CHAPTER CII.
RETURN OF THE AUGUST STANDARDS OF THE SHĀHINSHĀH FROM
KABUL.

H.M. enjoyed himself in Kabul and gave pleasure to small and great. His idea was that the active young men should behold the spectacle of the falling of snow, and should tread the ice, and that the natives of India might enjoy this. But as his might had confused the people of Turān, and had awakened them from the sleep of repose, he had compassion on them and resolved to go to India. He marched on 4th* Āzār (November), and camped at Safed Sang. On the way it appeared that a base fellow had dishonoured a peasant's daughter and so he was capitally punished. Sharīf K.,* the son of M. 'Abdu-ṣ-Ṣamad the calligrapher (Shīrīnqalm), had been in the plot with him, and was also punished. This was a lesson to those who are apt to go astray. On this day Qāsim was appointed governor of Kabul. On the 10th he encamped near Begrām. It was reported to him that Raja Todar Mal had died on 28th Ābān (8th November, 1589). His life had passed in loyalty and pru­dence. When the order giving him leave arrived, he went towards Hardwār with a sound mind and a distressed body. The order of recall reached him at the pond he had made near Lahore. As he considered disobedience to H.M. displeasing to God, he returned, and died on the eleventh day (of Muḥarram) afterwards. He was the unique of the Age for uprightness, straightforwardness, courage, knowledge of affairs, and the administration of India. If he had not had bigotry, conventionalism, and spite (kīnatozī), and had not stuck* to his own opinions, he would have been one of the spiritually great. A wound was given to disinterested work (by his death), and the market of business lost its briskness. I grant that an honest man (dīānatwar) might be found, though he would be a fellow-nestling with the phœnix ('anqā), but by what charm or talisman could he acquire the influence (i'timād) which is so seldom given to mortals?*

On the 13th the great tent was erected on the camp. On the way there was ice on the ground, and H.M. trod upon it. Many 570 active young men followed him. As it appeared that there was little wood in front, H.M. ordered that high and low should gather sticks. All obeyed the order, and with excellent results.*

On this day* the Khan-Khānan (Bairām's son 'Abdu-r-Raḥīm) produced before the august Presence the Memoirs of Firdūs Makānī (Bābur) which he had rendered into Persian out of the Turkī, and received great praise.

On the 15th, at Bārīk Āb, news came that Rajah Bhagwant Dās had died. H.M., from his being the sovereign of the social world, was somewhat grieved at this. The Rajah had been at the crema­tion of Rajah Todar Mal, and when he returned to his house, he vomited and had an attack of strangury. After five days he departed from this world on 3rd Āẕar (13th or 14th November, 1589). He was endowed with uprightness, weight of counsel, and courage. His son* Kuar Mān Singh received the title of Rajah and the rank of 5,000. It appears that H.M. had an intimation of the approaching ends of those two officers. When he went on expeditions he (as a rule) did not leave more than two high officers in the capital, and he had arranged that Rajah Bhagwant Dās and Rajah Todar Mal should be in the capital of Lahore. On the very day of the march, Qulīj K. was also sent off. On this day the mystery* was made plain.

One of the occurrences was the holding of a qamargha hunt in the plain of Arzana* (?). When the victorious standards reached Gandamak, the thought of the chase occurred to H.M. An order was given that the officers should arrange the stations. Next day he passed from the Bāgh Wafā and came to Kūshkul (?). By the route of Pātāq he passed by the desert-dwelling Arabs,* and to every one of them were money and goods distributed. From there he came to the village of Bihār, which was inhabited in the time of Sulān Maḥmūd of Ghaznī, and he ordered that it should be revived, and that a fort should be made there. He gave it the name of Shahbāz (variant Sahā). On this day Shāh Beg K. arrived from Swād and was graciously received. On the 19th, N'iamat K. died. He had the title of Mullā Mīr* and led a good life. On account of his intelligence he held the high office of Bakāwal Begī (superinten­dent of kitchen).

Also during this year Mādhū Singh was sent off in order that he might assist Qulīj K. in administrative and financial matters. Next day H.M. encamped near Walīd (?). On the way he enjoyed himself in the Bāgh Ṣafā garden. Next day he halted. Khwāja Shamsu-d-dīn was raised to the office of Dīwān, and so had new honour conferred on him. All the officers were sent off in order that they might go to their stations and properly guard them. On one side was Nīmla,* and on the other side Daka,* which is 571 a distance of twelve kos. And the beasts were driven from the mountains to the plain of Arzana. When the enclosures (jirgahā) had been completed, H.M., along with the princes and some intimates, enjoyed the pleasure of hunting on the 27th (Āẕar = 6th or 7th December). The sport was excellently carried out. On 1st Dai he reached Jalālābād. On the way he visited the Lamghānāt. He passed from the tūmān of Sandaur to Mas'aūdābād.

One of the occurrences was a supplication from Muḥammad Zamān. When 'Abdullah K. seized Kulāb, Shahrukh's son, who was so called, was made prisoner, and died in confinement. At this time a pretender (dastānfaroshī) gave himself out in Qarātagīn as Muḥammad Zamān.* He represented that Khwāja Kilān Khwāja, the son of Khwāja Jūībārī,* out of kindness to the exalted family, saved him from those who hunted after his life. Another youth had died in his place. In that hill-country a commotion arose, and Kūlāb and many other places became involved in it. Mahmūd Sulan got ready an army and came to do battle, but was wounded and put to flight. Allah Dād Beg and Nūram Beg were killed. On the 2nd his petition arrived, accompanied by the heads (of the abovenamed two persons). After humble and supplicating expressions it stated that when he had been delivered from the place of danger by the goodness of the Khwāja Kīlān Khwāja he had come to India, and had, after the manner of the liberated, brightened his forehead by prostration at the holy threshold. As he had sworn to the Khwāja that he would notreveal his identity during the latter's lifetime, he had not told his adventures to H.M., but had gone to the Ḥijāz. Now he had come home and was making war on the Ūzbegs, and was wielding the sword of the world's lord. If H.M. would help him, he could easily sit on his throne. Though the story did not appear to the Shāhinshāh to be true, he made the envoys hopeful and said, “I have made a treaty of concord with the ruler of Turān, and my greatness does not allow of my fighting him; it will be better for you to come to court.” He then dismissed the envoys with favours, and sent some money and goods along with them, and was the means of his (M. Zamān) prosperity.

On the 9th he encamped near Allah Baqā. Qāī 'Alī, who had been put in prison at the instigation of Rajah Todar Mal, was released. Though he was unique* for honesty, yet he had failed on account of the high fortune of his enemies. When his helpless­ness was made clear, H.M. showed him favour. On the 12th he encamped at Bārīk Āb at the Khwāja Yāqūt Serai.

An occurrence was the bestowal of the Vakilship on the Khān-Khānān. As ability and disinterestedness shone on his forehead, he was, on the 13th, raised to this post and Jaunpūr was made his fief. Gujarat was taken from him and given to the Khān A'īm,* from whom Mālwa was taken and given to Shihābu-d-dīn Aḥmad. On 572 the 15th a daughter was born in Lahore to Prince Salīm by the daughter of Dariyā Malbhās.* H.M. gave her the name of Daulat Nisā.

One of the occurrences was that H.M. met with an accident and was hurt. On the 18th the camp was at Daka, and while hunting, a hyena came in sight. In that stony place H.M. rode after it. His horse stumbled* (?) and he fell from his saddle, and his face struck the stones. High and low received heart-breaking wounds. The lion-hearted one, by God's aid, summoned up strength, and bound up the wounds. The spectators were nearly dying, but H.M. com­forted them by encouraging words. Ḥakīm 'Alī of Gīlān plastered the wounds with oil which he had got from Indian physicians, and on the same day there was an improvement. The grandees were of opinion that he should stay where he was for some days, but he wisely went on. He was carried in a litter. My elder brother S. Abu Faiẓī made the following verse on the calamity:—