The Memoirs of Bābur 925.9
The Bābur-nāma in English (A. S. Beveridge) 925.9
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925.9.1
(_August 5th_) On Friday the 8th Kīpa returned from the presence of Mīrzā Khān. (_aa. Excursion to the Koh-dāman._) (_August 11th_) On Thursday at the Other Prayer, I mounted for an excursion to the Koh-dāman, Bārān and Khwāja Sih-yārān.[1480] At the Bed-time Prayer, we dismounted at Māmā Khātūn.[1481] (_August 12th_) Next day we dismounted at Istālīf; a confection was eaten on that day. (_August 13th_) On Saturday there was a wine-party at Istālīf. (_August 14th_) Riding at dawn from Istālīf, we crossed the space between it and the Sinjid-valley. Near Khwāja Sih-yārān a great snake was killed as thick, it may be, as the fore-arm and as long as a _qūlāch_.[1482] From its inside came out a slenderer snake, that seemed to have been just swallowed, every part of it being [Sidenote: Fol. 240b.] whole; it may have been a little shorter than the larger one. From inside this slenderer snake came out a little mouse; it too was whole, broken nowhere.[1483] On reaching Khwāja Sih-yārān there was a wine-party. Today orders were written and despatched by Kīch-kīna the night-watch (_tūnqṯār_) to the begs on that side (_i.e._ north of Hindū-kush), giving them a rendezvous and saying, "An army is being got to horse, take thought, and come to the rendezvous fixed."
925.9.2
(_August 15th_) We rode out at dawn and ate a confection. At the infall of the Parwān-water many fish were taken in the local way of casting a fish-drug into the water.[1484] Mīr Shāh Beg set food and water (_āsh u āb_) before us; we then rode on to Gul-bahār. At a wine-party held after the Evening Prayer, Darwīsh-i-muḥammad (_Sārbān_) was present. Though a young man and a soldier, he had not yet committed the sin (_irtqāb_) of wine, but was in obedience (_tā'ib_). Qūtlūq Khwāja _Kūkūldāsh_ had long before abandoned soldiering to become a darwīsh; moreover he was very old, his very beard was quite white; nevertheless he took his share of wine at these parties. Said I to Darwīsh-i-muḥammad, "Qūtlūq Khwāja's beard shames you! He, a darwīsh and an old man, always drinks wine; you, a soldier, a young man, your beard quite black, never drink! What does it mean?" My custom being not to press wine on a non-drinker, with so much said, it all passed off as a joke; he was not pressed to drink. (_August 16th_) At dawn we made our morning (_ṣubāḥī ṣubūḥī qīldūk_). (_August 17th_) Riding on Wednesday from Gul-i-bahār, we [Sidenote: Fol. 241.] dismounted in Abūn-village[1485], ate food, remounted, went to a summer-house in the orchards (_bāghāt-i-kham_) and there dismounted. There was a wine-party after the Mid-day Prayer.
925.9.3
(_August 18th_) Riding on next day, we made the circuit of Khwāja Khāwand Sa`īd's tomb, went to China-fort and there got on a raft. Just where the Panjhīr-water comes in, the raft struck the naze of a hill and began to sink. Rauḥ-dam, Tīngrī-qulī and Mīr Muḥammad the raftsman were thrown into the water by the shock; Rauḥ-dam and Tīngrī-qulī were got on the raft again; a China cup and a spoon and a ṯambour went into the water. Lower down, the raft struck again opposite the Sang-i-barīda (the cut-stone), either on a branch in mid-stream or on a stake stuck in as a stop-water (_qāqghān qāzūq_). Right over on his back went Shāh Beg's Shāh Ḥasan, clutching at Mīrzā Qulī Kūkūldāsh and making him fall too. Darwīsh-i-muḥammad _Sārbān_ was also thrown into the water. Mīrzā Qulī went over in his own fashion! Just when he fell, he was cutting a melon which he had in his hand; as he went over, he stuck his knife into the mat of the raft. He swam in his _tūn aūfrāghī_[1486] and got out of the water without coming on the raft again. Leaving it that night, we slept at raftsmen's houses. Darwīsh-i-muḥammad _Sārbān_ presented me with a seven-coloured cup exactly like the one lost in the water.
925.9.4
(_August 19th_) On Friday we rode away from the river's bank and dismounted below Aīndīkī on the skirt of Koh-i-bacha where, with our own hands, we gathered plenty of tooth-picks.[1487] [Sidenote: Fol. 241b.] Passing on, food was eaten at the houses of the Khwāja Khiẓr people. We rode on and at the Mid-day Prayer, dismounted in a village of Qūtlūq Khwāja's fief in Lamghān where he made ready a hasty meal (_mā ḥaẓirī_); after partaking of this, we mounted and went to Kābul. (_bb. Various incidents._) (_August 22nd_) On Monday the 25th, a special honorary dress and a saddled horse were bestowed on Darwīsh-i-muḥammad _Sārbān_ and he was made to kneel as a retainer (_naukar_). (_August 24th_) For 4 or 5 months I had not had my head shaved; on Wednesday the 27th, I had it done. Today there was a wine-party. (_August 26th_) On Friday the 29th, Mīr Khūrd was made to kneel as Hind-āl's guardian.[1488] He made an offering of 1000 _shāhrukhīs_ (_circa_ £50). (_August 31st_) On Wednesday the 5th of Ramẓān, a dutiful letter was brought by Tūlik Kūkūldāsh's servant Barlās Jūkī(?). Aūzbeg raiders had gone into those parts (Badakhshān); Tūlik had gone out, fought and beaten them. Barlās Jūkī brought one live Aūzbeg and one head. (_Sep. 2nd_) In the night of Saturday the 8th, we broke our fast[1489] in Qāsim Beg's house; he led out a saddled horse for me. (_Sep. 3rd_) On Sunday night the fast was broken in Khalīfa's house; he offered me a saddled horse.
925.9.5
(_Sep. 4th_) Next day came Khwāja Muḥ. `Alī and Jān-i-nāṣir who had been summoned from their districts for the good of the army.[1490] (_Sep. 7th_) On Wednesday the 12th, Kāmrān's maternal uncle [Sidenote: Fol. 242.] Sl. `Alī Mīrzā arrived.[1491] As has been mentioned,[1492] he had gone to Kāshghar in the year I came from Khwāst into Kābul. (_cc. A Yūsuf-zāī campaign._) (_Sep. 8th_) We rode out on Thursday the 13th of the month of Ramẓān, resolved and determined to check and ward off the Yūsuf-zāī, and we dismounted in the meadow on the Dih-i-yaq`ūb side of Kābul. When we were mounting, the equerry Bābā Jān led forward a rather good-for-nothing horse; in my anger I struck him in the face a blow which dislocated my fist below the ring-finger.[1493] The pain was not much at the time, but was rather bad when we reached our encampment-ground. For some time I suffered a good deal and could not write. It got well at last. To this same assembly-ground were brought letters and presents (_bīlāk_) from my maternal-aunt Daulat-sulṯān Khānīm[1494] in Kāshghar, by her foster-brother Daulat-i-muḥammad. On the same day Bū Khān and Mūsa, chiefs of the Dilazāk, came, bringing tribute, and did obeisance. (_Sep. 11th_) On Sunday the 16th Qūj Beg came. (_Sep. 14th_) Marching on Wednesday the 19th we passed through Būt-khāk and, as usual, dismounted on the Būt-khāk water.[1495]
925.9.6
As Qūj Beg's districts, Bāmīān, Kāh-mard and Ghūrī, are close to the Aūzbeg, he was excused from going with this army and given leave to return to them from this ground. I bestowed on him a turban twisted for myself, and also a head-to-foot (_bāsh-ayāq_). (_Sep. 16th_) On Friday the 21st, we dismounted at Badām-chashma. [Sidenote: Fol. 242b.] (_Sep. 17th_) Next day we dismounted on the Bārīk-āb, I reaching the camp after a visit to Qarā-tū. On this ground honey was obtained from a tree. (_Sep. 20th_) We went on march by march till Wednesday the 26th, and dismounted in the Bāgh-i-wafā. (_Sep. 21st_) Thursday we just stayed in the garden.
925.9.7
(_Sep. 22nd_) On Friday we marched out and dismounted beyond Sulṯānpūr. Today Shāh Mīr Ḥusain came from his country. Today came also Dilazāk chiefs under Bū Khān and Mūsa. My plan had been to put down the Yūsuf-zāī in Sawād, but these chiefs set forth to me that there was a large horde (_aūlūs_) in Hash-naghar and that much corn was to be had there. They were very urgent for us to go to Hash-naghar. After consultation the matter was left in this way:—As it is said there is much corn in Hash-naghar, the Afghāns there shall be overrun; the forts of Hash-naghar and Parashāwar shall be put into order; part of the corn shall be stored in them and they be left in charge of Shāh Mīr Ḥusain and a body of braves. To suit Shāh Mīr Ḥusain's convenience in this, he was given 15 days leave, with a rendezvous named for him to come to after going to his country and preparing his equipment. (_Sep. 23rd_) Marching on next day, we reached Jūī-shāhī and there dismounted. On this ground Tīngrī-bīrdī and Sl. Muḥammad _Dūldāī_ overtook us. Today came also Ḥamza from Qūndūz.[1496]
925.9.8
(_Sep. 25th_) On Sunday the last day of the month (Ramẓān), we marched from Jūī-shāhī and dismounted at Qīrīq-arīq (forty-conduits), [Sidenote: Fol. 243.] I going by raft, with a special few. The new moon of the Feast was seen at that station.[1497] People had brought a few beast-loads of wine from Nūr-valley;[1498] after the Evening Prayer there was a wine-party, those present being Muḥibb-i-`alī the armourer, Khwāja Muḥ. `Alī the librarian, Shāh Beg's Shāh Ḥasan, Sl. Muḥ. _Dūldāī_ and Darwīsh-i-muḥ. _Sārbān,_ then obedient (_tā'ib_). From my childhood up it had been my rule not to press wine on a non-drinker; Darwīsh-i-muḥammad was at every party and no pressure was put on him (by me), but Khwāja Muḥ. `Alī left him no choice; he pressed him and pressed him till he made him drink.