On the 23rd Jumáda-l ákhir I remained stationary, and messengers arrived from Prince Pír Muhammad and Prince Rustam and Amír Jahán Sháh, whom I had sent some days before with a force to Láhor. They brought me the information that the princes and amírs had arrived at Láhor upon the busi­ness on which I had sent them. Malik Shaikha Kokhar was brother of Nusrat Kokhar, who was formerly governor of Láhor on the part of Sultán Mahmúd of Dehlí. After I had defeated his brother Nusrat Shaikha Kokhar, he had been the first of all the zamíndárs and governors of Hindustán to wait upon me and make his submission. From my capture of the city of Dehlí till my passage of the Jumna he remained in attendance on me. In the middle of the Doáb he asked permission to return home to Láhor. I had always perceived the signs of hypocrisy upon his countenance, and I knew well that he had submitted from neces­sity and was false in his professions. Still he was the first to yield, and I was very considerate for his subjects, and whenever any zamíndár of that country represented himself to be a depen­dant of Shaikha Kokhar, I protected him from the assaults of my followers, and from pillage and plunder. When I gave him permission to leave he proceeded to Láhor, and there forgot his protestations of service and devotion, and the duties imposed upon him by my favour and kindness. He kept not the pro­mises he made when he waited upon me, but when a party of my followers, such as Mauláná 'Abdu-llah, etc., passed through Láhor on their way from Samarkand to join me, he showed them no attention, and never asked them why are you come? where do you come from? or, where are you going to? The defection of Shaikha Kokhar had become clear to me, and I had sent the princes and amírs to take that ungrateful man prisoner, and to levy a ransom from the city of Láhor.

When I read the letters from the princes and amírs, I found that in execution of my orders they had gone to Láhor, and had fixed the amount of ransom to be levied from the inhabitants. They had found Shaikha Kokhar remiss and negligent in raising the contribution, and so in compliance with my order they had made him prisoner. They had collected the whole of the ransom and were coming up to join me. In reply to their report I wrote that as Shaikha had proved false to his engagement and had acted inimically, his country was to be plundered and he himself should be sent in chains to my presence. This order I sent off by the hands of messengers.

Next day the 24th of the month, I crossed the river Chiná,* and after a march of four or five kos, I encamped in a verdant plain. Some messengers now arrived from Prince Mírán Sháh in Ázar-baiján [reporting all was well.] On the 25th I again marched. There was a river in the way, which I crossed over and en­camped. On this day some of the sick men (za'ífán) were drowned in crossing the river, so I directed that all my own horses and camels should be used for carrying the sick and feeble over. On that day all my camp crossed the river, and on the same day messengers arrived from Persia. * * I sent my treasurer Hindú Sháh to Samarkand to announce my return home, and I also issued a notification to the princes and amírs of the army, recounting how I had achieved great victories in Hindustán; how I had taken Dehlí the capital of the Sultáns, and other cities, towns and renowned fortresses; how by the grace of God I had overrun the country and the hills, and how my men had secured an immense booty in money and gold, jewels and stuffs, high-bred horses and elephants, and cattle in countless numbers. We had returned thus far, and I had sent off messengers to all parts of my dominions to announce my return home, so that the princes might come out to receive me as quickly as possible. I now thought it would have been better not to have sent the messengers, and that, having left the bag­gage behind, I should go on in advance. Accordingly, mounting my horse I crossed the river which lay in my route. On the 27th I travelled six kos and encamped on the edge of a jungle. The men of my advance-guard brought me information that there was a brake near at hand in which there was a large tiger. When I arrived there my daring fellows surrounded the brake on all sides, and Amír Shaikh Núru-d dín quickly sprang forward and attacked the beast with his sword and slew it. I loudly praised the prowess of that brave man.

When I returned from the hunt Prince Pír Muhammad Jahángír, Prince Rustam, Amír Sulaimán, and Amír Jahán Sháh returned from Láhor with much wealth and property and were received with all honour. The plunder which they had obtained at Láhor in money, goods, and horses they presented to me, and I divided and gave all the goods and effects among the amírs and councillors who were in attendance at the court. * * *

Tímúr holds a Court.

On the same day I ordered preparations to be made for holding a splendid court. * * * After bestowing many rewards, robes and girdles, swords and quivers upon the amírs and others, I ordered that the right and left wings of the army should march towards home by certain prescribed routes. The saiyids, and 'ulamá, and zamíndárs, and gentlemen, natives of Hindustán who had joined and accompanied my camp, all received presents and tasted of my royal bounty. I then issued orders for them all to return home. Khizr Khán, who was one of the principal men of Hindustán, had been made prisoner by Sárang, the governor of Multán, and kept in confinement. But he escaped from prison and took refuge with Ahodan, governor of Bayána, who was a Musulmán and an honest man. When I was marching victorious through Hindustán, Khizr Khán hastened from Bayána to wait upon me, and I received him with honour and kindness and took him into my suite. I now appointed him governor of Multán. [and after bestowing the usual marks of honour] I sent him thither.

Hunting of the Rhinoceros, etc.

* * * On Friday the 26th of the month I again marched, and after accomplishing eight kos, arrived at the village of Jabhán, in the territories of Kashmír.

Description of Kashmír.

At this stage I made inquiries about the country and city of Kashmír from men who were acquainted with it, and from them I learned that * * Kashmír is an incomparable country. * * * In the midst of that country there is a very large and populous city called Naghaz. The rulers of the country dwell there. The buildings of the city are very large and are all of wood, and they are four or five stories high. They are very strong and will stand for 500 or 700 years. A large river runs through the middle of this city, as large as the Tigris at Baghdád, and the city is built upon both sides of it. The source of this river is within the limits of Kashmír in a large lake, some parasangs in length and breadth, which is called Vír-nák. The inhabitants have cast bridges over the river in nearly thirty places. These are constructed of wood, stone, or boats; seven of the largest are within the city, and the rest in the environs. When this river passes out of the confines of Kashmír, it is named after each city by which it passes; as the river of Dandána, the river of Jamd. The river passes on and joins the Chináb above Multán. The united waters pass below Multán and then join the Ráwí. The river Biyáh comes down through another part and joins them, and the three united rivers fall into the Sind or Indus in the neighbourhood of Uch. All these (united) rivers are called the Sind or the Panjáb, and this river falls into the Persian Gulf near Thatta. * * *

On the 29th Jumáda-l ákhir, I started from Jabhán and marched five kos and encamped on the banks of the Dandána. There I ordered a number of boats to be collected and a bridge to be formed. I ordered Amír Sháh Malik and Jalálu-l Islam to take their post at the head of the bridge and carefully superin­tend the passage of the army. When all the soldiers and bag­gage had crossed in safety, I also passed over and encamped. Next day, the 1st Rajab, I placed the heavy baggage in charge of certain amírs, who were to follow in the rear. Then I started for the seat of my empire, intending to travel rapidly. That day I accomplished twenty kos, and rested at the village of Sambast, in the Júd mountains. On the 2nd I again started, and travel­ling one and a half watch of the day, I reached the vicinity of the fort of Barúja, where I halted for an hour, and after saying noon­day prayers, I again started, and entering the Chol-i Jalálí, I continued my course until, at the time of evening prayer, I emerged from the desert, and encamped on the margin of a lake which had been filled by the rains of the rainy season. On the 3rd I again set off, and at breakfast time reached the banks of the Indus. I had sent orders to Pír 'Alí Salandoz, and other amírs who had charge of this territory, to construct a strong bridge of timber and boats over the river. They had executed my orders, and I passed over the bridge immediately. I ordered Amír Alláh-dád to guard the bridge for the transit of the forces and baggage which were coming up. I halted by the river till noon­day prayer, which I said in public; then I again started, and travelled ten kos more before halting for the night. On the 3rd I marched again, and, travelling rapidly, I reached the fort of Bánú, and there encamped. * * *