ON Friday, the 1st of Safer, in the year 932, when the sun was in Sagittarius, I set out on my march to invade Hindustān. Having crossed the hill of Yak-langeh,* we halted in a valley which lies west of the river of Deh Yākūb. At this place Abdal Malūk Korchi, who, seven or eight months before, had gone on an embassy to Sultan Saīd Khan,* returned to me accompanied by Yangi Beg, a foster brother of the Khan. He brought me privately letters from the Khanums,* as well as the Khan, with presents and prayers for my well-being.* I halted here two days for the purpose of collecting* my army; after which we marched, and, one night intervening, halted at Bādām-chashmeh. At this station I took a maajūn.
On Wednesday, when we were coming to our ground at Nov. 22 Bārīk-āb, the brothers* of Nūr Beg, who had remained behind in Hindustān, arrived bringing to the amount of twenty thousand shahrokhis,* in gold, in ashrafis and tankis, which Khwājeh Hussain, Diwān of Lahore, had sent by them.* The greater part of this sum I dispatched through Mulla Ahmed, one of the chief men of Balkh, to serve my interests in that quarter.
Nov. 24.On Friday the 8th, on halting at Gandamak, I had rather a severe defluxion,* but, by the mercy of God, it passed off without any bad effects.
Nov. 25.On Saturday, I halted at the Bāgh-e-wafā. Here I was forced to wait some days for Humāiūn* and the army that was with him. In these Memoirs I have already repeatedly described the limits and extent of the Bāgh-e-wafā, its beauty, and elegance.* The garden was in great glory. No one can view it without acknowledging what a charming place it is. During the few days that we stayed there, we drank a great quantity of wine at every sitting,* and took regularly our morning cup. When I had no drinking parties,* I had maajūn parties.* In consequence of Humāiūn’s delay beyond the appointed time, I wrote him sharp letters, taking him severely to task, and giving him many hard names.*
Dec. 3.On Sunday, the 17th of Safer, I had taken my morning draught, when Humāiūn arrived. I spoke to him with considerable severity on account of his long delay. Khwājeh Kalān too arrived this day from Ghazni. That same evening, being the eve of Monday, we marched, and halted at a new garden, which I had laid out between Sultanpūr and Khwājeh Rustam.*
Dec. 6.On Wednesday, we marched thence, when I embarked on a raft, on which I proceeded down the river, drinking all the way, till we reached Kūsh-gumbez, where I landed and joined the camp.
Dec. 7.Next morning, after putting the troops in motion, I again embarked on a raft, and took a maajūn. We had always been accustomed to halt at Kirik arik. On coming over against Kirik arik, though we looked out in every direction, not a trace of the camp, nor of our horses, was visible. It came into my head, that, as Garm-chashmeh was near at hand, and was a shady, sheltered spot,* the army had probably halted there. I therefore went on to that place. On coming near Garm-chashmeh, the day was far spent. Dec. 8. Without stopping there, I went on all next night and day,* having only made them bring the raft to an anchor, while I took a sleep. About the time of early morning prayers, we landed at Yadeh Bīr, and at sunrise the troops began to make their appearance coming in. They had been for two days encamped in the territory of Kirik arik, though we had not observed them. There happened to be in the boat a good many men who wrote verses, such as Sheikh Abul Wajd, Sheikh Zein, Mulla Ali Jān, Terdi Beg Khāksār, and several others. During the party, the following verse of Muhammed Sālih was repeated:
| (Persian)— | What can one do to regulate his thoughts, with a mistress
possessed of every blandishment? Where you are, how is it possible for our thoughts to wander to another? |
It was agreed that every one should make an extempore couplet to the same rhyme and measure. Every one accordingly repeated his verse. As we had been very merry at Mulla Ali Jān’s expense, I repeated the following extempore satirical verses:
A. D. 1525. Before this, whatever had come into my head, good or bad, in sport or jest, if I had turned it into verse for amusement, how bad or contemptible soever the poetry might be, I had always committed it to writing. On the present occasion, when I had composed these lines, my mind led me to reflections, and my heart was struck with regret, that a tongue which could repeat the sublimest productions, should bestow any trouble on such unworthy verses; that it was melancholy that a heart, elevated to nobler conceptions, should submit to occupy itself with these meaner and despicable fancies. From that time forward, I religiously BāburWhat can one do with a drunken sot like you?
What can be done with one foolish as a she-ass?**
A day or two after, when we halted at Bekrām,* I had a defluxion and fever; the defluxion was attended with a cough, and every time that I coughed I brought up blood. I knew whence this indisposition proceeded, and what conduct had brought on this chastisement.
(Arabic)—Then every one who fails and breaks his promise, that promise avenges its breach on his life; and he who adheres to his promises to God, God bestows on him boundless blessings.*
| (Tūrki verse)— | What can I do with you, O my tongue? On your account I am covered with blood within:* How long, in this strain of satire, will you delight to compose verses, One of which is impure, and another lying? If you say, Let me not suffer from this crime,*— Then turn your reins, and shun the field. |
(Arabic)—O my Creator, I have tyrannized over my soul; and, if Thou are not bountiful unto me, of a truth I shall be of the number of the accursed.*
I now once more composed myself to penitence and self-control;* I resolved to abstain from this kind of idle thoughts, and from such unsuitable amusements, and to break my pen. Such chastenings from the throne of the Almighty, on rebellious servants, are mighty graces, and every servant who feels and benefits from such chastisements, has cause to regard them as overflowing mercies.
Dec. 9.Marching thence,* I halted at Ali Masjid. On account of the smallness of the encamping ground at this place, I was always accustomed to take up my quarters on an adjoining eminence; the troops all took their ground in the valley. As the hillock on which I pitched my tents commanded the neighbouring grounds, the blaze from the fires of the people in the camp below was wonderfully brilliant and beautiful. It was certainly owing to this circumstance that every time that I halted in this ground I drank wine.*
Dec. 10. I took a maajūn before sunrise, and we continued our
march. That day I fasted. We continued our march till
we came near Bekrām, and then halted. Next morning we
Dec. 11.
continued halting in the same station, and I went out to
hunt the rhinoceros. We crossed the Siāh-āb,*
in front of
Rhinoceros
hunt.
Bekrām, and formed our ring lower down the river. When
we had gone a short way, a man came after us with notice
that a rhinoceros had entered a little wood near Bekrām,
and that they had surrounded the wood, and were waiting
for us. We immediately proceeded towards the wood at
full gallop, and cast a ring round it. Instantly, on our
raising the shout, the rhinoceros issued out into the plain,
and took to flight. Humāiūn, and those who had come
from the same quarter, never having seen a rhinoceros
before, were greatly amused.*
They followed it for nearly
a kos, shot many arrows at it, and finally brought it down.
This rhinoceros did not make a good set at any person, or
any horse. They afterwards killed another rhinoceros.*
I had often amused myself with conjecturing how an elephant
and rhinoceros would behave if brought to face each
other; on this occasion the elephant-keepers brought out
the elephants, so that one elephant fell right in with the
rhinoceros.*
As soon as the elephant-drivers put their
beasts in motion, the rhinoceros would not come up,*
but
immediately ran off in another direction.