As soon as the Sultán was informed of what Kishlú Khán had done in the matter of burying the two skins, he sent for him. Kishlú Khán instantly understood that the Sultán intended to punish him, so he did not attend to the invitation. He revolted, spread his money about, raised troops, and sent emissaries among the Turks, Afgháns, and Khurásánians, who flocked to him in great numbers. His army was equal to that of the Sultán, or even superior to it in numbers. The Sovereign marched in person to fight him, and they met at two days' journey from Multán, in the desert plain of Abúhar. In this battle the Sultán showed great prudence. He placed Shaikh 'Imádu-d dín, who resembled him (in person), under the royal canopy, whilst he himself moved off during the heat of the battle with 4,000 men. The enemy endeavoured to take the canopy, thinking it was the Sovereign who was under it. 'Imádu-d dín was killed, and they thought that the Sultán had perished. The soldiers of Kishlú Khán were intent only on plunder, and separated from their chief, who was left with only a few men. Then the Sultán fell upon him and cut off his head. When Kishlú Khán's troops knew this, they took to flight.
The Sultán then entered Multán, where he seized the kází, Karí-
This is a vast mountain, three months' journey in length, and ten days' journey from Dehli. Its king was one of the most powerful of the Hindu princes, and the Sultán of India sent an army to fight with him, commanded by Malik Nakbia, chief of the inkstand bearers. The army consisted of 100,000 horse and a large number of infantry. They took the town of Jidiya, situated at the foot of the mountain, and the places adjacent, making prisoners, plundering, and burning. The infidels fled to the heights of the mountain, abandoning their country, their flocks, and the treasures of their king. The mountain has only one road. Below lies a valley; above, the mountain itself; and horsemen can only pass one by one. The troops of the Sultán ascended by this road, and took possession of the town of Warangal, in the upper part of the mountain. They seized upon everything it contained, and wrote to their Sovereign informing him of their victory. He sent them a kází and a preacher, and ordered them to remain in the country.
When the great rains came on, the army was attacked by disease, which considerably weakened it. The horses died, and the bows grew slack, so the amírs sought permission from the Sultán to leave the mountain during the rainy season, to descend to its base, and to again take up their position when the rains had ceased. The Sultán consented. So the commander Nakbia took all the property he had secured, whether provisions, metals, or precious stones, and distributed them among the troops, to carry them to the bottom of the mountain. When the infidels found that the Musulmáns were retiring, they waited for them in the gorges of the mountain, and occupied the defiles before them. They cut down old trees, and cast them from the heights of the mountain, and these killed all with whom they came in contact. The greater part of the men perished, the rest were taken. The Hindus seized the treasures, merchandize, horses, and arms. Of all the Musulmáns only three chiefs escaped—the commander Nakbia, Badru-d dín Malik Daulat Sháh, and a third whose name I have forgotten.
This disaster deeply affected the army of India, and weakened it in a marked manner. Soon afterwards the Sultán made peace with the inhabitants of the mountain, on condition of their paying him a certain tribute. They owned, in fact, the land at the foot of the mountain, and this they could not cultivate without the permission of the Sultán.
The Sultán had appointed the sharíf, Jalálu-d dín Ahsan Sháh, to be governor of the country of Ma'bar, which is at the distance of six months' journey from Dehli. This Jalálu-d dín rebelled, usurped the ruling power, killed the lieutenants and agents of the Sovereign, and struck in his own name gold and silver money. On one side of the coins there was impressed the following (letters): “toe and he, ye and sín,” (these letters, which form the titles of the 20th and 26th chapters of the Kurán, are among the epithets bestowed upon Muhammad,) and (the words) “father of fakirs and of the indigent, the glory of the world and of religion.” On the other face the following: “He who puts his trust in the help of the All-merciful, Ahsan Sháh Sultán.” The Sultán, when he was informed of this revolt, set forth to suppress it. * * *
The elephants which execute men have their tusks covered with sharp irons, resembling the coulter of the plough which turns up the ground, and with edges like those of knives. The driver mounts the elephant, and, when a person is thrown in front, the animal winds his trunk round him, hurls him into the air, and, catching him on one of his tusks, dashes him to the ground, when he places one of his feet on the breast of the victim. After this he does as he is directed by his rider, under the orders of the Sultán. If the Sultán desires the culprit to be cut in pieces, the elephant executes the command by means of the irons above described; if the Sultán desires the victim to be left alone, the elephant leaves him on the ground, and (the body) is then stripped of its skin.
The Sultán arrived in the country of Tilang, and proceeded towards the province of Ma'bar, to repress the sharíf of the country, who had rebelled. He halted at Badrakot, capital of Tilang, three months' march from Ma'bar. Pestilence then broke out in his army, and the greater part of it perished. * * * When the Sultán saw this calamity, he returned to Daulatábád. * * * On his journey he was taken ill, and the rumour spread that he was dead. * * * Amír Hushanj, when he heard this rumour, fled to an infidel prince named Burabrah, who dwelt in lofty mountains between Daulatábád and Kúkan Tanah (Tána in the Konkan). * * *
Dearth made its appearance in various provinces, and the Sultán proceeded with his troops to encamp on the Ganges at ten days' journey from Dehli. [Rebellion of 'Aínu-l Mulk.] The wazír conducted (the prisoner) 'Aínu-l Mulk to the presence of the Sovereign. The rebel was mounted on a bull and was quite naked, saving only a scrap of stuff tied by a string round his waist. * * * The sons of the amírs surrounded the captive, insulted him, spat in his face, and buffeted his companions. * * * The Sultán directed that the prisoner should be dressed in clothes like those of conductors of pack-horses, that he should have four chains put upon his legs, that his hands should be fastened to his neck, and that he should be given into the custody of the wazír, Khwája-i Jahán. * * * The Sultán returned to his capital after an absence of two years and a half. He pardoned 'Aínu-l Mulk.
During the time that the Sultán was absent from his capital in his expedition to Ma'bar, a famine arose and became serious. The man of wheat rose to sixty dirhams and more. Distress was general, and the position of affairs very grave. One day I went out of the city to meet the wazír, and I saw three women, who were cutting in pieces and eating the skin of a horse which had been dead some months. Skins were cooked and sold in the markets. When bullocks were slaughtered, crowds rushed forward to catch the blood, and consumed it for their sustenance. * * * The famine being unendurable, the Sultán ordered provisions for six months to be distributed to all the population of Dehli. The judges, secretaries, and officers inspected all the streets and markets, and supplied to every person provisions for half a year, at the rate of one pound and a half, Mughribi weight, each. * * *
The Sovereign mounted his horse to enter his capital. * * * Over his head was carried a parasol, and before him was carried the gháshiya, or saddle-cloth, trimmed with gold and diamonds. Some small balistas were placed upon elephants, and as the Sultán approached the city, gold and silver pieces, mixed, were discharged from these machines among the people.
After I had passed forty days in the hermitage, the Sultán sent me some saddled horses, slaves of both sexes, and clothes, and money for my expenses. I dressed myself, and went to wait upon the Sovereign. * * * When I arrived, he showed me greater honour than ever he had done before, and said, “I have sent for you to make you my ambassador to the King of China, for I know your love for voyages and travels.” He furnished me with all that was necessary, and named the persons who were to go with me.