I wrote letters* which I sent by the hand of Kichkīneh tunketār* to the Amirs beyond the hills, desiring them to assemble the force* of the country, mentioning that the army was in the field, and about to make an inroad; that they must therefore array themselves and join the camp.*
August 15.Next morning I mounted, and took a maajūn. We threw into the river Parwān, where it meets the road,* some of the drug which is used by the inhabitants of the country to intoxicate the fishes, and took a very great quantity of fish. Mīr Shah Beg presented me with a horse, and gave us a dinner. From thence we went on to Gulbehār. After bed-time prayers we had a drinking party. Derwīsh Muhammed Sārbān was present at these parties. Though young, and a soldier, yet he never indulged in wine. He always rigidly abstained from it. Kūtluk Khwājeh Gokultāsh had for a long time renounced the profession of arms, and become a Derwīsh. He was very aged, and his beard had become white, but he always joined us at our wine in these jovial drinking parties. ‘Does not the hoary beard of Kūtluk Khwājeh make you ashamed?’ said I to Muhammed Derwīsh; ‘Old as he is, and white as is his beard, he always drinks wine. You, a soldier, young, with a black beard, and never drink! What sense is there in this?’ It never was my custom, as I did not think it polite, to press anybody to drink who did not wish; so that this passed as a mere pleasantry, and he was not induced to take wine.
August 16.Next morning we had a morning cup.
August 17.On Wednesday, we left Gulbehār, and came to the village of Alūn,* where we dined, and then went on to Bāghāt khām, where we halted. After noon-day prayers we had a drinking party.
August 18.Next morning, we set out again on our progress, and after having visited and circumambulated the tomb of Khwājeh Khan-Saīd, embarked in a raft at Chīneh Kurghāneh. At the conflux of the river Penjhīr, where the hill juts out, the raft struck on a rock, and began to sink. When the raft struck, the shock was so violent, that Rūhdem, Tengri Kuli, and Mīr Muhammed Jālehbān, were tossed into the river. Rūhdem and Tengri Kuli were dragged again into the raft with much difficulty. A china cup with a spoon and cymbal fell overboard. Putting off from thence, as we reached a place opposite to Sang-e-burīdeh (the Cut-rock), the raft again struck on something in the midst of the stream, I know not whether the branch of a tree, or a stake, which had been driven in for making a stop-water. Shah Hassan Shah Beg went over on his back. While falling, he laid hold of Mirza Kuli Gokultāsh, and drew him in along with him. Derwīsh Muhammed Sārbān likewise tumbled into the water. Mirza Kuli Gokultāsh fell in an odd way. He had in his hand a knife for cutting melons, which, while in the act of falling, he struck into the mat that was spread over the raft, and fell overboard. Not being able to regain the raft, he kept swimming in his gown and dress of honour, till he reached the shore. On disembarking from the raft, we passed that night in the raftsmen’s houses. Derwīsh Muhammed made me a present of a cup of seven colours, like that which had fallen overboard.
August 19.On Friday, we left the banks of the river. We halted on the skirt of a small hill situated lower down than Koh-Bārik,* where I plucked a number of toothpicks* with my own hand.* About noon-day prayers, we halted in Kūtluk Khwājeh’s village,* in a district of Lamghān. Kūtluk A. D. 1519. Khwājeh got ready a hasty dinner, of which I partook; after which I rode back to Kābul.
August 22.On Monday the 25th, I bestowed a khilaat i khāseh* (or dress of honour of the highest degree), and a saddled horse, on Derwīsh Muhammed Sārbān, and he was presented on being raised to the rank of Beg.* For four or five months August 24. I had never cut the hair of my head. On Wednesday the 27th I had it cut. This day we had a drinking party.
August 26.On Friday the 29th, I invested Mīr Khūrd with the office of governor to Hindāl, on which occasion he brought me a present of a thousand shahrokhis.*
August 31.On Wednesday, the 5th of Ramzān, one Jekni, a servant of Tūlik Gokultāsh Birlās,* came from his master with a letter reporting that an Uzbek plundering party had appeared in his neighbourhood, and that he had overtaken, attacked, and defeated it. The messenger brought one Uzbek alive, and the head of another.
Sept. 3.On the night of Saturday the 8th, we went to Kāsim Beg’s house, and broke our fast.* He presented me with a saddled horse. Next morning, we broke our fast at the house of Khalīfeh, who presented me with a saddled horse.
Sept. 4.The morning after, Khwājeh Muhammed Ali and Jān Nāsir, who had been sent for in order to consult about military matters, arrived from their governments.
Sept. 7.On Wednesday the 12th, Sultan Ali Mirza, the maternal uncle of Kāmrān, who, in the year in which I passed over from Khost to Kābul, had proceeded to Kāshghar, as has been mentioned, waited on me.
Sept. 8.On Thursday, the 13th of Ramzān, I set out on an expedition for the purpose of repelling and chastising the Yūsefzais, and halted at a valley* which lies near Deh-Yākub, on the Kābul side of that village. As I was mounting my horse, Bāba Jān, my waiting-man, having presented it in an awkward manner,* I was angry, and struck him a blow on the face with my fist, by which I dislocated my thumb. I did not feel it much at the time; but when I had dismounted at the end of our march, it had become extremely painful. For a long while I suffered excessively from it, and I was unable to write a single letter. It got well, however, at last.
At this station, one Kutlūkdam,* a foster-brother of my aunt, Doulet Sultan Khanum, arrived from Kāshghar, bringing letters and news of the Khanum.
The same day, Būkhān and Mūsa, the chiefs of the Dilazāks, came with their tribute, and were introduced.*
Sept. 11.On Sunday the 16th, Kūch Beg arrived.
Sept. 14.On Wednesday the 19th, we marched, and, passing by But-khāk,* halted in the place where we had been accustomed to encamp on the banks of the But-khāk river. As Bāmiān, Kahmard, Ghūri, and the districts held by Kūch Beg, were much exposed, in consequence of the vicinity of the Uzbeks, I excused him from accompanying the army; and at this station, presenting him with a turban which I myself had worn, together with a complete dress of honour, dismissed him to his government.
On Friday the 21st, we halted at Bādām-chashmeh.
Sept. 16. Next morning, we halted at Bārīk-āb.*
I went and rode
all round Karayūl.*
In the course of this day’s march, we
found honey in a tree. Advancing, march after march, on
Wednesday the 26th we halted at Bāgh.*
All Thursday we
stayed at Bāgh. On Friday, we marched, and halted after
Sept. 21,
22, and 23.
passing Sultānpūr. The same day, Mīr Shah Hussain
arrived from his government. Būkhān and Mūsa, the chiefs
of the Dilazāks, and the Dilazāks themselves, also arrived
this day. I had intended to make an expedition against
Sawād, in order to check the Yūsefzais. The Dilazāk chiefs
represented to me, that, in Hashnaghar, there were a great
number of Ulūs (or wandering tribes), who had large
quantities of corn, and urged me to attack them. After
consulting, I finally arranged that, as there seemed to be
large quantities of grain in Hashnaghar, we should plunder
the Afghans of that neighbourhood; that we should fit
up the fort of Hashnaghar, or that of Pershāwer, and lay
up magazines of grain in them; and that Mīr Shah Hussain
should be left there with a body of troops for their defence.
In consequence of this resolution, Mīr Shah Hussain got
leave of absence for a fortnight, that he might go back to his
government, and return with such warlike stores as were
requisite.