The Memoirs of Bābur 926.1
The Bābur-nāma in English (A. S. Beveridge) 926.1
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926.1.1
926 AH.-DEC. 23RD 1519 TO DEC. 12TH 1520 AD.[1522] (_a. Excursion to the Koh-dāman and Kohistān._) (_Dec. 23rd_) On Saturday Muḥarram 1st Khwāja Sih-yārān was reached. A wine-party was had on the bank of the conduit, where this comes out on the hill.[1523] (_Dec. 24th_) Riding on next morning (2nd), we visited the moving sands (_reg-i-rawān_). A party was held in Sayyid Qāsim's _Bulbul's_ house.[1524] (_Dec. 25th_) Riding on from there, we ate a confection (_ma'jūn_), went further and dismounted at Bilkir (?). (_Dec. 26th_) At dawn (4th) we made our morning [_ṣubāḥī ṣubūḥī qīldūk_], although there might be drinking at night. We rode on at the Mid-day Prayer, dismounted at Dūr-nāma[1525] and there had a wine party. (_Dec. 27th_) We took our morning early. Ḥaq-dād, the headman of Dūr-namā made me an offering (_pesh-kash_) of his garden. (_Dec. 28th_) Riding thence on Thursday (6th), we dismounted at the villages of the Tājiks in Nijr-aū. (_Dec. 29th_) On Friday (7th) we hunted the hill between Forty-ploughs (_Chihil-qulba_) and the water of Bārān; many deer fell. [Sidenote: Fol. 249.] I had not shot an arrow since my hand was hurt; now, with an easy[1526] bow, I shot a deer in the shoulder, the arrow going in to half up the feather. Returning from hunting, we went on at the Other Prayer in Nijr-aū. (_Dec. 30th_) Next day (Saturday 8th) the tribute of the Nijr-aū people was fixed at 60 gold mis̤qāls.[1527]
926.1.2
(_Jan. 1st_) On Monday (10th) we rode on intending to visit Lamghān.[1528] I had expected Humāyūn to go with us, but as he inclined to stay behind, leave was given him from Kūra-pass. We went on and dismounted in Badr-aū (Tag-aū). (_b. Excursions in Lamghān._) (_Jan. ..._) Riding on, we dismounted at Aūlūgh-nūr.[1529] The fishermen there took fish at one draught[1530] from the water of Bārān. At the Other Prayer (afternoon) there was drinking on the raft; and there was drinking in a tent after we left the raft at the Evening Prayer. Ḥaidar the standard-bearer had been sent from Dāwar[1531] to the Kāfirs; several Kāfir headmen came now to the foot of Bād-i-pīch (pass), brought a few goat-skins of wine, and did obeisance. In descending that pass a surprising number of ...[1532] was seen. (_Jan. ..._) Next day getting on a raft, we ate a confection, got off below Būlān and went to camp. There were two rafts. (_Jan. 5th_) Marching on Friday (14th), we dismounted below Mandrāwar on the hill-skirt. There was a late wine-party.
926.1.3
(_Jan. 6th_) On Saturday (15th), we passed through the Darūta narrows by raft, got off a little above Jahān-namā'ī (Jalālābād) and went to the Bāgh-i-wafā in front of Adīnapūr. When we were leaving the raft the governor of Nīngnahār Qayyām Aūrdū Shāh came and did obeisance. Langar Khān _Nīā-zāī_,—he had [Sidenote: Fol. 249b.] been in Nīl-āb for a time,—waited upon me on the road. We dismounted in the Bāgh-i-wafā; its oranges had yellowed beautifully; its spring-bloom was well-advanced, and it was very charming. We stayed in it five or six days. As it was my wish and inclination (_jū dagh-dagha_)to return to obedience (_tā'ib_) in my 40th year, I was drinking to excess now that less than a year was left. (_Jan. 7th_) On Sunday the 16th, having made my morning (_ṣubūḥī_) and became sober. Mullā Yārak played an air he had composed in five-time and in the five-line measure (_makhammas_), while I chose to eat a confection (_ma'jūn_). He had composed an excellent air. I had not occupied myself with such things for some time; a wish to compose came over me now, so I composed an air in four-time, as will be mentioned in time.[1533]
926.1.4
(_Jan. 10th_) On Wednesday (19th) it was said for fun, while we were making our morning (_ṣubūḥī_), "Let whoever speaks like a Sārt (_i.e._ in Persian) drink a cup." Through this many drank. At _sunnat-waqt_[1534] again, when we were sitting under the willows in the middle of the meadow, it was said, "Let whoever speaks like a Turk, drink a cup!" Through this also numbers drank. After the sun got up, we drank under the orange-trees on the reservoir-bank. (_Jan. 11th_) Next day (20th) we got on a raft from Darūta; got off again below Jūī-shāhī and went to Atar. (_Jan...._) We rode from there to visit Nūr-valley, went as far as Sūsān (lily)-village, then turned back and dismounted in Amla. [Sidenote: Fol. 250.] (_Jan. 14th_) As Khwāja Kalān had brought Bajaur into good order, and as he was a friend of mine, I had sent for him and had made Bajaur over to Shāh Mīr Ḥusain's charge. On Saturday the 22nd of the month (Muḥarram), Shāh Mīr Ḥusain was given leave to go. That day in Amla we drank. (_Jan. 15th_) It rained (_yāmghūr yāghdūrūb_) next day (23rd). When we reached Kula-grām in Kūnār[1535] where Malik `Alī's house is, we dismounted at his middle son's house, overlooking an orange-orchard. We did not go into the orchard because of the rain but just drank where we were. The rain was very heavy. I taught Mullā `Alī Khān a ṯalisman I knew; he wrote it on four pieces of paper and hung them on four sides; as he did it, the rain stopped and the air began to clear.
926.1.5
(_Jan. 16th_) At dawn (24th) we got on a raft; on another several braves went. People in Bajaur, Sawād, Kūnār and thereabouts make a beer (_bīr būza_)[1536] the ferment of which is a thing they call _kīm_.[1537] This _kīm_ they make of the roots of herbs and several simples, shaped like a loaf, dried and kept by them. Some sorts of beer are surprisingly exhilarating, but bitter and distasteful. We had thought of drinking beer but, because of its bitter taste, preferred a confection. `Asas, Ḥasan _Aīkirik_,[1538] and Mastī, on the other raft, were ordered to drink some; they did so and became quite drunk. Ḥasan _Aīkirik_ set up a disgusting disturbance; `Asas, very drunk, did such [Sidenote: Fol. 250b.] unpleasant things that we were most uncomfortable (_ba tang_). I thought of having them put off on the far side of the water, but some of the others begged them off. I had sent for Khwāja Kalān at this time and had bestowed Bajaur on Shāh Mīr Ḥusain. For why? Khwāja Kalān was a friend; his stay in Bajaur had been long; moreover the Bajaur appointment appeared an easy one. At the ford of the Kūnār-water Shāh Mīr Ḥusain met me on his way to Bajaur. I sent for him and said a few trenchant words, gave him some special armour, and let him go. Opposite Nūr-gal (Rock-village) an old man begged from those on the rafts; every-one gave him something, coat (_tūn_), turban, bathing-cloth and so on, so he took a good deal away.
926.1.6
At a bad place in mid-stream the raft struck with a great shock; there was much alarm; it did not sink but Mīr Muḥammad the raftsman was thrown into the water. We were near Atar that night. (_Jan. 17th_) On Tuesday (25th) we reached Mandrāwar.[1539] Qūtlūq-qadam and his father had arranged a party inside the fort; though the place had no charm, a few cups were drunk there to please them. We went to camp at the Other Prayer. (_Jan. 18th_) On Wednesday (26th) an excursion was made to Kind-kir[1540] spring. Kind-kir is a dependent village of the Mandrāwar _tūmān_, the one and only village of the Lamghānāt [Sidenote: Fol. 251.] where dates are grown. It lies rather high on the mountain-skirt, its date lands on its east side. At one edge of the date lands is the spring, in a place aside (_yān yīr_). Six or seven yards below the spring-head people have heaped up stones to make a shelter[1541] for bathing and by so-doing have raised the water in the reservoir high enough for it to pour over the heads of the bathers. The water is very soft; it is felt a little cold in wintry days but is pleasant if one stays in it. (_Jan. 19th_) On Thursday (27th) Sher Khān _Tarkalānī_ got us to dismount at his house and there gave us a feast (_ẓiyāfat_). Having ridden on at the Mid-day Prayer, fish were taken out of the fish-ponds of which particulars have been given.[1542] (_Jan. 20th_) On Friday (28th) we dismounted near Khwāja Mīr-i-mīrān's village. A party was held there at the Evening Prayer.
926.1.7
(_Jan. 21st_) On Saturday (29th) we hunted the hill between `Alī-shang and Alangār. One hunting-circle having been made on the `Alī-shang side, another on the Alangār, the deer were driven down off the hill and many were killed. Returning from hunting, we dismounted in a garden belonging to the Maliks of Alangār and there had a party. Half of one of my front-teeth had broken off, the other half remaining; this half broke off today while I was eating food. (_Jan. 22nd_) At dawn (Ṣafar 1st) we rode out and had a fishing-net cast, at mid-day went into `Alī-shang and drank in a garden.