The Memoirs of Bābur 935.13
The Bābur-nāma in English (A. S. Beveridge) 935.13
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935.13.1
(_mmm. Details of the capture of a fort by Bīban and Bāyazīd._) On the way up, Khalīfa brought Shāh Muḥammad _dīwāna's_ son who had come from Bāqī bringing this reliable news about Luknūr[2657]:—They (_i.e._ Bīban and Bāyazīd) hurled their assault on Saturday the 13th of the month Ramẓān (_May 21st_) but could do nothing by fighting; while the fighting was going on, a collection of wood-chips, hay, and thorns in the fort took fire, so that inside the walls it became as hot as an oven (_tanūrdīk tafsān_); the garrison could not move round the rampart; the fort was lost. When the enemy heard, two or three days later, of our return (westwards), he fled towards Dalmau.[2658] Today after doing as much as 10 _kurohs_ (20m.), we dismounted beside a village called Jalisir,[2659] on the Sarū-bank, in the Sagrī _pargāna_. (_June 1st_) We stayed on the same ground through Wednesday (_24th_), in order to rest our cattle. (_nnn. Dispositions against Bīban and Bāyazīd._) Some said they had heard that Bīban and Bāyazīd had crossed Gang, and thought of withdrawing themselves to their kinsfolk [Sidenote: Fol. 378.] (_nisbahsīlār_) by way of....[2660] Here-upon the begs were summoned for a consultation and it was settled that Muḥammad-i-zamān Mīrzā and Sl. Junaid _Barlās_ who in place of Jūnpūr had been given Chunār with several _parganas_, Maḥmud Khān _Nūḥānī_, Qāẓī Jīā, and Tāj Khān _Sarāng-khānī_ should block the enemy's road at Chunār.[2661]
935.13.2
(_June 2nd_) Marching early in the morning of Thursday (_25th_), we left the Sarū-river, did 11 _kurohs_ (22 m.), crossed the Parsarū (Sarjū) and dismounted on its bank. Here the begs were summoned, discussion was had, and the leaders named below were appointed to go detached from the army, in rapid pursuit of Bīban and Bāyazīd towards Dalmūṯ (Dalmau):—Aīsān-tīmūr Sl., Muḥammad Sl. M., Tūkhta-būghā Sl., Qāsim-i-ḥusain Sl., Bī-khūb (Nī-khūb) Sl., Muz̤affar-i-ḥusain Sl., Qāsim Khwāja, Ja`far Khwāja, Zahid Khwāja, Jānī Beg, `Askarī's retainer Kīchīk Khwāja, and, of Hind amīrs, `Ālam Khān of Kālpī, Malik-dād _Kararānī_, and Rāo (Rāwūī) _Sarwāni_. (_ooo. The march continued._) When I went at night to make ablution in the Parsarū, people were catching a mass of fish that had gathered round a lamp on the surface of the water. I like others took fish in my hands.[2662] (_June 3rd_) On Friday (_26th_) we dismounted on a very slender stream, the head-water of a branch of the Parsarū. In order not to be disturbed by the comings and goings of the army-folk, [Sidenote: Fol. 378b.] I had it dammed higher up and had a place, 10 by 10, made for ablution. The night of the 27th[2663] was spent on this ground. (_June 4th_) At the dawn of the same day (_Saturday 27th_) we left that water, crossed the Tūs and dismounted on its bank.[2664] (_June 5th_) On Sunday (_28th_) we dismounted on the bank of the same water.
935.13.3
(_June 6th_) On Monday the 29th of the month (_Ramẓān_), our station was on the bank of the same Tūs-water. Though tonight the sky was not quite clear, a few people saw the Moon, and so testifying to the Qāẓī, fixed the end of the month (_Ramẓān_). (_June 7th_) On Tuesday (_Shawwāl 1st_) we made the Prayer of the Festival, at dawn rode on, did 10 _kurohs_ (20 m.), and dismounted on the bank of the Gūī (Gūmtī), a _kuroh_ (2 m.) from Māīng.[2665] The sin of _ma`jūn_ was committed (_irtikāb qīlīldī_) near the Mid-day Prayer; I had sent this little couplet of invitation to Shaikh Zain, Mullā Shihāb and Khwānd-amīr:— (_Turkī_) Shaikh and Mullā Shihāb and Khwānd-amir, Come all three, or two, or one. Darwīsh-i-muḥammad (_Sārbān_), Yūnas-i-`alī and `Abdu'l-lāh (_`asas_)[2666] were also there. At the Other Prayer the wrestlers set to. (_June 8th_) On Wednesday (_2nd_) we stayed on the same ground. Near breakfast-time _ma`jūn_ was eaten. Today Malik Sharq came in who had been to get Tāj Khān out of Chunār.[2667] When the wrestlers set to today, the Champion of Aūd who had come earlier, grappled with and threw a Hindūstānī wrestler who had [Sidenote: Fol. 379.] come in the interval. Today Yaḥyā _Nuḥāni_ was granted an allowance of 15 _laks_ from Parsarūr,[2668] made to put on a dress of honour, and given his leave. (_June 9th_) Next day (_Thursday 3rd_) we did 11 _kurohs_ (22 m.), crossed the Gūī-water (Gūmtī), and dismounted on its bank.
935.13.4
(_ppp. Concerning the pursuit of Bīban and Bāyazīd._) News came in about the sulṯāns and begs of the advance that they had reached Dalmūd (Dalmau), but were said not yet to have crossed the water (Ganges). Angered by this (delay), I sent orders, "Cross the water at once; follow the track of the rebels; cross Jūn (Jumna) also; join `Ālam Khān to yourselves; be energetic and get to grips with the adversary." (_qqq. The march continued._) (_June 10th_) After leaving this water (_Gūmtī_, _Friday 4th_) we made two night-halts and reached Dalmūd (Dalmau), where most of the army-folk crossed Gang, there and then, by a ford. While the camp was being got over, _ma`jūn_ was eaten on an island (_ārāl_) below the ford. (_June 13th_) After crossing, we waited one day (_Monday 7th_) for all the army-folk to get across. Today Bāqī _Tāshkīndī_ came in with the army of Aūd (Ajodhya) and waited on me. (_June 14th_) Leaving the Gang-water (Ganges, _Tuesday 8th_), we made one night-halt, then dismounted (_June 15th-Shawwāl 9th_) beside Kūrarah (Kūra Khāṣ) on the Arind-water. The distance from Dalmūd (Dalmau) to Kūrarah came out at 22 _kurohs_ (44 m.).[2669] (_June 16th_) On Thursday (_10th_) we marched early from that ground and dismounted opposite the Ādampūr _pargana_.[2670]
935.13.5
To enable us to cross (Jūn) in pursuit of our adversaries, a few [Sidenote: Fol. 379b.] raftsmen had been sent forward to collect at Kālpī what boats were to be had; some boats arrived the night we dismounted, moreover a ford was found through the Jūn-river. As the encamping-place was full of dust, we settled ourselves on an island and there stayed the several days we were on that ground. (_rrr. Concerning Bīban and Bāyazīd._) Not getting reliable news about the enemy, we sent Bāqī _shaghāwal_ with a few braves of the interior[2671] to get information about him. (_June 17th_) Next day (_Friday 11th_) at the Other Prayer, one of Bāqī Beg's retainers came in. Bāqī had beaten scouts of Bīban and Bāyazīd, killed one of their good men, Mubārak Khān _Jalwānī_, and some others, sent in several heads, and one man alive. (_June 18th_) At dawn (_Saturday 12th_) Paymaster Shāh Ḥusain came in, told the story of the beating of the scouts, and gave various news. Tonight, that is to say, the night of Sunday the 13th of the month,[2672] the river Jūn came down in flood, so that by the dawn, the whole of the island on which I was settled, was under water. I moved to another an arrow's-flight down-stream, there had a tent set up and settled down. (_June 20th_) On Monday (_14th_) Jalāl _Tāshkīndī_ came from the begs and sulṯāns of the advance. Shaikh Bāyazīd and Bīban, on hearing of their expedition, had fled to the _pargana_ of Mahūba.[2673] [Sidenote: Fol. 380.]
935.13.6
As the Rains had set in and as after 5 or 6 months of active service, horses and cattle in the army were worn out, the sulṯāns and begs of the expedition were ordered to remain where they were till they received fresh supplies from Āgra and those parts. At the Other Prayer of the same day, leave was given to Bāqī and the army of Aūd (Ajodhya). Also an allowance of 30 _lāks_[2674] from Amrohā was assigned to Mūsa (son) of Ma`rūf _Farmūlī_, who had waited on me at the time the returning army was crossing the Sarū-water,[2675] a special head-to-foot and saddled horse were bestowed on him, and he was given his leave. (_sss. Bābur returns to Āgra._)
935.13.7
(_June 21st_) With an easy mind about these parts, we set out for Āgra, raid-fashion,[2676] when 3 _pās_ 1 _garī_ of Tuesday night were past.[2677] In the morning (_Tuesday 15th_) we did 16 _kurohs_ (32 m.), near mid-day made our nooning in the _pargana_ of Balādar, one of the dependencies of Kālpī, there gave our horses barley, at the Evening Prayer rode on, did 13 _kurohs_ (26 m.) in the night, at the 3rd night-watch (_mid-night_, _Shawwāl 15-16th_) dismounted at Bahādur Khān _Sarwānī's_ tomb at Sūgandpūr, a _pargana_ of Kālpī, slept a little, went through the Morning Prayer and hurried on. After doing 16 _kurohs_ (32 m.), we reached Etāwa at the fall of day, where Mahdī Khwāja came out to meet us.[2678] Riding [Sidenote: Fol. 380b.] on after the 1st night-watch (9 p.m.), we slept a little on the way, did 16 _kurohs_ (32 m.), took our nooning at Fatḥpūr of Rāprī, rode on soon after the Mid-day Prayer (_Thursday Shawwāl 17th_), did 17 _kurohs_ (34 m.), and in the 2nd night-watch[2679] dismounted in the Garden-of-eight-paradises at Āgra. (_June 24th_) At the dawn of Friday (_18th_) Pay-master Sl. Muḥammad came with several more to wait on me. Towards the Mid-day Prayer, having crossed Jūn, I waited on Khwāja `Abdu'l-ḥaqq, went into the Fort and saw the begīms my paternal-aunts.