The Memoirs of Bābur 925.4
The Bābur-nāma in English (A. S. Beveridge) 925.4
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925.4.1
(_Author's note on Daulat Khān Yūsuf-khail._) This Tātār Khān, the father of Daulat Khān, was one of six or seven _sardārs_ who, sallying out and becoming dominant in Hindūstān, made Buhlūl Pādshāh. He held the country north of the Satluj (_sic_) and Sahrind,[1409] the revenues of which exceeded 3 _krūrs_.[1410] On Tātār Khān's death, Sl. Sikandar (_Lūdī_), as over-lord, took those countries from Tātār Khān's sons and gave Lāhūr only to Daulat Khān. That happened a year or two before I came into the country of Kābul (910 AH.). (_l. Bābur's journey resumed._) (_Feb. 22nd_) Next morning foragers were sent to several convenient places; on the same day I visited Bhīra; and on the same day Sangur Khān _Janjūha_ came, made offering of a horse, and did me obeisance. (_Feb. 23rd_) On Wednesday the 22nd of the month, the headmen and _chauderis_[1411] of Bhīra were summoned, a sum of 400,000 _shāhrukhīs_[1412] was agreed on as the price of peace _(māl-i-amān)_, and collectors were appointed. We also made an excursion, going in a boat and there eating a confection.
925.4.2
(_Feb. 24th_) Ḥaidar the standard-bearer had been sent to the Bilūchīs located in Bhīra and Khūsh-āb; on Thursday morning they made an offering of an almond-coloured _tīpūchāq_ [horse], and did obeisance. As it was represented to me that some of the soldiery were behaving without sense and were laying-hands on Bhīra people, persons were sent who caused some of those [Sidenote: Fol. 226.] senseless people to meet their death-doom, of others slit the noses and so led them round the camp. (_Feb. 25th_) On Friday came a dutiful letter from the Khūshābīs; on this Shāh Shujā` _Arghūn's_ son Shāh Ḥasan was appointed to go to Khūsh-āb. (_Feb. 26th_) On Saturday the 25th of the month,[1413] Shāh Ḥasan was started for Khūsh-āb.
925.4.3
(_Feb. 27th_) On Sunday so much rain fell[1414] that water covered all the plain. A small brackish stream[1415] flowing between Bhīra and the gardens in which the army lay, had become like a great river before the Mid-day Prayer; while at the ford near Bhīra there was no footing for more than an arrow's flight; people crossing had to swim. In the afternoon I rode out to watch the water coming down (_kīrkān sū_); the rain and storm were such that on the way back there was some fear about getting in to camp. I crossed that same water (_kīrkān sū_) with my horse swimming. The army-people were much alarmed; most of them abandoned tents and heavy baggage, shouldered armour, horse-mail and arms, made their horses swim and crossed bare-back. Most streams flooded the plain. (_Feb. 28th_) Next day boats were brought from the river (Jehlam), and in these most of the army brought their tents and baggage over. Towards mid-day, Qūj Beg's men went 2 miles up the water and there found a ford by which the rest crossed. [Sidenote: Fol. 226b.] (_March 1st_) After a night spent in Bhīra-fort, Jahān-nūma they call it, we marched early on the Tuesday morning out of the worry of the rain-flood to the higher ground north of Bhīra.
925.4.4
As there was some delay about the moneys asked for and agreed to (_taqabbul_), the country was divided into four districts and the begs were ordered to try to make an end of the matter. Khalīfa was appointed to one district, Qūj Beg to another, Nāṣir's Dost to another, Sayyid Qāsim and Muḥibb-i-`alī to another. Picturing as our own the countries once occupied by the Turk, there was to be no over-running or plundering. (_m. Envoys sent to the court in Dihlī._)
925.4.5
(_March 3rd_) People were always saying, "It could do no harm to send an envoy, for peace' sake, to countries that once depended on the Turk." Accordingly on Thursday the 1st of Rabī`u'l-awwal, Mullā Murshid was appointed to go to Sl. Ibrāhīm who through the death of his father Sl. Iskandar had attained to rule in Hindūstān some 5 or 6 months earlier(?). I sent him a goshawk (_qārchīgha_) and asked for the countries which from of old had depended on the Turk. Mullā Murshid was given charge of writings (_khāṯt̤lār_) for Daulat Khān (_Yūsuf-khail_) and writings for Sl. Ibrāhīm; matters were sent also by word-of-mouth; and he was given leave to go. Far from sense and wisdom, shut off from judgment and counsel must people in Hindūstān be, the Afghāns above all; for they could not move and make stand like a foe, nor did they know ways and rules of friendliness. [Sidenote: Fol. 227.] Daulat Khān kept my man several days in Lāhūr without seeing him himself or speeding him on to Sl. Ibrāhīm; and he came back to Kābul a few months later without bringing a reply. (_n. Birth of Hind-āl._) (_March 4th_) On Friday the 2nd of the month, the foot-soldiers Shaibak and Darwesh-i-`alī,—he is now a matchlockman,—bringing dutiful letters from Kābul, brought news also of Hind-āl's birth. As the news came during the expedition into Hindūstān, I took it as an omen, and gave the name Hind-āl (Taking of Hind). Dutiful letters came also from Muḥammad-i-zamān M. in Balkh, by the hand of Qaṃbar Beg.
925.4.6
(_March 5th_) Next morning when the Court rose, we rode out for an excursion, entered a boat and there drank _`araq_.[1416] The people of the party were Khwāja Dost-khāwand, Khusrau, Mīrīm, Mīrzā Qulī, Muḥammadī, Aḥmadī, Gadāī, Na`man, Langar Khān, Rauh-dam,[1417] Qāsim-i-`alī the opium-eater (_tariyākī_), Yūsuf-i-`alī and Tīngrī-qulī. Towards the head of the boat there was a _tālār_[1418] on the flat top of which I sat with a few people, a few others sitting below. There was a sitting-place also at the tail of the boat; there Muḥammadī, Gadāī and Na`man sat. _`Araq_ was drunk till the Other Prayer when, disgusted by its bad flavour, by consent of those at the head of the boat, _ma'jūn_ was preferred. [Sidenote: Fol. 227b.] Those at the other end, knowing nothing about our _ma'jūn_ drank _`araq_ right through. At the Bed-time Prayer we rode from the boat and got into camp late.
925.4.7
Thinking I had been drinking _`araq_ Muḥammadī and Gadāī had said to one another, "Let's do befitting service," lifted a pitcher of _`araq_ up to one another in turn on their horses, and came in saying with wonderful joviality and heartiness and speaking together, "Through this dark night have we come carrying this pitcher in turns!" Later on when they knew that the party was (now) meant to be otherwise and the hilarity to differ, that is to say, that [there would be that] of the _ma'jūn_ band and that of the drinkers, they were much disturbed because never does a _ma'jūn_ party go well with a drinking-party. Said I, "Don't upset the party! Let those who wish to drink _`araq_, drink _`araq_; let those who wish to eat _ma'jūn_, eat _ma'jūn_. Let no-one on either side make talk or allusion to the other." Some drank _`araq_, some ate _ma'jūn_, and for a time the party went on quite politely. Bābā Jān the _qabūz_-player had not been of our party (in the boat); we invited him when we reached the tents. He asked to drink _`araq_. We invited Tardī Muḥammad _Qībchāq_ also and made him a comrade of the drinkers. A _ma'jūn_ party never goes well with an _`araq_ or a wine-party; the drinkers began to make wild talk and chatter from all sides, mostly in allusion to _ma'jūn_ and _ma'jūnīs_. Bābā Jān even, when drunk, said many wild things. The drinkers soon made Tardī Khān mad-drunk, by giving him one full bowl after another. Try as we did [Sidenote: Fol.
925.4.8
228.] to keep things straight, nothing went well; there was much disgusting uproar; the party became intolerable and was broken up. (_March 7th_) On Monday the 5th of the month, the country of Bhīra was given to Hindū Beg. (_March 8th_) On Tuesday the Chīn-āb country was bestowed on Ḥusain _Aīkrak_(?) and leave was given to him and the Chīn-āb people to set out. At this time Sayyid `Alī Khān's son Minūchihr Khān, having let us know (his intention), came and waited on me. He had started from Hindūstān by the upper road, had met in with Tātār Khān _Kakar_;[1419] Tātār Khān had not let him pass on, but had kept him, made him a son-in-law by giving him his own daughter, and had detained him for some time. (_o. The Kakars._)
925.4.9
In amongst the mountains of Nīl-āb and Bhīra which connect with those of Kashmīr, there are, besides the Jūd and Janjūha tribes, many Jats, Gujūrs, and others akin to them, seated in villages everywhere on every rising-ground. These are governed by headmen of the Kakar tribes, a headship like that over the Jūd and Janjūha. At this time (925 AH.) the headmen of the people of those hill-skirts were Tātār _Kakar_ and Hātī _Kakar_, two descendants of one forefather; being paternal-uncles' sons.[1420] Torrent-beds and ravines are their strongholds. Tātār's place, named Parhāla,[1421] is a good deal below the snow-mountains; Hātī's country connects with the mountains and also he had made Bābū Khān's fief Kālanjar,[1422] look towards himself. Tātār [Sidenote: Fol. 228b.] _Kakar_ had seen Daulat Khān (_Yūsuf-khail_) and looked to him with complete obedience. Hātī had not seen Daulat Khān; his attitude towards him was bad and turbulent. At the word of the Hindūstān begs and in agreement with them, Tātār had so posted himself as to blockade Hātī from a distance. Just when we were in Bhīra, Hātī moved on pretext of hunting, fell unexpectedly on Tātār, killed him, and took his country, his wives and his having (_būlghāni_).[1423]