The king on the 12th day of the month, having crossed the river Sindh, pitched his camp near the Chol-Jarad, which jungle is now known as the “Chol-i Jalálí.” The cause of this fame is, that Sultán Jalálu-d dín, when he fled from Changíz Khán, crossed the river and came to this chol, and so escaped. All the chiefs of the hills of Júd came and professed their subjection to Tímúr. Before this Amír Rustam Tagháí Búkáí Birlas, according to the royal order, had gone in the direction of Multán, and on account of the rain, had proceeded by the way of the mountains of Júd. The nobles of this place then supplied him with provisions, and rendered acceptable services to him. Tímúr having approved their services, showed them kindness, and con­ferred honours upon them.

Opposition of Shahábu-d dín.

Shahábu-d dín Mubárak was prince of an island on the side of the river Jamd; he had in his service a large number of fighting men. When Prince Pír Muhammad appeared on the frontier of Multán, Shahábu-d dín paid homage to him, and was treated with great consideration, but on his return to the island, seeing the strength of his island and the security afforded by the river, the thought of rebellion entered into his head. Tímúr having left the Chol-i Jalálí, came and encamped on the banks of the Jamd, and being aware of the rebellion of Shahábu-d dín, on the 14th day of the month, he sent Mír Shaikh Núru-d dín with a large army against him.

Massacre of Hindu Prisoners.

At this Court the princes and amírs represented to His Majesty, that between the time of his crossing the river Sindh and of his reaching this place, 100,000 infidels had been made prisoners, and it was to be feared that in the day of battle they would incline to the people of Dehlí, and would join them. On that day, Mallú Khán had come as far as the Jahán-numá. The intelligence of this movement having spread through the camp, had reached the prisoners, and they communicated the good news to each other. Tímúr listened to this considerate and wise ad­vice, and gave orders for putting the prisoners to death. Every one who failed in the execution of this order was to be killed, and his property was to become the possession of the man who reported his dereliction of duty. In execution of this order, 100,000 Hindus were slain with the sword of holy war. Maulána Násiru-d dín, one of the chief ecclesiastics, who in all his life had never slaughtered a sheep, put fifteen Hindus to the sword.

Embassy to Hindustán.

During the course of the year 845 H. (21st May, 1441), the author of this history, 'Abdu-r Razzák, the son of Is'hák, under the orders of the sovereign of the world, prepared to set out for the province of Hormúz, and the shores of the ocean.^{* * * *}

On the 18th of Ramazán I arrived at the pure abode of Kirmán, a place of importance, as well as of delight and rapture.^{* * *}

On the 5th of Shawwál, I departed from Kirmán, and on my road had an interview with the Amír Hájí Muhammad, who was on his return from plundering the province of Banpúr,* and in the middle of the month I arrived on the shore of the sea of 'Umán and the port of Hormúz, the governor of which place, Malik Fakhru-d-dín Túrán Sháh, sent me a boat, in which I arrived at the city of Hormúz. He assigned me a house and all necessary appurtenances, and I was admitted to an interview with the king.

This Hormúz, which is also called Jerún, is a seaport, which has not its parallel on the face of the earth. The merchants of the seven climates resort to it, such as those of Egypt, Syria, Rúm, Ázarbáíján, the two 'Iráks Fárs, Khurásán, Máwaráu-n-nahr, Turkistán, Dasht-i-Kipchák, the Kalmak country, and all the kingdoms of the East, Chín, Máchín, and Khánbálík. Hither also those who dwell on the shores of the sea bring commodities from Chín, Java, Bengal, Ceylon, the cities of Zírbád, Tanásiri,* Sacotra, and the ninety cities of the islands of Díwah-Mahall,* the countries of Malábár, Abyssinia, Zangebar, the ports of Bíjánagar, Kulbarga, Gujarát, Kanbá (Cambay), the coasts of Arabia as far as Aden, Jiddah, and Jambó(?). All these are the bearers of such merchandize, precious and rare, as the sun and the moon and the rains contribute to embellish. Travellers come hither from all parts of the world, and without difficulty replace what they bring by articles which they require of equiva­lent value. They transact their business for cash or by barter. They pay on every article a custom-duty of a tenth, with the exception of gold and silver. Professors of various religions, and even infidels, abound in that city, and no measure of injustice is permitted to any one in it; hence the city is “called the abode of security (dáru-l ámán).” The inhabitants combine the courtesy of the 'Irákís with the subtlety of the Hindus.

I remained there two months, the rulers of it having searched for all kinds of excuses to detain me; insomuch, that the time favourable for proceeding to sea, viz., the beginning and middle of the monsoon, elapsed, and it was not till the end of it, when storms and tempests are to be feared, that they allowed me to depart. As men and horses could not go in one ship, they were separated and placed in different ships. So we hoisted sail and departed.

When the stink of the vessel affected my senses, and the dread of the sea was experienced, I fell into such a swoon that, for three days, my breathing alone indicated that I was alive. When I came a little to myself, the merchants, who were my intimate friends, exclaimed with one accord that the season of navigation was already past, and whoever exposed himself to the perils of the sea at such a time would alone be responsible for his own death, since he voluntarily sought it. All of them accordingly having sacrificed the sums which they had paid as freight, relinquished their design, and after some difficulties, dis­embarked at the port of Maskat.

As for me, attended by my intimate friends, I went from Maskat to a place called Kariát, and there I took up my abode. The merchants of the sea, when the objects of your voyage are not accomplished, and you are compelled to sojourn in a place other than that of your destination, say you are reduced to a state of tabáhí. In consequence of the revolutions of a merciless heaven, and the ill-luck of a treacherous destiny, my heart was shattered like glass. I was tired of life, and reduced to great extremities.^{* * * *}

While I was, against my will, detained at Kariát, and on the sea­shore, the moon of the Muharram of 846 H. (12th May, 1442), developed the beauty of her crescent in that abode of grief. Although it was the season of the vernal equinox, the heat of the sun was so intense, that the rubies were dissolved in their mines, and the marrow was dried up in the bones.^{* * *} My eldest brother, myself, and companions fell ill through the excessive heat, [and in this situation we remained for four months.]^{* * *} Having learnt that in the neighbourhood of Kalahát there was a place called Saur, which possessed an equable temperature, and was supplied with good water, I embarked on a vessel to go to that place, notwithstanding my weakness; but when I arrived there, my illness increased.* ^{* * *}

At length I departed for Hindustán, and after a voyage of eighteen days and nights, [during which the freshness of the sea-breeze restored my health,] we cast anchor, by the aid of God, in the port of Kálíkot; and now I proceed to recount naturally, and without any effort, the marvels of that country, and my travels in it.