The Memoirs of Bābur 933.4.1

933.4.1

(_q. A reinforcement from Kābul._) Just at this time there arrived from Kābul Qāsim-i-ḥusain Sl. (_Aūzbeg Shaibān_) who is the son of a daughter of Sl. Ḥusain M. (_Bāī-qarā_), and with him Aḥmad-i-yūsuf (_Aūghlāqchī_), Qawwām-i-aūrdū Shāh and also several single friends of mine, counting up in all to 500 men. Muḥammad Sharīf, the astrologer of ill-augury, came with them too, so did Bābā Dost the water-bearer (_sūchī_) who, having gone to Kābul for wine, had there [Sidenote: Fol. 311b.] loaded three strings of camels with acceptable Ghaznī wines. At a time such as this, when, as has been mentioned, the army was anxious and afraid by reason of past occurrences and vicissitudes, wild words and opinions, this Muḥammad Sharīf, the ill-augurer, though he had not a helpful word to say to me, kept insisting to all he met, "Mars is in the west in these days;[2012] who comes into the fight from this (east) side will be defeated." Timid people who questioned the ill-augurer, became the more shattered in heart. We gave no ear to his wild words, made no change in our operations, but got ready in earnest for the fight.