The Nāṣirī Generations 257.4.2

257.4.2

He moved onwards until he reached the verdant tract of Kalangae, previously mentioned, but, on this occasion, no fight took place. Subsequently, in the same year, Tamur-chi again set out to seek the Naeman Badshah, despatching a force in advance, under the Nu-yins, Kuildar Sajan, chief of the Mangkut Nairuns, and Jabah. He then reached the banks of the river Altae — [now Siba ?] in the territory of Kangaktae — Abu-l-Ghazi, Bahadur, calls it Altae Soning — in the neighbourhood of which was the Tayanak Khan, who had been joined by the Bigi Tukta, chief of the Markits, and one of the chiefs of the late Awang Khan, the Karayat. At this juncture a stray horse from Tamur-chi’s camp, with its saddle turned under its belly, entered the camp of the Tayanak Khan, who, when he beheld it, it being very lean, held counsel with his Amirs, saying ; “The horses of the Mughals are miserably lean while ours are fat and in fine condition. It is advisable that we should fall back so that the enemy may be induced to follow us, whereby their horses will get into a worse plight still. Then we will make a stand and engage them.” Most of the chiefs approved of this counsel, but the Tayanak Khan had an Amir, Kuri Subaju, by name, who, from childhood, had grown up with him ; and he said to him on this occasion : “Thy father, Balikto Inanaj, was not at rest a day without battle, and never showed his back nor the crupper of his horse to a foe.