The Memoirs of Bābur 932.15
The Bābur-nāma in English (A. S. Beveridge) 932.15
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932.15.1
Loathing Hindūstān, Khwāja Kalān, when on his way, had the following couplet inscribed on the wall of his residence [Sidenote: Fol. 296.] (_`imāratī_) in Dihlī:— If safe and sound I cross the Sind, Blacken my face ere I wish for Hind! It was ill-mannered in him to compose and write up this partly-jesting verse while I still stayed in Hind. If his departure caused me one vexation, such a jest doubled it.[1930] I composed the following off-hand verse, wrote it down and sent it to him:— Give a hundred thanks, Bābur, that the generous Pardoner Has given thee Sind and Hind and many a kingdom. If thou (_i.e._ the Khwāja) have not the strength for their heats, If thou say, "Let me see the cold side (_yūz_)," Ghaznī is there.[1931] (_f. Accretions to Bābur's force._) At this juncture, Mullā Apāq was sent into Kūl with royal letters of favour for the soldiers and quiver-wearers (_tarkash-band_) of that neighbourhood. Shaikh Gūran (G'hūran)[1932] came trustfully and loyally to do obeisance, bringing with him from 2 to 3,000 soldiers and quiver-wearers from Between-two-waters (_Mīān-dū-āb_). (_Author's note on Mullā Apāq._) Formerly he had been in a very low position indeed, but two or three years before this time, had gathered his elder and younger brethren into a compact body and had brought them in (to me), together with the Aūrūq-zāī and other Afghāns of the banks of the Sind.
932.15.2
Yūnas-i-`alī when on his way from Dihlī to Āgra[1933] had lost his way a little and got separated from Humāyūn; he then met in with `Alī Khān _Farmūlī's_ sons and train,[1934] had a small affair with them, took them prisoners and brought them in. Taking advantage of this, one of the sons thus captured was sent to his [Sidenote: Fol. 296b.] father in company with Daulat-qadam _Turk's_ son Mīrzā _Mughūl_ who conveyed royal letters of favour to `Alī Khān. At this time of break-up, `Alī Khān had gone to Mīwāt; he came to me when Mīrzā _Mughūl_ returned, was promoted, and given valid(?) _parganas_[1935] worth 25 laks. (_g. Action against the rebels of the East._) Sl. Ibrāhīm had appointed several amīrs under Muṣṯafa _Farmūlī_ and Fīrūz Khān _Sārang-khānī_, to act against the rebel amīrs of the East (_Pūrab_). Muṣṯafa had fought them and thoroughly drubbed them, giving them more than one good beating. He dying before Ibrāhīm's defeat, his younger brother Shaikh Bāyazīd—Ibrāhīm being occupied with a momentous matter[1936]—had led and watched over his elder brother's men. He now came to serve me, together with Fīrūz Khān, Maḥmūd Khān _Nuḥānī_ and Qāẓī Jīā. I shewed them greater kindness and favour than was their claim; giving to Fīrūz Khān 1 _krūr_, 46 _laks_ and 5000 _tankas_ from Jūnpūr, to Shaikh Bāyazīd 1 _krūr_, 48 _laks_ and 50,000 _tankas_ from Aūd (Oude), to Maḥmūd Khān 90 _laks_ and 35,000 _tankas_ from Ghāzīpūr, and to Qāẓī Jīā 20 _laks_.[1937]
932.15.3
(_h. Gifts made to various officers._) It was a few days after the `Īd of Shawwāl[1938] that a large party was held in the pillared-porch of the domed building standing in the middle of Sl. Ibrāhīm's private apartments. At this party there were bestowed on Humāyūn a _chār-qab_,[1939] a sword-belt,[1940] a _tīpūchāq_ horse with saddle mounted in gold; on Chīn-tīmūr Sulṯān, Mahdī Khwāja and Muḥammad Sl. Mīrzā _chār-qabs_, sword-belts and dagger-belts; and to the begs and [Sidenote: Fol. 297.] braves, to each according to his rank, were given sword-belts, dagger-belts, and dresses of honour, in all to the number specified below:— 2 items (_rā's_) of _tīpūchāq_ horses with saddles. 16 items (_qabẓa_) of poinards, set with jewels, etc. 8 items (_qabẓa_) of purpet over-garments. 2 items (_tob_) of jewelled sword-belts. —— items (_qabẓa_) of broad daggers (_jamd'kar_) set with jewels. 25 items of jewelled hangers (_khanjar_). —— items of gold-hilted Hindī knives (_kārd_). 51 pieces of purpet. On the day of this party it rained amazingly, rain falling thirteen times. As outside places had been assigned to a good many people, they were drowned out (_gharaq_). (_i. Of various forts and postings._) Samāna (in Patīāla) had been given to Muḥammadī Kūkūldāsh and it had been arranged for him to make swift descent on Saṃbal (Saṃbhal), but Saṃbal was now bestowed on Humāyūn, in addition to his guerdon of Ḥiṣār-fīrūza, and in his service was Hindū Beg.
932.15.4
To suit this, therefore, Hindū Beg was sent to make the incursion in Muḥammadī's place, and with him Kitta Beg, Bābā _Qashqa's_ (brother) Malik Qāsim and his elder and younger brethren, Mullā Apāq and Shaikh Gūran (G'hūran) with the quiver-wearers from Between-two-waters (_Mīān-dū-āb_). [Sidenote: Fol. 297b.] Three or four times a person had come from Qāsim _Saṃbalī_, saying, "The renegade Bīban is besieging Saṃbal and has brought it to extremity; come quickly." Bīban, with the array and the preparation (_hayāt_) with which he had deserted us,[1941] had gone skirting the hills and gathering up Afghān and Hindūstānī deserters, until, finding Saṃbal at this juncture ill-garrisoned, he laid siege to it. Hindū Beg and Kitta Beg and the rest of those appointed to make the incursion, got to the Ahār-passage[1942] and from there sent ahead Bābā _Qashqa's_ Malik Qāsim with his elder and younger brethren, while they themselves were getting over the water. Malik Qāsim crossed, advanced swiftly with from 100 to 150 men—his own and his brethren's—and reached Saṃbal by the Mid-day Prayer. Bīban for his part came out of his camp in array. Malik Qāsim and his troop moved rapidly forward, got the fort in their rear, and came to grips. Bīban could make no stand; he fled. Malik Qāsim cut off the heads of part of his force, took many horses, a few elephants and a mass of booty.
932.15.5
Next day when the other begs arrived, Qāsim _Saṃbalī_ came out and saw them, but not liking to surrender the fort, made them false pretences. One day Shaikh Gūran (G'hūran) and Hindū Beg having talked the matter over with them, got Qāsim _Saṃbalī_ out to the presence of the begs, and took men of ours into the fort. They brought Qāsim's wife and dependents safely out, and sent Qāsim (to Court).[1943] Qalandar the foot-man was sent to Niẕām Khān in Bīāna with royal letters of promise and threat; with these was sent [Sidenote: Fol. 298.] also the following little off-hand (Persian) verse:—[1944] Strive not with the Turk, o Mīr of Bīāna! His skill and his courage are obvious. If thou come not soon, nor give ear to counsel,— What need to detail (_bayān_) what is obvious? Bīāna being one of the famous forts of Hindūstān, the senseless mannikin, relying on its strength, demanded what not even its strength could enforce. Not giving him a good answer, we ordered siege apparatus to be looked to. Bābā Qulī Beg was sent with royal letters of promise and threat to Muḥammad _Zaitūn_ (in Dūlpūr); Muḥammad _Zaitūn_ also made false excuses.
932.15.6
While we were still in Kābul, Rānā Sangā had sent an envoy to testify to his good wishes and to propose this plan: "If the honoured Pādshāh will come to near Dihlī from that side, I from this will move on Āgra." But I beat Ibrāhīm, I took Dihlī and Āgra, and up to now that Pagan has given no sign soever of moving. After a while he went and laid siege to Kandār[1945] a fort in which was Makan's son, Ḥasan by name. This Ḥasan-of-Makan had sent a person to me several times, but had not shewn himself. We had not been able to detach [Sidenote: Fol. 298b.] reinforcement for him because, as the forts round-about—Atāwa (Etāwa), Dūlpūr, and Bīāna—had not yet surrendered, and the Eastern Afghāns were seated with their army in obstinate rebellion two or three marches on the Āgra side of Qanūj, my mind was not quite free from the whirl and strain of things close at hand. Makan's Ḥasan therefore, becoming helpless, had surrendered Kandār two or three months ago. Ḥusain Khān (_Nuḥānī_) became afraid in Rāprī, and he abandoning it, it was given to Muḥammad `Alī _Jang-jang_.
932.15.7
To Quṯb Khān in Etāwa royal letters of promise and threat had been sent several times, but as he neither came and saw me, nor abandoned Etāwa and got away, it was given to Mahdī Khwāja and he was sent against it with a strong reinforcement of begs and household troops under the command of Muḥammad Sl. Mīrzā, Sl. Muḥammad _Dūldāī_, Muḥammad `Alī _Jang-jang_ and `Abdu'l-`azīz the Master of the Horse. Qanūj was given to Sl. Muḥammad _Dūldāī_; he was also (as mentioned) appointed against Etāwa; so too were Fīrūz Khān, Maḥmūd Khān, Shaikh Bāyazīd and Qāẓī Jīā, highly favoured commanders to whom Eastern _parganas_ had been given. [Sidenote: Fol. 299.] Muḥammad _Zaitūn_, who was seated in Dūlpūr, deceived us and did not come. We gave Dūlpūr to Sl. Junaid _Barlās_ and reinforced him by appointing `Ādil Sulṯān, Muḥammadī Kūkūldāsh, Shāh Manṣūr _Barlās_, Qūtlūq-qadam, Treasurer Walī, Jān Beg, `Abdu'l-lāh, Pīr-qulī, and Shāh Ḥasan _Yāragī_ (or _Bāragī_), who were to attack Dūlpūr, take it, make it over to Sl. Junaid _Barlās_ and advance on Bīāna.