The Memoirs of Bābur 925.11.3

925.11.3

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_;