awake he had brought food and a pitcher of wine. The vintage was very fine. After drinking a few cups, we rode on. We next dismounted in a garden beautiful with autumn; there a party was held at which Khwāja Muḥammad Amīn joined us. Drinking went on till the Bed-time Prayer. During that day and night `Abdu'l-lāh, `Asas, Nūr Beg and Yūsuf-i-`alī all arrived from Kābul.
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(_Nov. 16th_) After food at dawn, we rode out and visited the Bāgh-i-pādshāhī below Astar-ghach. One young apple-tree in it had turned an admirable autumn-colour; on each branch were left 5 or 6 leaves in regular array; it was such that no painter trying to depict it could have equalled. After riding from Astar-ghach we ate at Khwāja Ḥasan, and reached Bih-zādī at the Evening Prayer. There we drank in the house of Khwāja Muḥ. Amīn's servant Imām-i-muḥammad. (_Nov. 17th_) Next day, Tuesday, we went into the Chār-bāgh of Kābul. (_Nov. 18th_) On Thursday the 23rd, having marched (_kūchūb_), the fort was entered. (_Nov. 19th_) On Friday Muḥammad `Alī (son of ?) Ḥaidar the stirrup-holder brought, as an offering, a _tūīgūn_[1519] he had caught. (_Nov. 20th_) On Saturday the 25th, there was a party in the Plane-tree garden from which I rose and mounted at the Bed-time Prayer. Sayyid Qāsim being in shame at past occurrences,[1520] we dismounted at his house and drank a few cups. [Sidenote: Fol. 248b.] (_Nov. 24th_) On Thursday the 1st of Ẕū'l-ḥijja, Tāju'd-dīn Maḥmūd, come from Qandahār, waited on me. (_Dec. 12th_) On Monday the 19th, Muḥ. `Alī _Jang-jang_ came from Nīl-āb. (_Dec. 13th_) On Tuesday the ... of the month, Sangar Khān _Janjūha_, come from Bhīra, waited on me. (_Dec. 16th_) On Friday the 23rd, I finished (copying?) the odes and couplets selected according to their measure from `Alī-sher Beg's four Dīwāns.[1521]
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(_Dec. 20th_) On Tuesday the 27th there was a social-gathering in the citadel, at which it was ordered that if any-one went out from it drunk, that person should not be invited to a party again. (_Dec. 23rd_) On Friday the 30th of Ẕū'l-ḥijja it was ridden out with the intention of making an excursion to Lamghān.