His Majesty took a guide from this place, and mounted and rode for 'Umrkōt. It was extremely hot; horses and (other) quadrupeds* kept sinking to the knees in the sand, and Māldeo was behind. On they went, thirsty and hungry. Many, women and men, were on foot. (46b)
On the approach of Māldeo's troops, the Emperor said to Īshān (Īsān)-tīmūr Sulān and to Mu'nim Khān* and a number of others: ‘You all come slowly, and watch the enemy till we have gone on a few miles.’ They waited; it grew night, and they missed their way.
All through that night the Emperor went on, and at dawn a watering-place was found. For three days the horses had not drunk. He had dismounted when a man ran in, shouting: ‘The Hindūs are coming up in numbers, mounted on horses and camels.’ Then the Emperor dismissed Shaikh 'Alī Beg (Jalāīr), and Raushan kūka and Nadīm kūka, and Mīr Payanda Muḥammad, brother of Muḥammad Walī, and many others.
They recited the fātiḥa, and his Majesty said: ‘Go, fight the infidels!’ He thought: ‘Īshān-tīmūr Sulān, and Mu'nīm Khān,* and Mīrzā Yādgār,* and the rest whom we left behind, have been killed or captured by these people who have now come to attack us.’ He mounted and left the camp with a few followers.
Of the band which his Majesty had sent out to fight after reciting the fātiḥa, Shaikh 'Alī Beg struck the Rājpūt captain with an arrow, and cast him from his horse. (47a) Several more (of the royal troop) hit others with arrows; the infidels turned to flee, and the fight was won. They brought in several prisoners alive. Then the camp went slowly, slowly on; but his Majesty was far ahead. Those who had recited the fātiḥa came up with the camp.
There was a mace-bearer named Bihbūd. They sent him galloping after the Emperor, to say: ‘Let your Majesty go slowly. By Heaven's grace, a victory has been vouchsafed, and the infidels have fled.’ Bihbūd himself was taken to the presence, and conveyed the good news.*
His Majesty dismounted, and a little water even (ham)* was found, but he was anxious about the amīrs, and said: ‘What has happened to them?’ Then horsemen appeared in the distance, and again there was a cry: ‘God forbid! Māldeo!’* His Majesty sent a man for information, who came running back and said: ‘Īshān-tīmūr Sulān, and Mīrzā Yādgār, and Mu'nim Khān are all coming, safe and sound.’ They had missed their way. Their return rejoiced the Emperor, who rendered thanks to God.
Next morning they marched on. For three days they found no water. (47b) On the fourth, they came to some very deep wells, the water of which was extraordinarily red. The Emperor halted and alighted near one of the wells; Tardī Beg Khān was at another; at a third, Mīrzā Yādgār, and Mu'nim Khān, and Nadīm kūka; and at the fourth, Īshān-tīmūr Sulān, and Khwāja Ghāzī, and Raushan kūka.
As each bucket came out of the wells into reach, people flung themselves on it; the ropes broke, and five or six persons fell into the wells with the buckets. Many perished from thirst. When the Emperor saw men flinging themselves into the wells from thirst, he let anyone drink from his own water-bottle. When everyone had drunk his fill, they marched on again at afternoon prayer-time.
After a day and a night they reached a large tank. The horses and camels went into the water and drank so much that many died. There had not been many horses, but there were mules and camels. (48a) Beyond this place water was found at every stage on the way to 'Umrkōt,* which is a beautiful place with many tanks.
The rānā* gave the Emperor an honourable reception, and took him into the fort, and assigned him excellent quarters. He gave places outside to the amīrs' people. Many things were very cheap indeed; four goats could be had for one rupī. The rānā made many gifts of kids and so on, and paid such fitting service that what tongue could set it forth?
Several days were spent in peace and comfort.
The treasury was empty. Tardī Beg Khān had a great deal of money, and the Emperor having asked him for a considerable loan, he lent 80,000 ashrafīs at the rate of two in ten.* His Majesty portioned out this money to the army. He bestowed sword-belts and cap-à-pie dresses on the rānā and his sons. Many people bought fresh horses here.
Mīr Shāh Ḥusain had killed the rānā's father. For this, amongst other reasons, the rānā collected 2,000 or 3,000 good soldiers and set out with the Emperor for Bhakkar.* (48b)
In 'Umrkōt he left many people, and his family and relations, and also Khwāja Mu'aam to have charge of the ḥaram. Ḥamīda-bānū Begam was with child. Three days after his Majesty's departure, and in the early morning of Sunday, the fourth day of the revered Rajab, 949H.,*
there was born his imperial Majesty, the world's refuge and conqueror, Jalālu-d-dīn Muḥammad Akbar Ghāzī. The moon was in Leo. It was of very good omen that the birth was in a fixed Sign, and the astrologers said a child so born would be fortunate and long-lived. The Emperor was some thirty miles away when Tardī Muḥammad Khān took the news to him. He was highly delighted, and by way of reward and largesse (niār) for the tidings he forgave all soever of Tardī Muḥammad Khān's past offences. He gave the child the name he had heard in his dream at Lāhōr, the Emperor Jalālu-d-dīn Muḥammad Akbar.
On leaving this place, the Emperor went towards Bhakkar with as many as 10,000 men who had gathered round him, people of the rānā and of the outlying tribes and Sūdmas (Sodhas) and Samīchas. (49a) They reached the district of Jūn, where there was one of Shāh Ḥusain's servants with some troopers. He fled.* Here there was the Mirror Garden, a very pleasant and enjoyable place where the Emperor alighted. He assigned its villages (? of Jūn) in jāgīr to his followers.
It is a six days' journey from Jūn to Tatta. The Emperor was as much as six* months in Jūn, and brought his family and people and the whole 'Umrkōt party there.* The Emperor Jalālu-d-dīn Muḥammad Akbar was six months old when they took him to Jūn. The party which had come from various places with the royal family and the ḥaram now broke up. As for the rānā, he marched off at midnight for his own country, on account of a coolness* caused by some talk between him and Tardī Muḥammad Khān.* All the Sūdmas and Samīchas went off by agree-
>graphic<
INCIDENTS FOLLOWING THE BIRTH OF AKBAR.
At the top, on the right, are Hamīda-bānū and the child; on the left, the news is announced with sound of castanets and tambourines.
In the middle, the hour of birth is being communicated to the astrologers.
At the foot, the news is being given to Humāyūn by Tardī Beg, and is welcomed by music and dancing.
[To face p. 158.
ment with him, and the Emperor was left alone, as before, with his own people.
He sent brave Shaikh 'Alī Beg (Jalāīr) and Muaffar Beg Turkmān towards the large district of Jājkā (Ḥāj-kān). (49b) Mīrzā Shāh Ḥusain sent a force to attack him, and there was a famous fight. At last Muaffar Beg was routed and fled, and Shaikh 'Alī Beg (Jalāīr) was killed and perished with all his men.*
A squabble arose between Khālid Beg* and Tarsh Beg, a brother of Shāham Khān Jalāīr and his Majesty turned all his favour to Tarsh Beg. So Khālid Beg deserted and went with all his men to Mīr Shāh Ḥusain. Then the Emperor ordered Khālid Beg's mother, Sulānam, to prison and this made Gul-barg* Begam angry. Then he forgave Sulanam and gave her leave to go to the blessed Makka with Gul-barg Begam. Soon after this Tarsh Beg also deserted. The Emperor cursed him, and said: ‘For his sake, I dealt harshly with Khālid Beg, who on this account left the circle of the faithful for the circle of the disloyal. Tarsh Beg will die young.’ So it was! Fifteen days later, a servant killed him with a knife as he lay sleeping in a boat. When the Emperor heard of it he grew sad and thoughtful. (50a) Shāh Ḥusain Mīrzā brought boats up the river to near Jūn, and his men and the Emperor's often fought on board, and many were killed on both sides. Day by day there were desertions to Shāh Ḥusain. In one of these fights was killed Mullā Tāju-d-dīn whom his Majesty held in the greatest favour as a pearl of knowledge.