IN the spring I surprised and plundered a body of Mahmand Afghans, in the neighbourhood of Maaber.* A few days after we had returned from the expedition, and resumed our quarters, Kūch Beg, Fakīr Ali, Kerīmdād, and Bāba Chihreh, formed a plan for deserting from me. On discovering their intentions, I dispatched a party, who seized them below Isterghach,* and brought them back. During the life-time of Jehāngīr Mirza,* too, they had frequently indulged in most improper conduct. I ordered that they should all be delivered over to punishment in the market-place. They had been carried to the Gate, and the ropes were being put round their necks, for the purpose of hanging them, when Kāsim Beg sent Khalīfeh to me, earnestly to entreat forgiveness for their offences. To gratify the Beg, I gave up the capital part of their punishment, and ordered them to be cast into prison.
Revolt ofThe Hissāris and Kunduzis, and the Moghuls of superior rank, who had been in Khosrou Shah’s service, among whom were Chilmeh Ali, Syed Shekmeh, Sher Kuli, Ikū Sālim, and others, who had been promoted and patronized by him; certain of the Chaghatāi, such as* Sultan Ali Chihreh, Khuda Bakhsh, with their dependants; some of the Siyūndūk Turkomāns, Shah Nazer, with his adherents, amounting in all to two or three thousand good soldiers, at this very time, having consulted and conspired together, had come to a resolution to revolt. Those whom I have mentioned lay near Khwājeh Rīwāj, stretching from the valley of Sūng-Kurghān to the valley of Chālāk.* Abdal Razāk Mirza having come from Nangenhār, took up his quarters in Deh-Afghān. Muhibb Ali Korchi had once or twice communicated to Khalīfeh and Mulla Bāba some intimations of this conspiracy and assembling; and I myself had received some hints of its existence. I had reckoned the surmises not entitled to credit, and paid them no kind of attention. I was sitting one night at the Chār-bāgh, in the presence-chamber, after bed-time prayers, when Mūsa Khwājeh and another person came hurriedly close up to me, and whispered me that the Moghuls had, beyond a doubt, formed treacherous designs. I could not be prevailed upon to believe that they had drawn Abdal Razāk Mirza into their projects; and still less could I credit that their treasonable intentions were to be executed that very night. I therefore did not give that attention to the information that I ought, and a moment after I set out for the haram. At that time the females of my family were in the Bāgh-e-khilwat, and in the Bāgh-e-tūr-tuhfeh. When I came near the haram, all my followers, of every rank and description, and even my night-guards,* went away. After their departure I went on to the city, attended only by my own people and the royal slaves. I had reached the Ditch at the Iron Gate, when Khwājeh Muhammed Ali, who had just come that way from the market-place, met me, and . . .*
[The events of this year conclude abruptly in the same manner in all the copies.]