On Friday I mounted to ride out, and crossed the river in a boat, went round the gardens and parterres* on the opposite side, with the grounds where the sugar-cane is cultivated, examined the buckets and wheels for irrigation, drew some water, inquired into the mode of their operation, and made them raise the water again and again, that I might observe their action. During our ride, I had taken a maajūn, and when we had seen everything, we returned to the boat. Manucheher Khan had also taken a maajūn, but so strong that two people were obliged to take hold of his arms and support him along. We dropped the anchor, and for a while remained stationary in the midst of the river; we next went a good way down the river, and afterwards desired the boat to be worked up the stream. That night we slept in the boat, and towards morning returned to the camp.
March 12On Saturday, the 10th of the first Rabi, the sun entered the Ram; that day I rode out about noon-day prayers, went on board a vessel, and had a drinking party. The party was composed of Khwājeh Dost Khāwend, Dost Beg, Mīram Mirza Kuli, Muhammedi, Ahmedi, Yunis Ali, Muhammed Ali Jeng-Jeng, Gadai, Taghāi, Mīr Khurd Asās. The musicians were Rūhdem, Bāba Jān, Kāsim Ali, Yūsef Ali, Tengri Kuli, Ramzān. Having got into a large branch of the stream, we went down it for some time, after which we landed* considerably lower down than Behreh, and reached the camp late.
That same day Shah Hassan came back from Khushāb. He had been sent as ambassador, to in vite the countries that had formerly been held by the Tūrks to return to their allegiance, and had made a capitulation with them. Some of the money that had been settled for, had also been paid to us. The heats were now close at hand; I therefore appointed Shah Muhammed Moherdār,* his younger brother, Dost Moherdār, with a number of the most efficient men, and of those who were best suited to the service, to remain to support Hindū Beg. I settled on each of them a stated allowance, suited to his rank and circumstances. On Langer Khan, who was the prime cause and adviser of this expedition, I bestowed Khushāb, and gave him the tūgh,* or banner of mountain-cow’s tail. I left him also behind to support Hindū Beg. With the same view, I placed under the orders of Hindū Beg a number of Tūrki soldiers and Zemīndārs,* who were in Behreh, and increased their allowances. Among these was Manucheher Khan, who has been already mentioned*; another was Sanger Khan Janjūheh, who was* Malik Hast of the Janjūheh.
Having arranged the affairs of the country in such a way March 13. as to give a prospect of its being kept quiet, on Sunday, the 11th of the first Rebi, I marched from Behreh on my return to Kābul. We halted at Kaldeh-Kahār. That day also there was a most uncommon fall of rain. Those who had cloaks,* and those who had none, were all in the same state. The rear of the camp continued dropping in till after bed-time prayers.
Some persons who were acquainted with the country, and with the political situation of the neighbouring territories, and particularly the Janjūheh, who were the old enemies of the Gakkers, represented to me that Hāti the Gakker had been guilty of many acts of violence, had infested the highways by his robberies, and harassed the inhabitants; that therefore it was necessary either to effect his expulsion from this quarter, or, at least, to inflict on him exemplary punishment.
For effecting this object, next morning, I left Khwājeh
March 14.
Expedition
against
Parhāleh.
Mīr Mirān and Mīram Nāsir in charge of the camp, and,
about breakfast*
time, set out with a body of light troops,
to fall upon Hāti Gakker, who, a few days before, had killed
Tātār, seized the country of Parhāleh,*
and was now at
Parhāleh, as has been mentioned. About afternoon prayers
we halted, and baited our horses; and set off again about
bed-time prayers. Our guide was a servant of the Malik
Hast, by name Sarpa. He was a Gujer. All night long we
proceeded straight on in our course, but halted towards
March 15.
morning, and sent on Beg Muhammed Moghul towards
their camp.*
When it was beginning to be light we again
mounted; and, about luncheon*
time, put on our armour,
and increased our speed. About a kos from the place where
we had made this halt, Parhāleh began to appear faintly
in sight. The skirmishers were now pushed forward;
the right wing proceeded to the east of Parhāleh. Kūch Beg,
who belonged to that wing, was directed to follow in their
rear, by way of reserve. The left wing and centre poured
in straight towards Parhāleh. Dost Beg was appointed to
command the party charged to support the left wing and
centre, who made the direct attack on Parhāleh.
Parhāleh, which stands high in the midst of deep valleys
and ravines, has two roads leading to it; one of them on
the south-east, which was the road that we advanced by.
This road runs along the edge of the ravines, and has ravines
and precipices on both sides. Within half a kos of Parhāleh
the road becomes extremely difficult, and continues so
up to the very gates of the city; the ravine road, in four
or five places, being so narrow and steep, that only one
person can go along it at a time; and, for about a bowshot,
it is necessary to proceed with the utmost circumspection.*
The other road is on the north-west. It advances towards
Parhāleh through the midst of an open valley.*
Except these
two roads there is no other on any side. Although the place
has no breast-work nor battlement, yet it is so situated that
it is not assailable. It is surrounded by a precipice seven or
eight gaz in perpendicular height. The troops of the left
wing having passed along the narrows, went pouring on
towards the gate. Hāti, with thirty or forty horsemen,
all, both man and horse, in complete armour, accompanied
by a number of foot soldiers, attacked and drove back
the skirmishers. Dost Beg, who commanded the reserve,
coming up, and falling on the enemy with great impetuosity,
brought down a number of them, and routed the rest.
Hāti Gakker, who distinguished himself by his courage and
firmness in the action,*
in spite of all his exertions could not
maintain his ground, and fled. He was unable to defend the
narrows; and, on reaching the fort, found that it was
equally out of his power to maintain himself there. The
detachment, which followed close on his heels, having
entered the fort along with him, Hāti was compelled to
make his escape, nearly alone, by the north-west entrance.*
A. D. 1519.
Dost Beg, on this occasion, again greatly distinguished
Parhāleh
taken.
himself. I ordered an honorary gift*
to be given to him.
At the same time I entered Parhāleh, and took up my abode
at Tātār’s palace. During these operations, some men,
who had been ordered to remain with me, had joined the
skirmishing party. Among these were Amīn Muhammed
Karāchi, and Tarkhān Arghūn.*
In order to punish them
for this offence, I gave them the Gujer, Sarpa, for their guide,
and turned them out disgracefully into the deserts and wilds,
to find their way back to the camp.
Next morning, passing by the ravine on the north-west, we halted on the sown fields, when I gave Wali, the treasurer, a body of select troops, and sent him off to the camp.
March 17.On Thursday the 15th we halted at Anderābeh,* which lies on the banks of the river Sūhān. This fort of Anderābeh depended, from old times, on the father of Malik Hast. When Hāti Gakker slew Malik Hast’s father, it had been destroyed, and had remained in ruins ever since. About bed-time prayers, the party that had been left with the camp at Kaldeh-Kahār rejoined us.
SubmissionHāti, after dispatching* Tātār, had sent to me one Parbat, his relation, with a caparisoned horse, and a peshkesh. He did not meet me, but fell in with that part of the army that had been left behind with the camp; and having arrived along with the division that accompanied the baggage, now presented his offerings and tribute, and tendered his submission. Langer Khan, who was to be left behind in Behreh, but who had accompanied the camp in order to finish some business, also rejoined me; and, having brought everything to a conclusion, took leave on his return to Behreh, accompanied by some Zemindārs of March 18. that district. After this we marched on, crossed the river Sūhān, and encamped on a rising ground. I gave a dress of honour to Parbat, Hāti Khan’s relation; and, having written letters to confirm Hāti in his good intentions, and to remove any apprehensions that he might entertain, dispatched Parbat in company with a servant of Muhammed Ali Jeng-Jeng.
Submission