The Afghan History of Khān Jahān 10: Defeat of the Mughals at the pass of Garhí. — Humáyún's entry into Gaur.
Makhzan-i Afghání and Táríkh-i Khán-Jahán Lodí (extracts) 10
- Language
- English
Defeat of the Mughals at the pass of Garhí. — Humáyún's entry into Gaur.
10.1
The vanguard of the Mughal army, which, in seven divisions, had marched in advance of the main body, pitched their camp at a distance of three kos from the defile of Garhi; and every morning, urging their horses at full speed towards the entrance of the pass, threw their arrows and clubs at its defenders, and then retreated. A part of them, with loud voices, poured forth most bitter invectives against Jalal Khan, calling him an unmanly coward, cowering in the defile like an old woman; that if he were a man, and the son of a man, and in the least endowed with impetuosity and ardour, he would descend to the field of battle to measure strength with men, as he had not yet come in contact with Mughals. Similar invectives were repeated every day, and a great number of Afghans perished by the fire of the cannons and matchlocks. Jalal Khan, being informed of these proceedings by his attendants, went one day to Haji Khan, explaining to him, with the bitterest complaints, that the Mughals, coming up every day to harass them in their position by missile weapons, and then retreating, uttered the most abusive language against him, which he could not brook any longer, for his patience was quite exhausted. He himself certainly was too weak to put a stop to such injuries; but if the other chiefs would assent, they ought at once to march out and make their attack, and see what the curtain of secresy would reveal.
10.2
Haji Khan said, "This is not in accordance with your father's command, with which you are well acquainted." Jalal Khan went on to assure him that as long as his request should not be complied with, he was determined to abstain from water and food. Upon which Haji Khan replied, that if such was his resolution, he certainly must yield; and every coward returning alive from the battle would suffer punishment by Sher Khan's order; but in case victory should crown their enterprise, all would be right. He then, in order to insure success to his enterprise, read the fatiha, and Jalal Khan withdrew to his own quarters.
10.3
The next morning the Mughals, according to custom, charged their horses, and then retreated to their tents, and relieved themselves of their armour. The troopers then went out to forage, whilst the officers resorted to the carpet of repose. Noon had approached, when the Afghans, opening the gate in the defile, sallied forth. A few only of the Mughals, whose horses were at hand, mounted, and put themselves in an attitude of defence; but the greater part, being disconcerted in the extreme, turned their faces to flight. The action, nevertheless, proved to be of the most obstinate nature, and Mubarak Farmuli and Abu-l Fath Langah, besides most of the Mughal officers, fell victims to the sword. The whole camp of the Mughals, baggage, horses, camels, elephants, etc., fell into the hands of the victors; and nearly all were slain, with the exception of a very small number of Kipchak horsemen. It is related that there was no Afghan footman but obtained four or five horses, valuable robes, and many boxes of precious things, out of the spoils.
10.4
Sher Khan had such a mass of wealth and treasures to carry off from Gaur, that he could not gather a sufficient number of porters for that purpose, and was at a great loss how to convey these effects to Rohtas. In the meanwhile, he received intelligence from Jalal Khan of this victory, at which he was exceedingly rejoiced; and immediately wrote to him, to procure, for a suitable compensation, all the captured elephants, camels, oxen, in short all beasts of burthen, from any person who might possess them, and to send them, as he was in much want of them. Sher Khan, upon the occasion of that victory, made use of this adage, "That if a cock, in a fight, had been once beaten, he would, on being brought into the field a second time, set up his crowing, but never resume the fight." Jalal Khan after this exploit closed the gate, and stopped the progress of Humayun for more than a month—a circumstance that enabled Sher Khan at his ease to transport by way of Jharkand all his treasures to Rohtas, whither he now likewise called Jalal Khan.
10.5
The Emperor Humayun, upon this, made his entrance into Gaur. Sher Khan had previously fitted up all the mansions of that place with an exquisite variety of ornaments and embellishments, and rendered them a perfect gallery of pictures, by partycoloured carpets and costly silk stuffs, in hopes that Humáyún charmed with it, would be induced to prolong his stay there; and his designs were unexpectedly seconded by fate, for Humáyún remained four months in Gaur, and had no leisure for any other occupation than pleasure and enjoyment.