[New Year's Day of the seventh year fell on the 17th Muharram, 1021 (12th March, 1612).]
[Just at this time, a despatch arrived from Islám Khán, with intelligence of the defeat of the enemy, and the deliverance of the country of Bengal from the sway of 'Usmán the Afghán. Before entering upon this subject, a few particulars respecting Bengal may be recorded. It is an extensive country, situated in the second clime. Its length is 450 kos, extending from Bandar Chátgám (the port of Chittagong) to Garhí, and its breadth, from the northern mountains to the province of Madáran (Midnapúr), is 220 kos. Its revenue amounted to sixty krors of dáms.* In former times, its governors always maintained 8000 horse, one lac of foot soldiers, 1000 elephants, and 400 or 500 war boats. From the time of Sher Khán Afghán and his son Salím Khán, this country had remained in the possession of the Afgháns.* When my revered father mounted and adorned the throne of Hindústán, he appointed an army to subdue it. Strenuous efforts to effect its conquest were for a long time maintained, and at length it was wrested from the hands of Dáúd Kirání, the last ruler of the country, who was killed, and his forces defeated and scattered by Khán Jahán.
From that time to the present the country has been governed by servants of the Empire, excepting only a remnant of Afgháns who remained in the recesses and on the borders of the country. By degrees these fell into trouble and distress, and the whole country was annexed to the Imperial dominions. When I ascended the throne, in the first year of my reign, I recalled Mán Singh, who had long been governor of the country, and appointed my kokaltásh Kutbu-d dín to succeed him. Soon after his arrival, he was assassinated by one of the turbulent characters of the country, who met with his reward and was killed.* Jahángír Kulí Khán, whom I had made a commander of 5000, was governor of the province of Bihár, and was near to Bengal, so I ordered him to proceed thither and take possession of the country. Islám Khán was then at A'gra, and I sent a farmán to him, granting him the province of Bihár in jágír, and directing him to proceed there. Jahángír Kulí Khán had not been long there when he fell ill, and died from the effects of the climate. On receiving intelligence of his death, I appointed Islám Khán to succeed him, and sent directions for him to proceed thither with all speed, leaving Bihár in charge of Afzal Khán.
On my appointing him to this great service, some of my servants made remarks upon his youth and want of experience, but I perceived that he had nobility of character and talents, so I selected him. The result has been, that he has brought the country into a state of order, such as no one of his predecessors in the office had ever been able to accomplish. One of his most signal services has been the suppression of 'Usmán the Afghán. During the reign of my father, the royal forces had continual encounters with this man, but were unable to subdue him.
Islám Khán took up his quarters at Dacca, to bring the zamíndárs of that vicinity to submission, and he formed the design of sending an army against 'Usmán and his country, to induce him to make profession of allegiance, or else to exterminate him and his turbulent followers. Shujá'at Khán was at this time with Islám Khán, and he was appointed to command the force appointed for this service. Several other of the servants of the State, such as * *, were sent with him. * * When they arrived near 'Usmán's fortress and country, some able speakers were sent to advise him to renounce his rebellious habits, and to become a good subject; but he was too proud and ambitious. He cherished the design of subduing this country, and had other projects in his head. He would not listen to a word, but got ready for battle. He took a position in a village on the bank of a nála, surrounded by water and marsh. Shujá'at Khán determined to attack, and arranged his forces in their respective places. 'Usmán had not intended to fight that day; but when he heard that the Imperial forces were in motion, he mounted and rode to the bank of the nála to arrange his men.
The battle began, and the fight waxed warm. At the very first the bold rebel, mounted on a fierce elephant, pushed forward and encountered the advanced force. After a sharp struggle, the commanders of the attacking force were killed. Iftikhár Khán, the commander of the right wing, showed no want of gallantry, and was killed fighting, while his men fought desperately till they were cut to pieces. In the left wing also Kishwar Khán fell, after performing great deeds of valour.
Although the enemy had lost many men, their intrepid leader conceived a well-devised and skilful movement.* He knew that the commanders of the advance and of the right and left wings had fallen, but that the centre remained. So, heedless of his dead and wounded, he made a fierce assault upon the centre. The sons and brothers and relatives of Shujá'at Khán, with some others, cast themselves in his way like lions and panthers, and fought desperately tooth and nail, till many of them were slain, and such as survived were severely wounded.
The leading elephant, a very fierce one, attacked Shujá'at Khán, and he wounded it with his spear, but what does such an animal care for a spear? Shujá'at drew his sword and gave it two cuts, but what did it care for that? He then wounded it twice with his dagger, but even then it did not turn, but sought to bear down both the Khán and his horse. As he was thrown from his horse, he shouted “Jahángír Sháh!” and then sprung to his feet. One of his attendants struck the elephant on his fore-legs with a two-handed sword, and brought him to his knees. Shujá'at and his attendant then threw his driver to the ground, and with the same dagger he wounded the elephant in the trunk and forehead so that he shrieked with pain and turned back. The animal had received so many wounds, that he fell on reaching the enemy's ranks.
Shujá'at Khán's horse got up unhurt; but while he was mounting, the baffled foe drove another elephant against the standardbearer of Shujá'at Khán, to overthrow both horse and standard. Shujá'at raised a shout of warning to the standard-bearer, and cried, “Act like a man, I am yet alive.” Every man near the standard directed his arrow, his dagger, or his sword against the elephant. Shujá'at Khán bade the standard-bearer arise, and calling for another horse, made him remount and again raise the standard.
During this struggle, a musket-ball struck the forehead of the rebel commander, but the hand which fired it was never known, though inquiry was made. As soon as he received the wound, 'Usmán fell back, for he knew that it was mortal. Still for two watches and a half, in spite of his wound, he kept urging his men on, and the fight and slaughter was continued. At length the foe gave way, and the troops pursued them to the position they had fortified. Still they kept up a discharge of arrows and muskets, and prevented the royal forces from obtaining an entrance.
When Walí the brother, and Mamrez the son, of 'Usmán, and other of his friends, were informed of the severe wound he had received, they knew that he could not survive; they also reflected that if after such a defeat they broke and made for their fastnesses, not one of them would escape; so they resolved to remain in their position for the night, and to escape just before break of day to their fortresses. At midnight 'Usmán departed to hell, and in the following watch the enemy, carrying off his body, and leaving all their equipage standing, made off to their strongholds. Upon hearing of their flight, Shujá'at Khán proposed to pursue them, and not give them time to draw breath; but the exhaustion of the troops, the burying of the dead, and the tending of the wounded, prevented him, to his great chagrin. 'Abdu-l Islám, son of Mu'azzam Khán, now arrived with several officers, 600 horse, and 400 gunners. With these fresh troops he started in pursuit. Walí, who was now the leader of the rebels, on being informed of this, (resolved to ask for peace). Shujá'at Khán and the other officers accepted the proposition, and granted terms. Next day Walí, and the sons and relations of 'Usmán, came into the Imperial camp, and presented forty-nine elephants, with other tribute. Shujá'at Khán then left some forces to watch the country held by the enemy, while he carried Walí and his Afghán prisoners to Jahángír-nagar (Dacca), which he entered on the 6th Safar, and waited on Islám Khán. * * In reward of this service, I raised Islám Khán to the dignity of 6000, and I gave Shujá'at Khán the title of “Rustam of the age,” with a mansab of 1000.] * * *
On the 16th of the month of Farwardín, Mukarrab Khán, one of my chief, confidential and oldest nobles, having received the dignity of 3000, and the command of 2000 horse, gained the honour of being presented to me on his arrival from Kambay. Certain political considerations induced me to depute him to the seaport town of Goa,* to visit the wazír or ruler of that place. I further asked him to purchase certain articles procurable there, which might suit my taste. In obedience to orders, he set out directly for that harbour, and resided there for a long time. He did not regard the expense, but purchased several articles from the Feringís, at any price they asked. On his return, he presented the precious things he had bought in Goa. Amongst these were a few animals which excited my curiosity, and which I had never seen before. No one even knew their names.
The Emperor Bábar has in his Memoirs given an able description and pictured representation of several animals; but it is most probable he never ordered the painters to draw them from the life. But as the animals now before me were of such exquisite rarity, I wrote a description of them, and ordered that their pictures should be drawn in the Jahángír-náma, with the view that their actual likenesses might afford a greater surprise to the reader than the mere description of them. One of the birds resembled a peahen, but was a little larger in size, though less than a peacock. When he was desirous of pairing, he used to spread his tail and feathers, and danced about like a peacock. His beak and feet resembled those of a barn-door fowl. His head, neck, and throat changed their colour every minute; but when anxious to pair, he became a perfect red, and seemed to be a beautiful piece of coral. After some time, he was as white as cotton, and sometimes he got as blue as a turquoise, and in short turned all colours like a chameleon. The piece of flesh which is attached to his head looked like the comb of a cock. But the curious part of it was this, that piece of flesh, when he was about to pair, hung down a span long, like the trunk of an elephant, and when again restored to its position, it was erected over his head to the height of two fingers, like the horn of a rhinoceros. The part round his eyes remained constantly of a blue colour, and was never subject to change, which was not the case with his wings, which were always changing their colour, contrary to those of a peacock.* * * *
I put the tíká on the forehead of Dalpat with my Royal hands, selected him as the successor of his father, and conferred upon him the jágír and country of the deceased Ráí Singh. A handsome ornamented inkstand and pen was this day given by I'timádu-d daula.
Lakhmí Chand, the Rájá of Kamáun, one of the chief Rájás in the hills, was son of Rájá Ráí, who, at the time of waiting upon the late King, sent a petition, asking that the son of Rájá Todar Mal might lead him to the royal presence, and his request was complied with. Lakhmí Chand now likewise begged me to order the son of I'timádu-d daula to conduct him to the Court; and to meet his wishes, I sent Sháhpúr to bring him into my presence. The hill-chief had brought a great number of the valuable rarities of his mountains for my acceptance. Amongst them were beautiful strong ponies called Gúts, several hawks and falcons, numerous pods of musk, and whole skins of the musk-deer with the musk in them. He also presented me with various swords which were called khandah and katára. This Rájá is the richest hill-chief, and it is said that there is a gold mine in his territory.
As Khwája Jahán had greatly distinguished himself in architecture, I sent him to Lahore to build a handsome palace for me.