Sháh Jahán, having crossed the Nerbadda, kept all the boats on his side, and placed strong guards over the fords. Leaving Bairam Beg Bakhshí with a force of his most trusty soldiers and men of the Dakhin, and with the artillery drawn up by the river, he himself went off towards the fort of Asír and Burhán­púr. At this time his men caught a messenger whom Khán-khánán had sent to Mahábat Khán. He sent for the Khán, and showed him the letter taken from the messenger. Khán-khánán endeavoured to excuse himself, but could not give a satisfactory answer. An order was accordingly given that he and Dáráb and his other sons should be kept under arrest.

Rustam Khán, Muhammad Murád, and several others who had abandoned the service of the rebel, and had paid their respects to my dutiful son, according to orders were sent to my Court, and were received by me. Rustam Khán received a mansab of 5000, and 4000 horse. Muhammad Murád a mansab of 1000, and 500 horse, and prospects of future promotion were held out to them.

When the rebel Sháh Jahán reached Asír, he placed Khán-khánan, Dáráb, and all his other children in confinement in the upper part of the fortress. He remained there three or four days, attending to the victualling and preparation of the fortress, which he placed under the command of Gopál Dás, a Rájpút. ^{* *} When he departed, he left some of his women and superfluous things there in charge of Gopál; but he took with him his three wives, his children, and such maids as were necessary. His first intention was to leave Khán-khánán and his children prisoners there; but he changed his mind, and carried them with him to Burhánpúr. ^{* *} Mahábat Khán was very desirous to separate Khán-khánán from the rebel, and thus to promote a peace. Sháh Jahán also, in the strait he then was, took Khán-khánán out of confinement, and bound him by oath upon the Kurán to be faithful. To give force to the oath and agreement, he took him into his female apartments, and giving him the privileges of a near relation, presented to him his wives and children, and, with tears and great earnestness, said, “In case of evil falling upon me, I trust myself and the honour of my family to you; some­thing must be done, that I may proceed no further in this wretched and miserable course.”

Khán-khánán separated from him, intent upon peace, and pro­ceeded towards the Imperial army. It was arranged that he should stay on that side of the river to carry on the negociations for peace. But before he reached the bank of the river, some dashing young men of the royal army one night found a place which the rebels had left unguarded, and passed over the river. This caused some dismay, but Bairam Beg gallantly resolved to contest the passage. While he was getting his forces together some more men passed over, and the same night the rebels retreated. Khán-khánán was left in a difficult position, he did not know whether to advance or retreat. But the men of my son's army continually pressed forward, and Khán-khánán was relieved from the trammels of rebellion, and was presented by Mahábat Khán to my son.

Sháh Jahán, when he heard of the defection of Khán-khánán, the passage of the river by the Imperial troops, and the retreat of Bairam Beg, fell back. Notwithstanding heavy rain and inundations, he crossed the river Matí in a wretched state, and went off towards the Dakhin. In the confusion many officers, who willingly or unwillingly had joined him, now separated from him.

On the 9th Ábán, Khawás Khán brought a despatch from Prince Parwez and Mahábat Khán, informing me that they had reached Burhánpúr, but that many men had fallen in the rear in consequence of the violence of the rain. But acting in obedience to orders, they had taken no rest, and had pressed on in pursuit of the rebel across the river (Táptí). The fugitives, on hearing of their arrival, continued their flight in disorder, and lost many of their animals through the heavy rain, and the mud and mire. The royal forces then continued the pursuit to the pargana of Ankot, forty kos from Burhánpúr. ^{* *} The rebel then went on to the territories of Kutbu-l Mulk. When my son Parwez found that the rebel had quitted my dominions, he and Mahábat and all the amírs returned to Burhánpúr on the 1st Ábán.

Intelligence arrived that Sháh Jahán, with Dáráb and other fugitives, had passed out of the territory of Kutbu-l Mulk, and was making for Orissa and Bengal. On the way they had to endure great hardships, and many of the rebel's companions abandoned him when they found opportunity. ^{* *} After per­forming a long march, Sháh Jahán arrived at Machhlí (Masuli-patam), which belonged to Kutbu-l Mulk. When his arrival there became known, Kutbu-l Mulk sent one of his people to the fugitive, and gave him every kind of relief and assistance in money and provisions. He also directed his margrave to convoy the fugitive safely out of his dominions, and he further appointed grain-dealers and zamíndárs to attend his camp, and supply it with corn and other necessaries. ^{* *}]