Next morning, being Friday, I did not march. All the preparations and arrangements for Muhammed Zemān Mirza’s departure being completed, he separated from us, and encamped a kos or two off, for the purpose of proceeding on his expedition to Behār. The same day, he came and had his audience of leave. Two spies, who came from the Bengal army, informed me that the Bengalis, under the command of Makhdūm Ālim, were separated into twenty-four divisions on the banks of the river Gandak,* and were raising works of defence. A body of Afghans, under Sultan Mahmūd, who had wished to send away their families and baggage,* had not been suffered to do it, and had been compelled to accompany the army. Instantly on receiving this intelligence, as there was some probability of a general action, I dispatched orders to Muhammed Zemān Mirza, forbidding him to march, and sent forward Shah Iskander, with only three or four hundred men, to Behār.
April 17.On Saturday, a messenger from Dūdū,* and her son Jalāl Khan Behār Khan, arrived in my Camp. It appeared that the Bengalis had watched them with a jealous eye. After having given me notice of their intentions, that I might expect their arrival, they had come to blows with the Bengalis, had effected their escape, crossed the river, and reached the territory of Behār, whence they were now on their way to tender me their allegiance. The same day, I sent word to the ambassador of Bengal, Ismāel Mītah, that there was great delay on the part of his court, in answering the three articles which had formerly been given to him in writing, and which he had forwarded. That he must, therefore, dispatch a letter, requiring an immediate and categorical answer; that if his master had really peaceable and friendly intentions, he could find no difficulty in declaring so, and that without loss of time.
RecoversOn Sunday eve a messenger arrived from Terdi Muhammed Jeng-Jeng, by whom I learned, that on the morning of Wednesday, the 5th of Shābān, his advanced guard had arrived on one side of Behār,* whereupon the Shikdār (or Collector) had instantly fled by the opposite gate, and made his escape.
April 18.On Sunday I marched from that station, and halted in the perganna of Ari.* Here we received information, that the army of Kharīd* was encamped at the junction of the A. D. 1529. Ganges and Sarū,* on the farther side of the river Sarū, where they had collected a hundred or a hundred and fifty vessels. As I was at peace with Bengal, and had always been the first to enter into any understanding that had a tendency to confirm a friendly state of things, though they had not treated me well in placing themselves right in my route, yet, from a consideration of the terms on which I had long been with them,* I resolved to send Mulla Muhammed Mazhab along with Ismāel Mīta the ambassador of Bengal; and it was settled that the Mulla should have leave to return back to me, after making the same three proposals that I had formerly offered.*
April 19.On Monday the ambassador of Bengal came to wait on me, when I sent him notice that he had leave to return. It was at the same time intimated to him, that I would be guided entirely by my own pleasure in moving backwards or forwards, as seemed best, for the purpose of quelling the rebels wherever they were to be found, but that his master’s dominions should sustain no injury or harm, either by land or water; that as one of the three articles was, that he should order the army of Kharīd to leave the tract in which I was marching, and return to Kharīd, I was willing to send some Tūrks to accompany them on their march; that I would give the Kharīd troops a safe-conduct, and assurances of indemnity, and suffer them to go to their own homes.* If he refused to leave the passage open, and neglected to listen to the remonstrances which I made,* that then, whatever evil fell on his head, he must regard as proceeding from his own act; and he would have himself only to blame for any unpleasant circumstance that occurred.
April 21.On Wednesday I bestowed the usual dress of honour on Ismāel Mīta, the Bengal ambassador, and gave him presents and his audience of leave.
April 22.On Thursday I sent Sheikh Jamāli to Dūdū, and her son Jalāl Khan, with letters of protection, and a gracious message. The same day a servant of Māham arrived, who had parted with my family at Dīpali,* on the other side of Bāgh-e-Safā. He brought letters from them.
April 24.On Saturday, the ambassador of Irāk, Murād Korchi Kajār,* had an audience.
April 25.On Sunday, having delivered suitable presents to the care of Mulla Muhammed Mazhab, he took leave.
April 26.On Monday, I sent Khalīfeh and some other Amīrs, to examine in what place the river could be passed.
April 28.On Wednesday, I again sent Khalīfeh to examine the ground between the two rivers.* I rode out to the south, nearly to Ari, for the purpose of examining the beds of water-lilies. While I was riding about among them, Sheikh Gūren brought me some fresh seeds of the water-lily. They bear a perfect resemblance to fresh pistachios, and have a very pleasant taste. The flower, which is the nīlūfar,* the Hindustānis call kawel-kakeri; its seeds they call dūdah. As they informed me that the Son was near at hand, we rode to see it. In the course taken by the river Son below this, there are a number of trees, which they say lie in Munīr.* The tomb of Sheikh Yahyā, the father of Sheikh Sharaf Munīr,* is there. As we had come so far, and come so near, I passed the Son, and going two or three kos down the river, surveyed Munīr. Having walked through its gardens, I perambulated the Mausoleum, and coming to the banks of the Son, bathed in that river. Having said my noon-day prayers earlier than the stated time, I returned back to join the army.* Some of our horses were knocked up in consequence of their high condition; so that we were forced to procure others, and* left some persons behind, with instructions to bring together the horses that were worn out, to take care of them, allow them time to rest,* and bring them back at leisure.* Had we not given these orders, we would have lost many horses. I had given orders, on leaving Munīr, to count the paces of a horse from the banks of the river Son to the camp. They amounted to twenty-three thousand one hundred, which is equal to forty-six thousand two hundred paces, amounting to eleven kos* and a half. From Munīr to the river Son is about half a kos, so that the whole distance we travelled in returning was twelve kos. As in moving from place to place, in order to see the country, we must have gone fifteen or sixteen kos, we could not in all have ridden much less than thirty kos this day. About six garis of the first watch of the night* were past, when we returned to the camp.
April 29.On the morning of the same Thursday, Sultan Juneid Birlās arrived with the troops from Jaunpūr. I showed him marks of my great dissatisfaction, upbraided him with his delay, and did not salute him. I, however, sent for Kazi Jīa, whom I embraced.
Resolves toThat same day I called the Amīrs, both Tūrki and Hindu, to a council, and took their opinion about passing the river. It was finally settled that Ustād Ali should plant his cannon, his feringi pieces* and swivels,* on a rising ground between the Ganges and Sarū, and also keep up a hot fire with a number of matchlock-men from that post; that a little lower down than the junction of the two rivers, opposite to an island, where there were a number of vessels* collected, Mustafa, on the Behār side of the Ganges, should get all his artillery and ammunition in readiness, and commence a cannonade; a number of matchlock-men were also placed under his command; that Muhammed Zemān Mirza and others, who were appointed for the service, should take their ground behind Mustafa to support him; and that overseers and inspectors should be appointed to attend Ustād Ali Kuli and Mustafa, for the purpose of overlooking the pioneers and labourers employed in raising batteries, placing the guns, and planting the artillery,* as well as for superintending the men who were occupied in transporting the ammunition and warlike stores, and in other necessary works*; that Askeri, and the Sultans and Khans named for the duty, should set out expeditiously, and pass the Sarū, at the Ghāt* of Haldi,* in order that, when the batteries were completed, they might be in readiness to fall upon the enemy, who might thus be attacked in different quarters at the same time.* Sultan Juneīd, and Kazi Jīa, having informed me that there was a ford eight kos higher up, I appointed Zard-rū to take one or two boatmen, and accompanied by Sultan Juneīd’s men, and Mahmūd Khan, and Kazi Jīa’s people* to proceed in search of the ford, and to cross over if it was found passable. Our people had a report that the Bengalis intended to place a party at the ford of Haldi, for the purpose of guarding it. We received letters from the Shikdār of Iskanderpūr* and Mahmūd Khan,* that they had collected about fifty vessels A. D. 1529. at the passage of Haldi, and had hired boatmen, but that the sailors had been struck with a panic upon hearing a report that the Bengalis were coming. As there was still a chance* of effecting a passage over the river Sarū, without waiting for the people who had gone to look for the ford, on Saturday I called the Amīrs to a council, and told them that from Iskanderpūr Chatermūk, as far as Oudh and Bahrāj,* the whole river Sarū was full of fords; that my plan was as follows: to divide my army into six bodies*; to make the chief force of it cross in boats at the Haldi passage, and advance upon the enemy, so as to draw them out of their entrenchments, and keep them occupied until Ustād Ali Kuli and Mustafa* could cross the river and take post with the guns, matchlocks, feringis, and artillery*; that I myself would pass the Ganges with Ustād Ali Kuli,* and remain on the alert, and in perfect readiness for action; that as soon as the great division of the army had effected their passage, and got near the enemy, I should commence an attack on my side, and cross over with my division*; that Muhammed Zemān Mirza, and those who were appointed to act with him on the Behār bank of the Ganges, were at the same time to enter into action, and to support Mustafa.* Having made these arrangements, and divided the army to the north of the Ganges into four divisions, and placed it under the command of Askeri, I ordered it to advance to the ford of Haldi. One of the divisions was under the immediate command of Askeri, and was composed of his servants; another was commanded by Sultan Jalāleddīn Sharki; the third was composed of the Sultans of the Uzbeks, Kāsim Hussain Sultan, Bikhūb Sultan, Tang Itmish Sultan, Muhammed* Khan Lohāni Ghāzipūri, Sūki* Bāba Kashkeh, Kurbmish* Uzbek, Kurbān Chirkhi, Hussain Khan, with the Daryā-khānians.* The fourth division was under the conduct of Mūsa Sultan, and Sultan Juneid Birlas, who had with them the whole army from Jaunpūr, to the number of twenty thousand men. Proper officers were appointed to get the whole of these divisions mounted and in march that same night, being Sunday eve.
May 2.