“When the world had derived benefit from this victory, the leader of the army indulged in wine. He convened an assembly, after the manner of the Kaiániáns, and the golden goblets circulated freely. A drop of fragrant wine was first poured on the earth. The barbat and the timbrel resounded. Many presents were given to his friends and to the soldiers, and many excuses were offered on their part. Every one arose from that assembly happy and rejoiced, and took the way to their own homes. When the guests had all departed, the master of the revels sat down to drink wine. A few of his intimate friends were invited to this private feast. The wine, which quivered in the cup like the heart of an infidel, was drunk off in the name of the King of Islám.”
In celebration of Spring.—The festival of the new year.—The five royal umbrellas, black, red, white, green, and rose colour.
The king set out for his Eastern expedition in the middle of Rabí'u-l awwal, 687 H. The first march was made from the New City to the borders of Tilpat and Afghánpúr. On the army's return from the expedition against the Mughals, the booty and captives were presented before the Sultán, Tátárí horses, and other rarities.
“Bárbak advanced straight to the place of salutation, and bowing his body, brought his forehead to the earth. From the common soldier to the lord of tymbals, all obtained the honour of kissing hands, and received royal rewards without measure for their services,—standards of golden cloth, horses, and other rarities. There were more than a thousand Tátár infidels and warriors of other tribes, riding on camels, great commanders in battle, all with steellike bodies clothed in cotton; with faces like fire, with caps of sheep-skin, with their heads shorn. Their eyes were so narrow and piercing that they might have bored a hole in a brazen vessel. Their stink was more horrible than their colour. Their faces were set on their bodies as if they had no neck. Their cheeks resembled soft leathern bottles, full of wrinkles and knots. Their noses extended from cheek to cheek, and their mouths from cheek-bone to cheek-bone. Their nostrils resembled rotten graves, and from them the hair descended as far as the lips. Their moustaches were of extravagant length. They had but scanty beards about their chins. Their chests, of a colour half black, half white, were so covered with lice, that they looked like sesame growing on a bad soil. Their whole body, indeed, was covered with these insects, and their skin as rough-grained as chagreen leather, fit only to be converted into shoes. They devoured dogs and pigs with their nasty teeth.”
“I have heard another story about them, that what one man vomits another eats, but this is no great wonder, for they are Turks of Kai.* Their origin is derived from dogs, but they have larger bones. The king marvelled at their beastly countenances, and said, that God had created them out of hell-fire. They looked like so many white demons, and the people fled from them everywhere in affright.”
When they were carried out from the royal presence they were put to the slaughter. “Spears without number bore their heads aloft, and looked denser than a forest of bamboos;” others were trodden to death by elephants. After several had been slaughtered in this manner, “the remnant were reserved to be paraded about from city to city; sometimes they had respite, at others punishment.” The king then called for wine, and devoted himself, as usual, to pleasure and revelry.
“The country-conquering army advanced, and heaven and earth became as one through the dust which arose.” After two marches the Jumna was crossed at Jewar, “which place, from the encamping of the army, was denuded of corn and grass.” Bárbak was appointed to the command, and he arrived with the army on the banks of the Sarú (Sarjú). He was joined by Chhajjú, the Khán of Karra, at the head of several thousand horsemen, and by the Khán of Oudh and his party.
When Násiru-d dín, the King of the East, who was encamped on the other side of the river, heard of his arrival, he sent Shamsu-d dín Dabú with a message inviting to peace, but he returned without effecting anything. Description of the hot season.
Mu'izzu-d dín Kai-kubád, on his arrival from Dehli, pitched his camp at Oudh (Ajúdhya), on the bank of the Ghágra. Násiru-d dín, from the opposite side, sent his chamberlain to deliver a message to Kai-kubád, who, by way of intimidation, himself discharged an arrow at him, which induced him to return to his master without crossing the river, at which the King of the East was much grieved and angered.
Next day the King of the East sent another officer to convey a threatening message, mentioning, amongst other things, the number and power of his elephants. He was answered by the son in a similar spirit.
He then tried the effect of sending a message of reconciliation, and requesting an interview, which was acceded to. The King of the East sent his youngest son, Kai-káús, to Kai-kubád, with jewels and elephants. In return, Kai-kubád sent his own son, Kaiomars, accompanied by the 'Áriz, with some rare presents.
Each is invited by the other to ascend the throne. The son said to the father, “Here is the throne, it is thy seat, I am a slave ready to obey orders.” The father said to the son, “This is a mistake, it is of you that this honour is worthy.” Again, the son said to the father, “Advance and ascend, for the throne will be exalted by thy presence.” Again, the father said to the son, “Oh, thou that wearest a crown, my empire will be established through the credit of thy name.”
“Long they continued in this gentle altercation, and no one could see the step of either advance. And when the father saw that the respect of his son exceeded all bounds, he said, ‘I have one desire near to my heart, and, thanks be to God, that it now approaches fulfilment, and that is, oh, fortunate one, that I may place thee on the throne with my own hand; because thou didst ascend the throne in my absence, and I was not there to take thy hand, though, it is true, thou hadst no need of my aid, for by thy own power didst thou establish thyself in the kingdom.”