I was much affected while writing these letters,* which I delivered to Shamseddīn Muhammed, and having given him such further verbal instructions as seemed necessary, dispatched him on Friday eve.
Feb. 12.On Friday we advanced eight kos, and halted at Jumandna. One of Kitīn Kara Sultan’s* servants, who had been sent to Kamāl-ed-din Kanāk, another of the Sultan’s servants, then on an embassy at my court, had brought him letters, containing strong complaints of the conduct and proceedings of the Amīrs on the frontier, and remonstrating against the robberies and pillage that were committed. Kanāk ??ent me the man who had come to him.* I gave Kanāk leave to return home, and issued orders to the Amīrs on the frontier, that they should use every exertion to punish all such robbers or pillagers, and should conduct themselves towards the neighbouring powers with perfect good faith and amity. These firmāns I delivered to the man who had come from Kitīn Kara Sultan, and sent him back from that very stage.
One Shah Kuli had been sent by Hassan Chalebi, to give A. D. 1529. me the particulars of the battle.* I now sent him with letters to the king, in which I apologized for detaining* Hassan Chalebi. On Friday the 2nd, he took leave.
Feb. 13.On Saturday too, we advanced eight kos, and halted at Gakūra* and Hemāwali, pergannas of Kālpi.
Feb. 14.On Sunday the 4th, we marched nine kos, and halted at Darehpūr,* a perganna of Kālpi. I here had my head shaved: for two months before I had never shaved my head. I bathed in the river Sanker.*
Feb. 15.On Monday I marched fourteen kos, and halted at Chīrgurh, which is also a perganna of Kālpi.
Feb. 16Next morning, being Tuesday the 6th, a Hindustāni servant of Karācheh arrived, bringing firmāns from Māham,* directed to Karācheh. He had also received perwānehs* written in my style, and in the manner I wrote perwānehs with my own hand, directing the people of Behreh and Lahore to escort him in his road.* This Jan. 18. firmān had been written at Kābul, on the 7th of the month of the first Jumāda.
Feb. 17. On Wednesday we marched seven kos, and encamped
in the perganna of Adampūr. That day I had mounted
before dawn, and, setting out unaccompanied, a little after
mid-day,*
reached the banks of the Jumna. I went down
the river keeping close along its banks, and on arriving
over against Adampūr, I caused an awning to be erected on
Wrestling
match.
an island near the camp, and took a maajūn. I there made
Sādik wrestle with Kalāl. Kalāl came on a challenge.*
At Agra he had excused himself from wrestling, pleading
that he was fatigued from having just come off a journey,
and asking a delay of twenty days. Forty or fifty days
had now passed since the expiry of the time required.
To-day he wrestled, being now quite without excuse.
Sādik wrestled admirably, and threw him with the greatest
ease. I gave Sādik ten thousand tangas and a saddled
horse, a complete dress, and a vest wrought with buttons,
as a present. Although Kalāl had been thrown, yet that
he might not be quite disconsolate, I ordered for him
also a complete dress, with three thousand tangas, as
a gratuity. I issued orders that the guns and cannon*
should be landed from the boats, and that in the meanwhile
a road should be made, and the ground levelled to
admit of their moving forward.*
In this station we halted
three or four days.
On Monday the 12th, we marched twelve kos, and halted at Korah.* This day I moved in a takht-i-ravān (or litter). After advancing twelve kos from Korah, we halted at Kurieh,* one of the pergannas of Karrah.* Advancing eight kos from Kurieh, we reached Fatehpūr Aswah; and after marching forward eight kos from Fatehpūr, we encamped at Serai Mīdā. As I was halting here, about bed-time prayers, Sultan Jalāleddīn* waited on me to offer me his duty. He brought along with him his two young sons.
Feb. 27.Next morning, being Saturday the 17th, we marched eight kos, and halted at Dakdaki, a perganna of Karrah, on the banks of the Ganges.
Joins hisOn Sunday, Muhammed Sultan Mirza, and Kāsim Hussain Sultan, Bikhūb Sultan, and Tardīkeh, waited on me at this station; and, on Monday, at the same station Askeri also came and offered me his duty. All of them had come from the eastward of the Ganges. I ordered March 1. that Askeri should march down the opposite bank of the river, with the troops that had arrived on that side; and that, whenever my army halted, he should encamp opposite to it on the other bank.
SultanWhile in this neighbourhood, intelligence reached us in rapid succession, that Sultan Mahmūd had gathered round him a hundred thousand Afghans; that he had detached Sheikh Bayezīd and Bīban, with a large army, towards Sarwār,* while he himself and Fateh Khan Sirwāni occupied the banks of the Ganges, and were moving upon Chunār;* that Sher Khān Sūr,* on whom I had bestowed marks of favour, to whom I had given several pergannas, and whom I had left in a command in that quarter, had now joined these Afghans; that with some other Amīrs he had passed the river,* and that Sultan Jalāleddīn’s people, being unable to defend Benāres,* had abandoned it and retreated. They excused themselves by saying, that they had left a sufficient force in the castle of Benāres, and had advanced in order to meet the enemy on the banks of the Ganges.
March 2.Marching from Dakdaki, we advanced six kos, and encamped at Kusār within three or four kos of Karrah. I went and stayed on board of a vessel.* We halted two or three days at this station on account of a grand entertainment, which Sultan Jalāleddīn gave me. On Friday I went to the palace of Sultan Jalāleddīn, within the Fort of Karrah, where he entertained me as his guest, he himself placing some of the dishes before me. After dinner I invested him and his sons with a yakta* of cloth of gold, March 5. a jāmeh,* and a nīmcheh, and, at his desire, gave his eldest son the title of Sultan Mahmūd.
After leaving Karrah, I rode on about a kos, and halted on the banks of the river Ganges. Shahrek had met me with letters from Māham, at the first station after I reached the Ganges. I now sent him back with my answers. Khwājeh Kalān, Khwājeh Yahya’s grandson, had asked for a copy of the Memoirs which I had written. I had formerly ordered a copy to be made, and now sent it by Shahrek.
March 6.Next day we marched, and after advancing four kos, halted.* I embarked in a boat as usual,* and, as the camp did not move far, we arrived early. Soon after I took a maajūn, still remaining on board.* Khwājeh Abdal Shahīd was in Nūrbeg’s house; we sent for him; we also sent and brought Mulla Mahmūd from Mulla Ali Khan’s house. After sitting some time we passed over to the other side, and set some wrestlers to wrestle. We directed Dost Yāsīn Khair to try his skill with the other wrestlers, without engaging Sādik the great* wrestler. These directions were contrary to usage, as the custom is to wrestle with the strongest first. He wrestled extremely well with eight different persons.
A. D. 1529