Storia do Mogor 65.39
Storia do Mogor (Irvine) 65.39
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65.39.1
During Dara's retreat to Ahmadabad, the fugitives who had caused the rout rejoined him on the road. When he reached the confines of the city he had already a small force. But the hardships suffered by Dara en route due to the heated air were increased when, on trying to enter the city, the gates were closed against him by order of the officer in charge. This man had already been gained over by letters written to him by Aurangzeb and by the great promises made to him therein. The soldiers in the poor prince's train, seeing him persecuted on all sides and deserted, resolved to abandon him and thus escape utter ruin. Dara felt acutely being forsaken so ungratefully by even his closest and most familiar friends, such as Barqandaz Khan and the eunuch, Coia Mosqui (Khojah Mushkln). The former plundered him of the few horses of any value [245] he had remaining after the retreat. They were carried off for presentation to Aurangzeb, Barqandaz Khan offering himself to the victor as a follower and servant. The second (Mushkln), of whom Dara thought a great deal, and to whom he had confided his treasure, robbed him of two mules loaded with gold coins, and with these he made off, intending to offer himself to Aurangzeb. At the outset both were received with a feigned display of favour, but afterwards they received only moderate pay. As a sign of contempt Barqandaz Khan was made superintendent of the scavengers and of the dogs, one of the lowest offices in the kingdom.
65.39.2
This was to show the low esteem Aurangzeb had for one whom Dara had prized so highly. Khojah Mushkln was informed that he would receive a bare daily subsistence, such alms being granted, not because of any personal merit, but in return for the two mules loaded with gold coin. Finding himself despised by the king, from whom he had hoped equal favour, if not greater than Dara had accorded, affronted by everyone, injurious words being continually said to his very face, he planned a disappearance into far-off lands, whence never more was he heard of. These instances, and many more written in our story, may serve to teach favourites with what loyalty they ought to serve their prince equally in prosperity as in adversity. The unlucky Dara had barely more than two thousand men left in his company, and with these he resumed his flight for the land of Sind, where he was before, traversing once again all those desert lands and plains, in want of water and of food, and suffering from the extreme heat. These hardships made still less bearable the haste with which, day and night, he pressed onwards in his flight before Rajah Jai Singh and Bahadur Khan, who were trying to overtake him. Thus many of the prince's followers, worn out by such continuous marching, fell to the rear in the hope of getting some rest. But they were set upon by robbers, who plundered everyone and killed many.
65.39.3
However much the men of Aurangzeb might follow and press upon Dara, Rajah Jai Singh still so arranged the day's march that there was ever room for the unfortunate and dishonoured prince to escape. Granted that he (Jai Singh) was not well-affected to him, still, he did not intend him to lose his life. It contented him to see Dara expelled into foreign territory, without his falling into the hands of Aurangzeb, when infallibly he would be put an end to, as finally came to pass. Through the scope given him by Jai Singh, Prince Dara, after much exertion, reached the country of the rajah Cachanagano who received him kindly, furnished him with supplies, many camels, and some horses, these being very plentiful in that country.
65.39.4
Dara would have liked to allow his men a longer rest, but this was impossible, owing to the near approach of the enemy. Nor had the rajah the requisite force to resist the harassing pursuit of Jai Singh and Bahadur Khan. Thus Dara was forced to resume his flight to the river country of Sind, where the inhabitants, directly they heard of his approach, took to flight with their boats, fearing that Dara, after he had used them for crossing, would burn them, as he had done during his earlier flight. Great were the trouble and the danger in which the prince was, being on the one hand pursued by the enemy trying hard to overtake him, and on the other, hindered by the treacherous streams, to pass which there were not enough boats. Therefore he decided to cross the river on rafts, making use of the trees and all the wood from buildings, breaking up the houses for this purpose. Not without great efforts did he succeed in reaching the farther bank of the river, where he found himself with no more than five hundred men; for of the two thousand with which he had left Ahmadabad, the rest had deserted or had been killed.
65.39.5
Having now overcome the obstacle presented by the river, Dara had decided to turn off towards his well-garrisoned fortress of Bhakkar. But he became aware now that the said fortress was invested by Khalilullah Khan with a strong force, and the place was out of his direct road [247]. By this expedient, therefore, he could not escape from the hands of his enemies, seeing that Rajah Jai Singh and Bahadur Khan were at his heels. His next project was to take the road to Persia, which was not far off; also on that road there dwelt Given Can (Jiwan Khan), lord of some territories on the boundaries of the Mogul kingdom and Persia. Formerly Dara had three times rescued this man from death, when Shahjahan had decreed that for certain offences he should be thrown under the feet of an elephant. He conceived that under compulsion of these repeated favours the man could never refuse at this juncture to make due recognition.
65.39.6
Thus he made up his mind to go to the place where Jiwan Khan dwelt. But among the barbarous and unbelieving Mahomedans, chiefly the Pathan tribes, there is neither former benefit nor obligation that holds good. The ungrateful Jiwan Khan, when Dara arrived in his country flying from his pursuers, resolved on seizing him, in the hope that Aurangzeb would reward him for such a trick, although he thereby committed the greatest treachery and ingratitude that could be done by the whole uncivilized world united. He received Dara in a deceptive manner, with great demonstrations of affection and gratitude. In the interval he collected all his men, with whom he suddenly encircled the wretched prince and all his family, keeping so many men on strict watch that the servants of Dara could find neither opening nor freedom to carry him food and water. To make his deed more assured, Jiwan Khan began with the aforesaid demonstrations, and gave orders that the soldiers of Dara should be invited to various separate places. When this was carried out, he set to work to treat them with cruelty.
65.39.7
The princess, Nomahal Begom (Nurmahal Begam) the first wife of Dara, finding herself in such a difficulty, along with her son, Sipihr Shukoh, and her daughter, Jani Begom (Jam Begam), resolved to take her life with her own hands, so that she might not live to see her sons' and her husband's tragic and lamentable end. Beholding the anguish endured by the afflicted Begam, her favourite house-slave prevented the princess taking [248] the poison, which to this intent she carried in a ring concealed under a precious stone. He said to her that since he owed all he was to the prince, he ought in this great peril to show the fine quality of his attachment by offering his life and person for the ransoming of his lord. Let her wait a little, for he had resolved to take the life of the ungrateful Jiwan Khan, although well aware that he could not carry out this design without losing his own. For the execution of the enterprise he begged a pistol from the prince, one given him by the Dutch factor at Ahmadabad as a weapon of value, all inlaid with mother-of-pearl — one that had never been known to miss fire.
65.39.8
Armed with this single weapon hidden in a bag of brocade, he went to the place where Jiwan Khan was sitting. As soon as he got within sight of him the guards stopped the eunuch, and asked why he had come. The courageous Farldun (Farldun) — this being the name of the skilful plotter — replied that he had been sent by his prince to present to Jiwan Khan a jewel contained in the brocade bag. The announcement was made to Jiwan Khan, who, urged by self-interest, ordered the man to be brought forthwith to his presence. Farldun, making with great respect the accustomed bows, came close with the bag laid upon his two hands as if about to present it. On Jiwan Khan extending his hands to take the present, Farldun let off the pistol, which he carried ready cocked. It missed fire ! When Fortune takes arms against a man in misfortune, neither apparatus nor plans, however excellent, are anything but mistakes and failures ! And of a truth, had this plot of Farldun's taken effect, then, during the confusion that would unfailingly have arisen among Jiwan Khan's men, Prince Dara would have been free to make off into Persian territory as he had intended.