ON Saturday, the 1st of Muharrem, I reached Khwājeh Sehyārān, and had a drinking party upon the mound, which had been thrown up by the Jūī-nou (or new river).*
Dec. 25.Next morning, I mounted and rode to visit Reg i rawān.* I alighted at the Khāneh bulbuli,* belonging to Syed Kāsim, where we had a party.
Dec. 26.Next morning, I mounted and continued my tour. I took a maajūn, and went on till we reached Bilker. Although we had taken wine over-night, in the morning we had a morning cup. About noon-day prayers, we proceeded on to Durnāmeh,* where we halted, and had a drinking party. Before break of Dec. 27. day, we had a morning draught. Hak-dād, the chief of Durnāmeh, presented me with his garden as a peshkesh.
A. D. 1519.On Thursday, we mounted and rode on to Deh-Tājikān,* in Nijrau, where we halted.
Dec. 30.On Friday, we hunted the hill which lies between Kulbeh* and the river Bārān, and killed many deer. From the time my finger was hurt I had never drawn an arrow. This day I shot an arrow right on the shoulder-bone of a stag. The arrow entered half-way up to the feather. At afternoon prayers I left the chase, and proceeded on to Nijrau.
Dec. 31.Next morning, the tribute of the inhabitants was fixed at sixty mishkāls* of gold.
A. D. 1520.On Monday, I set out again on my tour in Lamghān. I had intended to have carried Humāiūn along with me on this journey, but he preferred staying, and I took leave of him at the Pass of Kūra; after which I went on, and halted at Bedrau.* The fishermen take great quantities of fish in the river of Bārān. At afternoon prayers I embarked on a raft, and had a drinking party. After evening prayers I landed from the raft, and again sat down to wine in the public tents.* Haidar Ālemdār* had been sent by me to the Kāfers. He met me below the Pass of Bādīj, accompanied by some of their chiefs, who brought with them a few skins of wine.* While coming down the Pass, he saw prodigious numbers of chikors.* *
Jan. 3.Next morning I went on board of a raft, and ate a maajūn. Landing below Bulān, I returned to the camp.
Jan. 6.Marching again on Friday, I halted at Dāmeneh* below Mandrāwar. At night, we had a drinking party.
Jan. 7.On Saturday I embarked in a raft, and passing the strait of Darūta,* landed higher up than Jehān-nūmāi. We went to the Bāgh-e-wafā, which is opposite to Adīnāpūr. Kiyām Urdūshah, the Hākim of Nangenhār, met us as we landed from the raft, and paid me his respects. Langer Khan Niāzai,* who had long been in Nilāb, waited on me on the road, and offered me his duty. We alighted at the Bāgh-e-wafā. Its oranges were well advanced in their yellow hue, and the verdure of the green plants was beautiful. We stayed five or six days in the Bāgh-e-wafā. As I intended, when forty years old, to abstain from wine,* and as now I wanted somewhat less than one year of being forty, I drank wine most copiously.
Jan. 8.On Sunday the 16th, I took an early draught, and when sobered, as I was taking a maajūn, Mulla Yārek played an air which he had composed in the panjgāh time, to the mukhammas* measure. The air was beautiful. For some time I had not much attended to such matters. I took a fancy that I too should compose something, and was induced by this incident to compose an air in the chārgāh measure, as will be mentioned in its proper place.
Jan. 11.On Wednesday, while taking an early glass, I said in sport that every person who sang a Tājik air* should receive a goblet of wine. In consequence of this, many persons drank their goblet of wine. About nine in the morning, some persons who were sitting in our party under a tāl tree,* * proposed that every one who sang a Tūrki song* should have a goblet of wine, and numbers sang their song, and claimed and received their goblet of wine. When the sun mounted high we went under the orange-trees, and drank our wine on the banks of the canal.*
Jan. 12.Next morning I left Darūta, embarked on the raft, and passing Jūī Shāhi, reached Ater. At Ater we mounted on horseback, and rode through the valley of Nūr, till we had reached and passed the village of Sūsan. We halted at Amleh.*
Khwājeh Kalān had regulated everything at Bajour, and brought the country into the best order. As he was a prudent and able counsellor, I sent for him that he might be along with me, and I gave Shah Mīr Hussain the charge of Bajour. Jan. 14. On Saturday the 22nd, I gave Shah Mīr Hussain his audience of leave. This day, likewise, I had a drinking party at Amleh.
Jan. 15.Next morning it rained heavily. I went from Kuner to Kileh-Kerām,* where Malik Kuli had a house, and halted at his second son’s house, which was situated overlooking an orange plantation. As the rain prevented our going out among the orange-trees, we had our wine in the house. The rain poured down in torrents. I knew a charm, and taught it to Mulla Ali Jān. He wrote it on four scraps of paper, and hung it up to the four points of the compass; the rain ceased that moment, and the sky immediately began to clear up.
Jan. 16.The following morning I went on board of one raft, and some young men embarked in another. In Sawād, Bajour, and the neighbouring countries, they make a peculiar kind of būzeh (or beer).* There is a substance which they call kīm, composed of the tops* of certain herbs, and of various drugs. They make it round like a loaf, and then dry and lay it up. This kīm is the essence from which the būzeh (or beer) is made. Many of the potions composed of it are wonderfully exhilarating, but they are terribly bitter and ill-tasted. I had thoughts of taking this buzeh, but, from its extreme bitterness, was unable to swallow it: I then took a little maajūn. I desired Asas, Hassan Ikerek, and Masti, who were in the other raft, to drink some of the potion, which they did, and became intoxicated. Hassan Ikerek immediately began to play a number of unpleasant freaks. Asas, also, became perfectly drunk; and performed so many disagreeable pranks as to make us quite uncomfortable; insomuch, that we had thoughts of turning them out of the raft, and of landing A. D. 1519. them on the opposite side of the river, but were prevailed upon by urgent entreaties* to desist.
I have mentioned that I had bestowed Bajour on Shah Mīr Hossain, and recalled Khwājeh Kalān. Having a high opinion of Khwājeh Kalān as a wise and able counsellor, I did not wish to prolong his residence in Bajour; I was of opinion, too, that the management of Bajour was now become easier. I met Shah Mīr Hossain, as he was on his way to Bajour, at the passage over the river of Kuner, sent for him, and had some* conversation with him; after which I gave him one of my own corslets,* and he took leave. When we came opposite to Nūrgil, an old man came and begged alms; the people in the raft each gave him something, a robe, a turban, or a sash; in this way, the old man received articles to a considerable amount. About mid-way the raft struck on some bad ground. We were much afraid; but though the raft did not sink, Mīr Muhammed, who guided it, was pitched into the water. We passed Jan. 17. that night near Ater. On Tuesday we came to Mandrāwar.* Kutlūk Kadem, and his father Doulet Kadem, prepared for us an entertainment. Although the place had nothing beautiful to recommend it, yet, to please them, I drank a few glasses of wine, and returned to the camp about afternoon prayers.
Jan. 18.On Wednesday we went and visited the fountain of Gidger.* Gidger is a district dependent on the Tumān of Mandrāwar. In this district alone, of all the Lamghānāt, are there any dates. The village stands higher up than the dāmenkoh (skirts of the hills); its date groves lie to the east of it. It is situated on the edge of the date groves, in an open space. Six or seven cubits below the fountain, they have built a barricade of stones, for retaining the water for the purpose of bathing. The water is made to run over this basin in such a way as to fall on the heads of those who bathe below. The water of this fountain is extremely soft; if any one bathes in it in winter, his limbs at first feel excessively cold, but afterwards, however long he stay in, his sensations become altogether agreeable.
Jan. 19.On Thursday, Sher Khān Turkolāni made us alight at his house, and entertained us. About noon-day prayers we mounted again, and setting out, reached the fishing-houses or pools, which have been built for taking fish. These fishing-houses have already been described.
Jan. 20.On Friday we halted near a village under the charge of Mīr Mirān. About evening prayers we had a party.
Jan. 21.On Saturday we hunted the hill which lies between Alisheng and Alingār. On one side the men of Alisheng, and on the other the people of Alingār, made a ring, and drove in the deer from the hill; numbers of deer were killed. On leaving the chase we halted at Alingār, in the Bāgh-e malikān,* and had a party. The half of one of my front teeth had been broken off, and the other half left; this day, while I was eating, the half that had been left also came out.
Jan. 22.Next morning I mounted, and went and threw a net for fish.* It was noon before I went to a garden at Alisheng, where we drank wine.
Jan. 23.Next morning Khamzeh Khan, the Malik of Alisheng, having been guilty of many crimes, and spilt innocent blood in murder, I delivered him up to the avengers* of blood, by whom he was put to death in retaliation.
Jan. 24.On Tuesday, having read a section of the Koran, I returned for Kābul, by way of Yan-būlāgh. About afternoon prayers we passed the river at Alghātū.* At evening prayers we came to Karanghu,* where, having fed our horses and taken a hasty dinner, we remounted the instant our horses had finished their barley.