First Invasion.

On the 14th Safar, 925 (February 15th, 1519)], when we left Bajaur, we did it with the intention of attacking Bahrah* before we returned to Kábul. We were always full of the idea of in­vading Hindustán. This was prevented by various circumstances. For three or four months that the army had been detained in Bajaur, it had got no plunder of value. As Bahrah is on the borders of Hindustán, and was near at hand, I conceived that, if I were now to push on without baggage, the soldiers might light upon some booty. Moving on under these impressions, and plundering the Afgháns in our progress, when I reached Makám, several of my principal adherents advised me, that if we were to enter Hindustán, we should do it on a proper footing, and with an adequate force. ^{* * * *} Though the advice was perfectly judicious, we made the inroad in spite of all these objections.

Early next morning we marched towards the passage over the Sind. I despatched Mír Muhammad Jála-bán in advance, with his brothers and some troops to escort them, for the purpose of examining the banks of the river, both above and below. After sending on the army towards the river, I myself set off for Sawátí, which they likewise call Kark-khána,* to hunt the rhinoceros. We started many rhinoceroses, but as the country abounded in brushwood, we could not get at them. ^{* * *}

Next morning, being Thursday the 17th [16], we crossed the ford with our horses, camels, and baggage; the camp bázár and the infantry were floated across on rafts. The same day the inhabi­tants of Níláb* waited on me, bringing an armed horse* and 300 Sháh-rukhís* as a peshkash. As soon as we had got all our people across, that same day at noon-day prayers, we proceeded on our march, which we continued for one watch of the night, and halted at the river of Kachah-kot. Marching thence before day, we crossed the river of Kachah-kot, and the same evening sur­mounted the pass of Sangdákí,* and halted. Saiyid Kásim, Ishak Agha,* who brought up the rear-guard, took a few Gújars who followed the camp, cut off some of their heads and brought them in.

Marching at the dawn from Sangdákí, and crossing the river Súhán* about noon-day prayers, we encamped. Our stragglers continued to come in till midnight. It was an uncommonly long and severe march, and as it was made when our horses were lean and weak, it was peculiarly hard on them, so that many horses were worn out and fell down by the way. Seven kos from Bahrah* to the north there is a hill. This hill, in the Zafar-náma , and some other books, is called the hill of Júd. At first, I was ignorant of the origin of its name, but afterwards discovered that in this hill there were two races of men descended from the same father. One tribe is called Júd, the other Janjúhah. ^{* * *}

As I always had the conquest of Hindustán at heart, and as the conquest of Bahrah, Khusháb, Chináb and Chaniút,* among which I now was, had long been in the possession of the Turks, I regarded them as my own domains, and was resolved to acquire the possession of them either by war or peace. It was, therefore, right and necessary that the people of the hill should be well treated. I accordingly issued orders that no one should molest or trouble their flocks and herds, or take from them to the value of a bit of thread or a broken needle.

Marching thence rather late, about noon-day prayers, we reached Kaldah-kahár,* where we halted. This Kaldah-kahár is a considerable place. ^{* * *} At dawn we set out from Kaldah-kahár. On the very top of the Pass of Hambátu we met in different places men who were coming bringing in peshkashes of small value, and tendering their submission. ^{* * *} About luncheon time we reached the bottom of the pass, where we halted. ^{* * *} Having cleared the pass, and emerged from the wooded ground, I formed the army in regular array, with right and left wing and centre, and marched towards Bahrah. When we had nearly reached that place, Deo Hindu, and the son of Saktú, who were servants of 'Alí Khán,* the son of Daulat Khán Yúsuf Khail, accompanied by the head men of Bahrah, met us, bringing each a horse and camel as peshkash, and tendered their submission and service. Noon-day prayers were over when we halted to the east of Bahrah, on the banks of the river Behat, on a green field of grass, without having done the people of Bahrah the least injury or damage.

From the time that Tímúr Beg had invaded Hindustán and again left it, these countries of Bahrah, Khusháb, Chináb, and Chaniút had remained in the possession of the family of Tímúr Beg, and of their dependents and adherents. Sultán Mas'úd Mirza, the grandson of Sháh Rukh Mirza, and son of Siúrgh-namsh * Mirza, was, in those days, the ruler and chief of Kábul and Zábul, on which account he got the title of Sultán Mas'úd Kábulí. ^{* * *}

Next morning I sent out foraging parties in proper directions, and afterwards rode round Bahrah. ^{* * *} On Wednesday, the 22nd, I sent for the headmen and chaudharís of Bahrah, and agreed with them for the sum of 400,000 Sháh-rukhís* as the ransom of their property; and collectors were appointed to receive the amount. ^{* * *} * Having learned that the troops had exercised some severities towards the inhabitants of Bahrah, and were using them ill, I sent out a party, who having seized a few of the soldiers that had been guilty of excesses, I put some of them to death, and slit the noses of some others, and made them be led about the camp in that condition. As I reckoned the countries that had belonged to the Turks as my own territories, I therefore admitted of no plundering or pillage.

* People were always saying, that if ambassadors were to be sent in a friendly and peaceable way into the countries that had been occupied by the Turks, it could do no harm. I therefore despatched Mulla Murshid to Sultán Ibráhím, whose father Sultán Iskandar had died five or six months before, and who had succeeded his father in the empire of Hindustán; and giving him the name and style of ambassador, sent him to demand that the countries which from old times had belonged to the Turks should be given up to me. Besides these letters for Sultán Ibráhím, I gave Mulla Murshid letters to Daulat Khán, and having also delivered to him verbal instructions, dismissed him on his mission. The people of Hindustán, and particularly the Afgháns, are a strangely foolish and senseless race, possessed of little reflection, and less foresight. They can neither persist in and manfully support a war, nor can they continue in a state of amity and friendship. This person, who was sent by me, Daulat Khán detained some time in Lahore, neither seeing him himself, nor suffering him to proceed to Sultán Ibráhím; so that my envoy, five months after, returned to Kábul without having received any answer.

On Friday, letters of submission came from the people of Khusháb. ^{* * *} We remained one day in the fort of Bahrah, which they call Jahán-numá, and on the morning of Tuesday we marched, and encamped on the rising grounds which skirt along Bahrah towards the north.* ^{* * *} Next morning, after the Díwán was dismissed, when I had finished my ride, I went on board of a boat, and had a drinking party. ^{* * *}

In the hill country between Níláb and Bahrah, but apart from the tribes of Júd and Janjúhah, and adjoining to the hill country of Kashmír, are the Jats,* Gújars, and many other men of similar tribes, who build villages, and settle on every hillock and in every valley. Their hákim was of the Gakkar race, and their govern­ment resembled that of the Júd and Janjúhah. The government of these tribes, which stretch along the skirt of the hills, was at that time held by Tátár Gakkar and Háti Gakkar, sons of the same family; they were cousins. Their places of strength were situated on ravines and steep precipices. The name of Tátár's stronghold was Parhálah.* It was considerably lower than the snowy mountains. Háti's country is close adjoining to the hills. Háti had also brought over to his interest Bábá Khán, who held Kálinjar. Tátár Gakkar had waited on Daulat Khán, and was in a certain way subject to him. Háti had never visited him, but remained in an independent turbulent state. Tátár at the desire of the amírs of Hindustán, and in conjunction with them, had taken a position with his army several miles off, and in some sort kept Háti in a state of blockade. At the very time when we were in Bahrah, Háti had advanced upon Tátár by a stra­tagem, had surprised and slain him, and taken his country, his women, and all his property. ^{* * *}