The Memoirs of Bābur 5.3

5.3

On Thursday, the 3rd of the first Jumada, I received letters forwarded by Khalifa from Agra, which contained intelligence that Mahmud, the son of Iskandar, had taken Bihar. The moment I received this information, I resolved to join the army. Next morning I mounted at six gharis, and reached Agra at evening prayers. Next morning being Saturday, I called the amirs to a council. * * * On Thursday, the 10th of the first Jumada, I set out for the Purab (east). * * * On Saturday, the 17th of the second Jumada, we marched eight kos, and halted at Dakdaki, a pargana of Karra, on the banks of the Ganges. * * While in this neighbourhood, intelligence reached us in rapid succession, that Sultan Mahmud had gathered round him 100,000 Afghans; that he had detached Shaikh Bayazid and Baban with a large army towards Sirwar, while he himself and Fath Khan Sarwani occupied the banks of the Ganges, and were moving upon Chunar; that Sher Khan Sur, on whom I had bestowed marks of favour, to whom I had given several parganas, and whom I had left in command in that quarter, had now joined these Afghans; that with some other amirs he had passed the river, and that Sultan Jalalu-d din's people, being unable to defend Benares, had abandoned it and retreated. They excused themselves by saying, that they had left a sufficient force in the castle of Benares, and had advanced in order to meet the enemy on the banks of the Ganges. * * *