Some account of the battles which the Emperor fought before his accession, as well as after that period, has been given above, and we shall now write a few instances of his fortitude. At the time when the Royal army arrived at Balkh, 'Abdu-l 'Azíz Khán, with a large force which equalled the swarms of locusts and ants, came and arranged his men in order of battle, and surrounded the Royal camp. While the conflict was being carried on with great fury, the time of reading the evening prayers came on, when His Majesty, though dissuaded by some worldly officers, alighted from his horse and said the prayers, etc., in a congregation, with the utmost indifference and presence of mind. 'Abdu-l 'Azíz, on hearing of this, was much astonished at the intrepidity of the Emperor, who was assisted by God, and put an end to the battle, saying that to fight with such a man is to destroy oneself.

The Emperor is perfectly acquainted with the commentaries, traditions and law. He always studies the compilations of the great Imám Muhammad Ghizálí (may God's mercy be on him!), the extracts from the writings of Shaikh Sharaf Yahyá Munírí (may his tomb be sanctified!), and the works of Muhí Shírazí, and other similar books. One of the greatest excellences of this virtuous monarch is, that he has learnt the Kurán by heart. Though in his early youth he had committed to memory some chapters of that sacred book, yet he learnt the whole by heart after ascending the throne. He took great pains and showed much perseverance in impressing it upon his mind. He writes a very elegant Naskh hand, and has acquired perfection in this art. He has written two copies of the holy book with his own hand, and having finished and adorned them with ornaments and marginal lines, at the expense of seven thousand rupees, he sent them to the holy cities of Mecca and Medína. He also wrote an excellent Nasta'lík and Shikastah hand. He is a very elegant writer in prose, and has acquired proficiency in versification, but agreeably to the words of God, “Poets deal in falsehoods,” he abstains from practising it. He does not like to hear verses except those which contain a moral. “To please Almighty God he never turned his eye towards a flatterer, nor gave his ear to a poet.”

The Emperor has given a very liberal education to his fortu­nate and noble children, who, by virtue of his attention and care, have reached to the summit of perfection, and made great advances in rectitude, devotion, and piety, and in learning the manners and customs of princes and great men. Through his instruction they have learnt the Book of God by heart, obtained proficiency in the sciences and polite literature, writing the various hands, and in learning the Turkí and the Persian languages.

In like manner, the ladies of the household also, according to his orders, have learnt the fundamental and necessary tenets of religion, and all devote their time to the adoration and worship of the Deity, to reading the sacred Kurán, and performing virtuous and pious acts. The excellence of character and the purity of morals of this holy monarch are beyond all expression. As long as nature nourishes the tree of existence, and keeps the garden of the world fresh, may the plant of the prosperity of this preserver of the garden of dignity and honour continue fruitful!

The length of the daily-increasing empire, from the port of Láhorí, province of Thatta, to the tháná of Bindásal in Bengal, is 994 royal kos, 1740 common kos known in most parts of Hindústán. Each royal kos measures 5000 yards, and each yard is the breadth of 42 fingers. Two royal kos are equal to three and a half common kos. From the capital of Dehlí to Láhorí the distance is 437 royal kos, and 764 common kos; from the same city to tháná Bindásal 557 royal kos, and 975 common kos. In the same manner, from Láhorí to Thatta 25 royal kos; from Thatta to Bhakkar 31 kos; from Bhakkar to Multán a little more than 99 kos; from Multán to Láhore 75 kos; from Láhore to Sháh-Jahánábád 170 kos; from Sháh-Jahánábád to Ágra 44 kos; from Ágra to Alláhábád 107 kos; from Alláhábád to Patna 96 kos and a fraction; from Patna to Mungír 37 kos; from Mungír to Akbarnagar or Ráj Mahál 48 kos; from Akbarnagar to Jahángírnagar, or Dacca, 108 kos; from Dacca to Silhet 87 kos; from Silhet to Bindásal 30 kos; and calculating every stage at twelve kos, the usual travel­ling distance in Hindústán, the whole length is 145 stages, or a journey of four months and twenty-seven days. The breadth of the whole empire is from the frontier of Tibet and the delightful province of Kashmír to the fort of Sholápúr, which in the prosperous reign of this monarch has been taken from 'Ádil Khán, a distance of 672 royal kos, or 1176 common kos; from Sháh-Jahánábád, the seat of Empire, to the boundary of Tibet, is 330 royal kos, or 577 common kos; from the seat of the Empire to Sholápúr, 342 royal kos, or 598 common kos; as was found by measurement which may be thus detailed. From the boundary of Tibet to Little Tibet, 60 royal kos; from Little Tibet to Kashmír, 64 kos; from Kashmír to Láhore 101 kos; from Láhore to Sháh-Jahánábád 105 kos; from Sháh-Jahánábád to Ágra 44 kos; and from Ágra to Burhánpúr 178 kos. At the rate of twelve kos a stage, the whole breadth is 98 stages, occupying a period of three months and ten days.

Under the management and care of this virtuous monarch, the country of Hindústán teems with population and culture. It is divided into nineteen provinces, and 4440 parganas, the revenue of which amounts altogether to nine arbs, twenty-four krors seventeen lacs, 16,082 dáms, or 9,24,17,16,082 dáms, out of which the khálisa, or the sum paid to the royal treasury, is 1,72,79,81,251 dáms, and the assignments of the jagírdárs, or the remainder, was 7,51,77,34,731 dáms.

Details of all the Provinces.

Sháhjahánábád—285 maháls; revenue 1,16,83,98,269 dáms. Ágra—230 maháls; revenue 1,05,17,09,283 dáms. Lahore —330 maháls; revenue 90,70,16,125 dáms. Ajmír—235 maháls; revenue 63,68,94,882 dáms. Ahmadábád—200 maháls; revenue 44,00,83,096 dáms. Alláhábád—268 maháls; revenue 43,66,88,072 dáms. Oudh—149 maháls; revenue 32,00,72,193 dáms. Bihár—252 maháls; revenue 72,17,97,019 dáms. Bengal —1219 maháls; revenue 52,37,39,110 dáms. Orissa—244 maháls; revenue 19,71,00,000 dáms. Kashmír—51 maháls; revenue 21,30,74,826 dáms. The four provinces of the Dakhin, viz. Aurangábád, Zafarábád, Birár, and Khándesh—552 maháls; revenue 2,96,70,00,000 dáms. Málwa—257 maháls; revenue 42,54,76,670 dáms. Multán—98 maháls; revenue 24,53,18,575 dáms. Kábul—40 maháls; revenue 15,76,25,380 dáms. Thatta —revenue 57,49,86,900* dáms.

From the concluding Chapter of Wonders and Marvels.

Those who have visited the territory of Jakkar* and Ladakh have heard the following story. In these hills there is found a worm which is exceedingly small. It adheres to the toes of the foot, and bites them. No force of hand or instrument is able to detach it, but it increases every moment in bulk and length, so that, having swallowed up the toe, it becomes equal to a large rat, and then swallows the whole foot. After this it increases to the size of a dog, and then swallows up both the legs and up to the waist or half the body of the man. Although the people beat it much and try to cut it, yet no instrument or weapon has any effect upon it. In a short time it becomes like a lion, and having eaten the man entirely, goes away towards the jungle or the hills, and then disappears.