Shaikh 'Abdu-r Rahmán and Khwája 'Abdu-lla reported that they had succeeded in taking the fort of Urcha,* one of the strongest in Hindústán, and that the rebel, Bar Singh Deo, had been driven to hide himself like a snake among the wilds, to escape the pursuit of the Imperial warriors. Shortly afterwards another despatch was received from the same chiefs, stating that as the enemy had poisoned all the wells, and 1000 men had died of fever, they had been compelled to abandon Urcha as a place of residence.
Shall I talk of the changeableness of this world, or shall I relate the sad tale of this young branch of tender years, or shall I rather acquaint my pen with the evil which his own obstinacy and folly wrought upon himself! The fire of the wine-cup extinguished the light of his natural abilities, and the lamp of his intellect was unable to burn through the abundance of this baneful liquid. The affectionate arguments of His Majesty were disregarded, till by degrees the fumes of wine sapped the strength and vigour of his constitution, and his trembling limbs lost their functions. The Khán-khánán and Khwája Abú-l Hasan used their utmost endeavours, both in obedience to the Imperial orders and the real affection they felt for him, to stop the supply of this deleterious liquor. They posted guards to prevent its introduction; but the base parasites who were about the Prince's person contrived to introduce the poison unperceived, sometimes concealing it in the barrels of muskets, and sometimes in their turbans. After forty days of illness, the young Prince died, at the age of thirty-three—an event which caused both friends and strangers to sit down in grief and mourning.
It has been already related that Bar Singh Deo took refuge in the wilds and forests. He was, nevertheless, pursued by Rájá Jai Singh, who shot many of his followers, and at last wounded the blood-stained murderer, who, however, still contrived, though with blistered feet, to effect his escape.
On Monday, the 12th Ábán, corresponding with the 20th Jumáda-l awwal, 1014 Hijra (September, 1605), an illness insinuated itself into the frame of the Emperor, and he became indisposed. Hakím 'Alí, who was the most skilful of physicians, was summoned to attend. After considering the symptoms, he refrained for eight days from administering medicine, under the hope that His Majesty's vigour of constitution would overcome the disease. On the ninth day, the debility and symptoms appeared to be aggravated, so the physician resorted to the remedies of his art; but they produced no good effect for ten days. The complaint in the bowels increased, and the limbs lost their power. It then became evident that recovery was hopeless, and that the collar of the world was in the clutches of the Fates.
On the 9th Ázur, corresponding with the night of Wednesday, 12th Jumáda-l ákhir (13th October, 1605 A.D.), when the age of His Majesty had reached the period of sixty-five lunar years, he bade adieu to life, in the capital of Ágra, and took his departure to the paradise of love. On the following day his sacred remains were borne by men of all ranks, in stately and becoming pomp, to the grave, and were interred in the garden of Bihishtábád.
Praise be to God, that this excellent work, the Akbar-náma, has been brought to an admirable and approved conclusion! * * The second volume, up to the forty-seventh year of the reign, is the composition of the most learned and intelligent Abú-l Fazl, son of Shaikh Mubárak; and from the forty-eighth year, after the death of the celebrated Shaikh, Ináyatu-lla or Muhammad Sálih, after duly preparing himself for the work of history, has thus brought it to an end.