Travels in the Mogul Empire (Bernier) 2.16
Travels in the Mogul Empire (Constable) 2.16
- Language
- English
2.16.1
The miserable and devoted Dara, whose only chance of preservation was to regain Amed-Abad, was constrained to pass through a long range of what might be considered hostile territory, destitute of tents and baggage. The country between Asmire and Amed-Abad consists almost entirely of territories belonging to Rajas. The Prince was accompanied by two thousand men at most; the heat was intolerable; and the Koullys followed him day and night, pillaging and assassinating so many of his soldiers that it became dangerous to separate even a few yards from the main body. These Koullys are the peasantry of this part of the country, and are the greatest robbers, and altogether the most unprincipled people in the Indies. Notwithstanding every obstruction, Dara contrived to advance within a day's journey from Amed-Abad, expecting to enter the city on the following day, and to assemble an army; but the hopes of the vanquished and unfortunate are seldom realised. The Governor whom he had left in the castle of Amed-Abad, alarmed by the menaces, or allured by the promises of Aureng-Zebe, had basely deserted the cause of his master; and sent a letter to Dara by which he desired him not to advance nearer to the city, whose gates were shut, and whose inhabitants were armed to oppose his entrance. I had now been three days with Dara, whom I met on the road by the strangest chance imaginable;
2.16.2
and being destitute of any medical attendant, he compelled me to accompany him in the capacity of physician. The day preceding that on which he received the Governor's communication, he expressed his fear lest I should be murdered by the Koullys, and insisted upon my passing the night in the Karavan-serrah, where he then was. The cords of the kanates, or screens, which concealed his wife and women (for he was without even a tent) were fastened to the wheels of the carriage, wherein I reposed. This may appear almost incredible to those who know how extremely jealous the great men of Hindoustan are of their wives, and I mention the circumstance as a proof of the low condition to which the fortunes of the Prince were reduced. It was at break of day that the Governor's message was delivered, and the shrieks of the females drew tears from every eye. We were all overwhelmed with confusion and dismay, gazing in speechless horror at each other, at a loss what plan to recommend, and ignorant of the fate which perhaps awaited us from hour to hour. We observed Dara stepping out, more dead than alive, speaking now to one, then to another; stopping and consulting even the commonest soldier. He saw consternation depicted in every countenance, and felt assured that he should be left without a single follower; but what was to become of him? whither must he go? to delay his departure was to accelerate his ruin.
2.16.3
During the time that I remained in this Prince's retinue, we marched, nearly without intermission, day and night; and so insupportable was the heat, and so suffocating the dust, that of the three large oxen of Guzarate which drew my carriage, one had died, another was in a dying state, and the third was unable to proceed from fatigue. Dara felt anxious to retain me in his service, especially as one of his wives had a bad wound in her leg; yet neither his threats nor entreaties could procure for me a single horse, ox, or camel ; so totally destitute of power and influence had he become ! I remained behind, therefore, because of the absolute impossibility of continuing the journey, and could not but weep when I beheld the Prince depart with a force diminished to four or five hundred horsemen. There were also a couple of elephants laden, it was said, with gold and silver. Dara, I understood, intended to take the road to Tatla-bakar, and under all circumstances this was not perhaps an unwise selection. There was indeed only a choice of appalling difficulties, and I could not cherish the hope that the Prince would succeed in crossing the sandy desert which separated him from that Fort. In fact, nearly the whole of the men, and many of the women, did perish ; some dying of thirst, hunger, or fatigue, while others were killed by the hands of the merciless Koullys. Happy would it have been for Dara had he not himself survived this perilous march!
2.16.4
but he struggled through every obstacle, and reached the territory of the Raja Katche. The Raja received him with the utmost hospitality, promising to place the whole of his army at Dara's disposal, provided that Prince gave his daughter in marriage to his son. But the intrigues of Jesseingue were as successful with this Raja as they had been with Jessomseingue ; a change in his conduct was very soon perceptible, and Dara, having reason to apprehend that the barbarian had a design against his life, departed without a moment's hesitation for Tata-bakar.
2.16.5
I should, I fear, only tire my readers were I to enter upon a long narration of my own adventures with Messieurs the Koullys, or robbers ; relating how I moved their compassion, and by what means I preserved the little money which was about my person. I made a grand display of my professional skill ; and my two servants, who experienced the same terror as myself, declared I was the most eminent physician in the world, and that Dara's soldiers had used me extremely ill, depriving me of everything valuable. It was fortunate for me that we succeeded in creating in these people an interest in my favour ; for after detaining me seven or eight days, they attached a bullock to my carriage, and conducted me within view of the minarets of Amed-Abad. In this city I met with an Omrah who was proceeding to Dehli, and I travelled under his protection. On the road our eyes were too often offended with the sight of dead men, elephants, oxen, horses, and camels; the wrecks of poor Dara's army.
2.16.6
While Dara pursued his dreary way towards Tata-bakar, the war was still raging in Bengale ; Sultan Sujah making much greater efforts than had been foreseen by his enemies. But the state of affairs in this quarter occasioned little inquietude to Aureng-Zebe, who knew how to appreciate the talents and conduct of Emir-Jemla ; and the distance of Bengale from Agra lessened the immediate importance of the military operations in that country. A source of much greater anxiety was the vicinity of Soliman-Chekouh, and the apprehension which seemed generally to prevail that he and the Raja were about to descend with a hostile force from the mountains, distant scarcely eight days' journey from Agra. This enemy Aureng-Zebe was too prudent to despise, and how to circumvent Soliman-Chekouh became now the chief object of his attention.
2.16.7
The most likely method of attaining that object was, he conceived, to negotiate with the Raja of Serenaguer, through the medium of Jesseingue : who accordingly wrote to him letter upon letter promising the most splendid remuneration if he delivered up Soliman-Chekouh, and threatening the severest punishment should he refuse to comply. The Raja answered that the loss of his whole territory would affect him less than the idea that he had been guilty of so base and ungenerous an action. When it became evident that neither solicitation nor menace could move the Raja from the path of honour and rectitude, Aureng-Zebe marched his army to the foot of the mountains, and there employed an immense number of pioneers in levelling huge rocks and widening narrow ways: but the Raja laughed at these vain and puerile attempts to gain an ingress into his country; the mountains would have been inaccessible though assailed by the armies of four such countries as Hindoustan; so that after all this display of impotent resentment, the army was withdrawn.
2.16.8
Meanwhile Dara approached the fortress of Tata-bakar; and when only two or three days' journey from the place, he received intelligence (as I have been since informed by our Frenchmen and other Franks who formed part of the garrison) that Mir-Baba, by whom the fortress had been long besieged, had at length reduced it to the last extremity. Rice and meat sold for upwards of a crown per pound, and other necessaries in the same proportion. Still the Governor continued undaunted; making frequent and successful sorties, and in every respect approving himself a prudent, brave, and faithful soldier; opposing, with equal calmness and resolution, the vigorous assault of General Mir-Baba, and deriding both the threats and the promises of Aureng-Zebe.
2.16.9
That such was the praiseworthy conduct of the Governor I have been well assured by Frenchmen, our fellow-countrymen, and many other Franks who were his companions in arms. I have heard them say that when he received news of Dara's approach, he increased his liberal payments; and that the whole garrison would cheerfully have sacrificed themselves in an effort to drive the enemy from the walls, and open a passage for the entrance of Dara; so well did this valiant commander understand how to gain the hearts of his soldiers. He had moreover so judiciously managed, by means of numerous and intelligent spies, whom he contrived, by various dexterous schemes, to introduce in Mir-Babas camp, as to impose upon the besiegers a firm belief that Dara was coming up with a formidable body of troops for the purpose of raising the siege. These spies pretended they had themselves seen him and his army; and this stratagem produced all the effect which the governor anticipated; terror seized the enemy's troops, and no doubt was entertained that, if Dara had arrived at the time he was confidently expected, Mir-Babas army would partly have disbanded, and partly joined the Prince's party.