FOURTH YEAR OF THE REIGN, 1071 A.H. (1661 A.D.).

[vol. ii. p. 128.] Prince Muhammad Mu'azzam married (in 1071 A.H.) the daughter of Rája Rúp Singh.

[vol. ii. p. 130.] The country of Áshám (Assam) lies to the east and north of Bengal between long ranges of hills. Its length is nearly 100 jaríbí kos, and its width from the mountains on the north to those on the south side is eight days' journey. It is said to be the native land of Pírán Waisiya,* the wazír of Afrásiyáb, and the Rája of the country traces his descent from this Pírán. In the beginning the Rájas were fire-worshippers, but in course of time they became identified with the idolators of Hind. ^{* *} It is the established practice in that country that every individual pays annually one tola of gold-dust to the government of the Rája. ^{* *} When the Rája of that country or a great zamíndár dies, they dig a large tomb or apartment in the earth, and in it they place his wives and concubines, as also his horses and equipage, carpets, vessels of gold and silver, grain, etc., all such things as are used in that country, the jewels worn by wives and nobles, perfumes and fruit, sufficient to last for several days. These they call the provisions for his journey to the next world, and when they are all collected the door is closed upon them. It was in consequence of this custom that the forces of Khán-khánán obtained such large sums of money from under ground. The country of Kámrúp borders upon Assam, and the two countries are friendly. For the last twenty years the people of this country had been refractory. They were in the habit of attacking the Imperial territories in the province of Bengal, and of carrying off the ryots and Musulmáns as prisoners. So great injury was done to life and property, and great scandal was cast upon the Muhammadan religion.

Islám Khán, Súbadár of Bengal, led an army against the country in the reign of Sháh Jahán, but he was recalled and appointed to the office of wazír before the work was accomplished. Afterwards Shujá' went to seek refuge with the Zamíndár of Rak-hang, who was one of the zamíndárs of those parts, and his fate was never ascertained. After Khán-khánán had settled the affairs of Dacca and other parts of Bengal, he resolved upon marching against Assam, and began to collect men and supplies for the campaign. When the Rája of Assam and the Zamíndár of Kúch Bihár, named Bhím Naráín, heard of this, they were greatly alarmed, and wrote penitent letters making submission and seek­ing forgiveness. ^{* * *} These were forwarded to the Emperor, but orders were sent to Khán-khánán for the extermination of both of them. So he marched against that country with artillery, provisions for sieges, and a number of boats, which are of great im­portance for carrying on war in those parts. [Long details of the campaign.] Khán-khánán had the khutba read and money coined in the name of the Emperor. He set aside the government of the Rája, and was desirous of pursuing him; but the rainy season was coming on, and in that country it lasts five months, and rains almost incessantly night and day. ^{* *} Large quantities of gold and silver were obtained from the places of sepulture. ^{* *} Khán-khánán left the commander of his artillery in the conquered fortress of Ghar-gánw to take charge of it, and to get his guns in order, for artillery is all-important in that country. The Khán then retired thirty kos and a half from Ghar-gánw to Mathura-púr, which is situated at the foot of a hill, and is not liable to inundation. There he found cantonments in which to pass the rainy season. For seven or eight kos round he stationed outposts under experienced officers to guard against surprise by the Assamese. The infidels repeatedly made attacks on dark nights, and killed many men and horses.

[vol. ii. p. 154.] The fifth year of the reign began 1st Shaw-wál. Soon after the celebration of the fifth anniversary, the Emperor was attacked by illness.* In the course of a week the fact got noised about in the vicinity of the capital, where it interrupted the ordinary occupations of the people, and excited the hopes of the disaffected. But His Majesty's health soon recovered, ^{* *} and on the 7th Jumáda-l awwal he started from Dehlí for Láhore on his way to Kashmír.

Murder of Prince Murád Bakhsh.

[vol. ii. p. 155.] The author of the 'Álamgír-náma has given an account of the killing of Murád Bakhsh as suited his own pleasure (marzí). I now give my version of it as I have ascer­tained it from written records, and as I have heard it from the evidence of truthful men of the time, and from the mouth of my own father, who was a confidential servant of Murád Bakhsh, and until his services were no longer needed lived at the foot of the fort (of Gwálior), intent upon raising a rope-ladder (kamand) and of rescuing his master, without even thinking of taking service under Aurangzeb. When Muhammad Bakhsh was sent to the fortress, a favourite concubine, named Sarsun Báí, was at his request allowed to accompany him. The unfortunate prisoner used to give away half what was allowed him for his support in cooked food to the Mughals and Mughal woman who had followed him to his place of captivity, and lived in poverty at the foot of the fortress. After many schemes had been proposed, the Mughals contrived a plan for fastening a rope-ladder to the ramparts at a given time and place. After the second watch of the night, before the world was asleep, Murád Bakhsh communicated his intended escape to Sarsun Báí, and promised to do his best to return and rescue her. On hearing this, Sarsun Báí began to weep and cry out in such a way that the guards heard what she said, and with lights and torches searched for and discovered the ladder. When the plot was communicated to Aurangzeb, he felt some alarm for his throne. At the instigation of some of the Emperor's friends, the sons of 'Alí Nakí, whom Murád Bakhsh had put to death, brought a charge of murder against him. The eldest son refused to demand satisfaction for his father's death, but the second complied with the expressed wish, and brought a charge of murder in a court of law against Murád Bakhsh. The case came at length before the Emperor, and he directed that it should be submitted to a judge. After it had been decided according to law, the order was given in Rabí'u-s sání, 1072 A.H., for the judge to go along with the heir of the slain man to Murád Bakhsh to pronounce the sentence of the law, upon the murder being proved. The date of his death is found in the line Ai wai ba-har bahánah kushtand, “Alas and alas! on some pretext they killed him.” His gracious Majesty rewarded the eldest son for not enforcing his claim of blood.

The Campaign in Assam.

[vol. ii. p. 157.] I now revert to the campaign of Khán-khánán in Assam. [Long details of the sufferings of the troops from the constant attacks of the natives, from the rains and floods, from want of food, and from sickness and disease.] The men of the army were reduced to such extremity that some of the officers, after consulting together, were about to move off and leave Khán-khánán. He got information of this, and took measures to prevent it. He gave public orders for the army to move its position towards that held by the Rája, but pri­vately he prepared for a (backward) march, and comforted his men with prospects of peace and return. When the Assamese got intelligence of the movement, they assembled in great numbers, and showed great insolence. Diler Khán resolved to punish them, and thousands of them were slain and made prisoners. Khán-khánán ordered that the prisoners should have the heads of the slain tied round them, and be thus exposed to the derision of the camp. He then sent them to the outposts to be again exposed, and afterwards put to death. ^{* *} The Rája at length consented to terms of peace. He agreed to pay 120,000 tolas of silver, and 2000 tolas of gold, and to present fifty elephants and one of his ugly daughters to the Emperor. He also agreed to present fifteen elephants and another daughter to Khán-khánán, together with some cash and goods. It was further agreed that of the conquered places a few forts and towns in cultivated districts near the frontier of Bengal should be attached to the Imperial dominions. ^{* *}