ASHRAF the Afghân, having now raised himself to the fullness of power and splendour in Ispha­han, began to be apprehensive on the part of the exalted king Tahmâsb, lest, establishing himself with independent sovereignty in Khorâsân, he should employ his efforts towards his expulsion. In anticipation, therefore, of the King's attack, Ashraf set out on his march to Khorâsân with a great retinue and an immense army. The Shah, and Tahmâsb Coli Khan, with the Omarâs, hastily moved from Meshed, with all the troops they could muster, in the intention to give him battle. This event happened in the month Safar, one thousand one hundred and forty-two, in which year the Afghans were rooted out of Persia. The King was earnest in his endeavours that I should accompany him, and he sent to me a number of his confidential servants, who exerted all their means of persuasion. Unable to resist their importunities, I also went with them the first stage; but finding it diagreeable to travel in the midst of that army, I made my excuses to the King at the end of the day's march, and lightening his sorrow as much as I could at my departure, I retired to the rear of the line, where I performed my jour­nies to my heart's content, always leaving a small interval between myself and the troops. When the King arrived at the town of Bastâm, a detach­ment from the Afghan army advanced upon his park of artillery with the intent to carry off some part of it by surprise; but the guards, being aware of their approach, repelled them. At the expiration of two days from that time, the armies met at a stream of water called, Mehmân Dôst. The Kizil Bâsh, though not equal in number to one half of the Afghan troops, drew up their files under the royal banners, and pressed on the soil the foot of firmness and of manhood. The Afghans also bravely crowded forward to the ring of contention, and a royal battle was engaged. The musketeers who marched on foot by the King's stirrup, and the imperial cannoneers, on that day, furnished the full measure of skill and bravery, and several times drove from the field the most advanced and boldest of the Afghans, pour­ing ball like hail upon their columns; whilst the mounted heroes of the Kizil Bâsh, galloping on their flanks from right and left, trampled on the ground all they encompassed within their march. Till noon-day the fight was warmly maintained. At last, from the repeated onsets of the king's troops, the Afghans yielded the foot from the ground of stability, and all their exertions ended in defeat; their ranks fell into confusion, and a general rout made its way through that immense army. Ashraf, and the other leaders faced about from the field of battle and took to flight. Many times on their retreat they attempted once more to prepare themselves for a renewal of the engagement; but in vain, and they were compelled in all haste to pursue their road to Isphahan. The King halted at Dâmghân; and for my part, I rested a while in a garden which was close to the scene of action. As soon as the whole army of the Kizil Bâsh had passed by, I mounted on horseback, and riding round the field of battle, I viewed the heaps of slain with the eye of wonder. Until that day the Afghans had not seen the real fight of the Kizil Bâsh, nor felt the arm of true warriors. During the whole engage­ment not more than two of the Persians, who received a few wounds, became disabled.

After this rout and victory Tahmâsb Coli Khân thought it suitable to return to the holy Meshed, in order to make the necessary preparations for the expulsion of the Afghans in the ensuing year. But the King refused his consent, and they marched towards Isphahan; whither also every trooper or magistrate of the Afghans now fled from every town in which they were stationed; whilst the citizens of each place flocked in thou­sands to give a respectful reception to the Shah's cavalcade, as it approached them; and raised shouts of joy and thanksgiving to Saturn upward. From all parts reinforcements joined the victori­ous army.

Immediately after my departure from the town of Sabzavâr,* I had been attacked with a fever which in Dâmghân* became violent, and I made a halt for ten days. My illness increased, and winter was come on. I went, by the road of the villages called Hazâr Jerîb, to the town of Sâri* in Mazenderan, and suffered severe pain during that journey from the violence of my distemper. In that city I still continued ill and was confined to my bed for ten months. There remained no hopes of my life; but the Almighty granted me restoration to health; and a number of studious and clever young men who were assembled in the town having petitioned me to give them lectures, I consented and they began to read with me the books called Osôl Kâfi, Man La Yahdzorho 'L Fakîh, Ilâhiât Shafâ, and Sharh Tajrîd. These were the last of my disputations, as from that time forward I abandoned the exercise of teaching. Having passed the spring season very pleasantly in Mazenderan, I left that heavenly country and arrived at Tehran. In the mean time Ispha­han had been taken and the Afghans extirpated; the brief history of which occurrence is this.