Good God! The Shāhinshāh of the age from consummate well- ⁹⁰ wishing desired to magnify the work of the loyal, and the incom­parable Deity willed that all great affairs and noble deeds should be accomplished by that mine of greatness, so that both his grandeur might be certified to all, and also that mercenary servants might have no claim upon him! Accordingly that easy task became difficult to the army, so that they had to ask for the royal expedition. H.M. asked for assistance from the hidden armies and addressed his mighty genius to the conquest of the countries of Bengal and Behar. At this time news came of the conquest of Bhakkar (Scinde). The secret intelligences at this time increased congratula­tion upon congratulation. First, there was the fact that the fort of Bhakkar, which world-conquerors could not have quickly taken, had been conquered by mediocre servants of the Khedive. Second, it was an omen for the victories of the imperial servants who had girt up their loins for the conquest of the eastern provinces.

Though able and zealous servants may exert themselves, yet the far-seeing sage knows that, as regards the unravelling of the difficul­ties of the world, and the attainment of great designs, the chief results are obtained by the right intentions and proper actions of world-rulers. And those who study the masterpieces of ancient times know that success does not come into the bosom without preliminary (unsuccessful) efforts. It is not till the second attempt that the object is obtained. Hence it is that the sitter on fortune's throne (Akbar) concentrates himself upon every work that he under­takes and brings to a conclusion everything that he has glanced at. This is perfectly clear to every one who knows the events of the reign. The taking of Bhakkar* is a conspicuous and new instance. The history of it is as follows: It has already been narrated that Muḥibb 'Alī Khān, and Mujāhid Khān had at the request of Nāhid Begam received permission to go to Tatta. Sulān Maḥmūd had shown hos­tility, but they had by virtue of mystic aid and by their energy done great deeds and engaged in the siege of Bhakkar. Sulṭan Maḥmūd occupied himself in defending the fort. By the good fortune of the Shāhinshāh a famine broke out in the fort and Sulṭan Maḥmūd from excess of caution, or from meanness and avarice distributed to his men grain that had been stored up for twenty or thirty years, though he had abundance of new supplies. The result was that there was a great deal of disease and swellings. God's anger sent a pestilence. A strange thing was when the swellings were prevalent in the country every one who boiled the bark of the siris tree (acacia odoratissima) and partook thereof recovered his health. Hence the bark was bought for its weight in gold.

When Sulṭan¹* Maḥmūd was nearing his end he petitioned the court, saying that he had always remained on the path of obedience and that it was his ill-fate that this distress had come upon him. Now he was presenting the fort to Sulṭān Selīm the noble prince. But as there was a cloud between him and Muḥibb 'Alī Khān he saw that if he made it over to him, he would only be rendered contempt­ible. Battles had taken place between them and he was not safe from being molested by him. He hoped that one of the servants of the court would be sent in order that he might make over the fort and district to him and might rub his forehead on the threshold of fortune. H.M. graciously accepted this petition and sent Mīr Gesū who was an old and able officer. Before he reached that country Sultan Maḥmūd had died and the garrison were waiting for him. When he arrived, Mujāhid Khān was besieging the fort of Ganjaba. Muḥibb 'Alī Khān's daughter Sām'iah Begam who was the mother of Mujāhid Khān was angry on hearing of Mīr Gesū's coming, and in her wickedness fitted out some ships against him and brought him into difficulties. The Mīr was nearly captured. Khwāja Muqīm of Herat, the father of Khwāja Niāmu-d-dīn Aḥmad Bakhshī, who had gone to that country as Amīn, by wise counsels prevailed upon Muḥibb 'Alī Khān to abstain from misplaced strife and improper commotions. When Mīr Gesū came to the fort they delivered over the keys to him. Thus did a large an extent of cultivated country come into possession. Muḥibb 'Alī Khān and Mujāhid Khān from evilness of disposition and foolish greed did not uproot their hearts from that country. At the same time it was difficult for them to remain there without the holy order. Mūḥibb 'Alī Khān took the course of coming to terms, and at last Mīr Gesū settled that Mujāhid Khān should go to Patna,* and that Muḥibb 'Alī Khān with his wife and daughter should dwell in the town of Loharī. When the agree­ment had been carried out Mīr Gesū put a large force on board of boats and proceeded against Muḥibb 'Alī Khān. He could not resist, and went off to Mātīla. The assailants plundered the city (Loharī), and Sām'īah Begam fortified her house and took to fighting and resistance. For one night and a day she with supreme boldness and skill maintained her position within the four walls. When she was* at extremity Mujāhid Khan made a forced march and defeated the troops (Mīr Gesū). For three months longer he held possession of the country on this side (the east) of the river (the Indus). At length Bhakkar was conferred upon Tarson Khān. His brethren hastened to the province. Mir Gesū in his folly wished to hold the fort (of Bhakkar), but at last was guided by auspiciousness and gave up the seditious idea. A country which, when held for some time by a stranger increases presumption, must have some quality in it ⁹² which carries the obedient and submissive to the extreme of turbulence. Otherwise whence this sort of men? and whence this boasting and sedition?*

Now that an abridged account of the bestowal of this mystic favour (the conquest of Bhakkar) has been given, I return to the high road of my design. On the day of Abān 10 Amardād, Divine month, the royal barges entered the Ganges from the river Gūdī, and halted at the village of Cocakpūr. M. Yūsuf Khān here joined the cortège along with the main camp. After this the army encamped opposite whatever place the royal barges anchored at. Next day H.M. mounted the elephant Mubārak-Qadam and drove it in person?* About 500 elephants descended into the river in the wake of that tiger of the forest of war. The spectators were full of amazement. By the favour of God they were safe in those raging waters, but one elephant named Pūskā, which was about that time overflowingly mast, fell into the whirlpool of annihilation. While traversing the river and in the midst of the waves a large fish jumped up and rested in front of the Shāhinshāh. Soothsayers knew that this was a sign of success, and gave thanks to God. On the day of Mah, 12 Amardād, Divine month, the station of Ghāzīpur was reached.

From the day that H.M. set out on this expedition he left the boat every day and enjoyed himself in hunting deer with citas. It was an occupation to the superficial, and those who were attached to this department had their desires gratified. The far-seeing prince ostensibly enjoyed himself in their company, but inwardly he was immersed in the rays of worship, and was also cultivating his spiri­tual kingdom. Judicious spectators had in this way an opportunity of beholding in this assemblage of the decrees of fate (Akbar) the indications of final success, and so gained courage. Among these there was this, that on one occasion of the usual daily hunt in this delightful spot a deer came in sight. H.M. ordered an eager leopard swift as the wind to be loosed. By vulpine tactics the deer escaped from his claws and went off swifter than the wind. Just then a second leopard came up and disposed of him. The far-seeing mys­tery-knowing prince said* to his courtiers: “At the beginning of this sport we took from the behaviour of this leopard an omen about ⁹³ Dāūd. It flashed upon our soul that he would not, on this occasion, become the prisoner of the claws of the kingly wrath; but that the second time he would be caught by the exertions of the hunters of fortune (iqbāl).” The end was as had flashed on the mirror of his enlightened heart. Accordingly an account thereof (that is, of the success against Dāūd) will come from the tongue of the pen.

On the day of Tīr, Amardād, Divine month, the boats anchored at Dāspūr, which is on the bank of the Ganges. 'Itmād Khān, the Khwāja sarā (eunuch) came in a swift boat from the siege, and was exalted by doing homage. He gave the news of friends and foes, and represented that the enemy was very strong. The adorner of for­tune's assembly in order to gladden hearts lifted the veil of mystery and made announcement of victory. For the sake of giving con­fidence to the disturbed hearts of the generality he sent for Saiyid Mīrakī,* the son of Mir'Abdu-l-Karīm Jafarī (diviner) of Ispahān, and bade him ascertain the result of the expedition and the character of the future. He, in accordance with the rules of the science, arranged and classified the letters and brought out this verse:—