Contest with Shahábu-dín Mubarák Sháh Tamímí.

Shahábu-d dín was ruler of an island* on the banks of the river Jamd. He was rich and had numerous followers and soldiers, by means of which he was distinguished above the Ráís of Hind. When the Prince Pír Muhammad Jahangír arrived in the vicinity of Multán he came in and paid homage. He was received among the adherents of the prince and was treated with great kindness. For some time he remained in attendance on the prince, but after a while he obtained leave of absence and returned to his government. He was deluded by the devil, and being puffed up with pride of the strength of his place and the river, he set himself in opposition. When the army had crossed and was encamped on the banks of the Jamd, this revolt was communicated to Tímúr. He then ordered Amír Shaikh Núru-d dín to march with his túmán against the island, and to extermi­nate the whole band of rebels. When the Amír arrived near the island, he found that Shahábu-d dín had dug a deep ditch and had raised high walls as means of defence. There was a large lake there, but the assailants plunged instantly into the water and kindled the flames of war. A fierce conflict followed which lasted till night, and the assailants then retired to take rest. During the night Shahábu-d dín fell upon the camp of the besiegers with 10,000 men and a great fight took place. Amír Shaikh Núru-d dín met the attack with a determined resistance, and the assailants being disheartened by this vigour fell back dispirited. Some of them cast themselves into the water and with difficulty brought the ship of life to the shore of safety.

Tímúr then came up with his army and encamped near the island. Shahábu-d dín by a prudent precaution had kept 200 boats ready for such an emergency. When he retreated beaten from his night attack upon the besiegers he embarked with his family and followers in the boats, and proceeded down the Jamd towards Uch, which is one of the towns of Hind. Amír Shaikh Núru-d dín, under the orders of the emperor, pursued them with his victorious forces along the banks of the river, and killed a good number of them. On his return Tímúr bestowed rewards and honours upon those who had fought so valiantly and had been wounded in repulsing the night attack. When Shahábu-d dín came near Multán, the Prince Pír Muhammad and Amír Sulaimán Sháh with their detachment opposed his progress and cut many of the fugitives to pieces. Shahábu-d dín cast his wife and children into the river and with great difficulty brought them half-dead to land. Tímúr sent Shah Malik into the jungles in pursuit of the fugitives. He killed a great many of them and their allies, and returned laden with booty and with boats full of corn to the royal camp. The Emperor marched from thence, and in five or six days arrived on the banks of the Chináwa* (Chináb) where that river unites with the Jamd. He encamped near the fort of Tulambí, and ordered a bridge to be thrown across the river. It was finished in three days.

Conquest of the Fort of Tulambí.

Tímúr passed over the bridge with his army and pitched his camp on the bank of the river near the town. The maliks and ráís of the place with the saiyids and learned men came forth to wait upon the emperor. They paid their homage and were well received. On the 1st Safar 801 H. in the plain of Tulambí the officers and ministers being assembled a ransom of two lacs was demanded from the inhabitants of the city, but orders were given that the saiyids and learned Musulmáns should be exempted from payment. The collectors busied themselves in the work of collection, but the whole was not realized, when a large division of the army arrived in great want of grain and provisions. The royal order was given that they were to take grain wherever they found it. With savage feelings the soldiers entered the town on the pretext of seeking for grain, and a great calamity fell upon it. They set fire to the houses and plundered whatever they could lay their hands on. The city was pillaged, and no houses escaped excepting those of the saiyids and learned Musulmáns.

Tímúr was now informed that a party of the chiefs of Tulambí who had formerly submitted to Prince Pír Muhammad had broken out into revolt and open violence. This greatly incensed him, and he sent Sháh Malik and Shaikh Muhammad Aikú-tamúr with their túmáns to chastise these revolters. These chiefs ac­cordingly entered the jungles and killed about 2,000 of them. Then they returned laden with booty to the royal camp. On the 8th Safar the army again took to the march and pitched their camp near Jál, upon the Byáh river, opposite the town of Sháh-nawáz.

March against Nusrat Kúkari (Khokhar).

While encamped on the river the emperor was informed that Nusrat Kúkarí, brother of Shaikha Kúkarí with 2,000 men had constructed a strong river fortress (rúd-khána-i'azím) on the banks of the river and was there posted. Tímúr instantly marched against him with a strong force. The right wing he placed under the command of Amír Shaikh Núru-d dín and Amír Allah-dad; and the left under Amír Sháh Malik and Amír Shaikh Muhammad Aikú-tamur. Ali Sultán Tawáchí at the head of the infantry, marched with the centre in battle array. Nusrat Kúkarí with great presumption and ignorance had col­lected a force of 1,000 Indian warriors, and had drawn them up to meet Tímúr on the banks of a lake.* Ali Sultán Tawáchí attacked them with his infantry of Khurásán, and after several assaults he overthrew them and put them to flight. Shaikh Núru-d dín and Allah-dád pursued the fugitives and slew many of them. He who bore the name of Nusrat (victory) could not save himself from this disaster, but went to hell with many of his followers. The soldiers secured great booty, and they set fire to the houses of the enemy. On the 10th Safar the army marched by a difficult road to Sháh-nawáz through mud and dirt. This is a considerable village where large stores of grain were found. The men carried off all they could, and under the royal command set fire to what was left, so that it might not benefit the infidels. From thence the army marched to the river Biyáh, and encamped opposite to the village of Janján,* where the baggage was collected. Here an opportunity of crossing was found, and Tímúr availing himself of this advantage, ordered his forces to cross the river.

Arrival of Prince Pír Muhammad from Multán.

It has already been recorded how Prince Pír Muhammad had besieged Multán, and how his forces were assaulting the place twice daily. The contest had lasted six months. Provisions had become so scarce in the place that not a dog or a cat was left, and the inhabitants being compelled to abandon the place, the prince had obtained possession of the country. He imme­diately sent a despatch of this victory to the royal camp. At this time heavy rains came on and lasted for several days, it being the season which in Hindustán is called the Barsh-kál. This caused a great mortality among the men and horses of the prince, and so he entered the city with all his forces. The chiefs and rulers of this country of Hind who had made their sub­mission, now conceived ideas of throwing off the yoke. They killed the governors of several places, and the soldiers being dismounted were unable to move against them. This gave the prince great annoyance, and he was a prey to constant anxiety, when the news of the emperor's approach struck dismay into the hearts of the enemy.

The prince being thus delivered from his difficulty proceeded with his officers and followers to the royal camp. On the 14th Safar he reached the camp on the banks of the Biyáh, when the emperor received him honourably and affectionately. * * * On the 15th Safar the emperor crossed the Biyáh, and encamped under the fort of Janján. There he remained four days. During these days all the men of the army crossed, some in boats and some by swimming, and not one individual was lost. * * * As the soldiers of the prince had lost their horses in the rainy season, and through the hardships of the campaign had been reduced to ride on bullocks and to walk, the emperor presented them with thirty thousand horses. The royal army then marched from Janján to Sahwál; on the 21st it proceeded to Aswán, where it rested one day, and then marched to Jahwál.