Next day after making the circle, it was hunted near Sāmsīrak; [Sidenote: Fol. 101.] thence move was made to the Tūrāk Four-gardens. On that day and in that camp, I finished the first ode I ever finished. Its opening couplet is as follows;— Except my soul, no friend worth trust found I (_wafādār tāpmādīm_); Except my heart, no confidant found I (_asrār tāpmādīm_). There were six couplets; every ode I finished later was written just on this plan. The Khān moved, march by march, from Sām-sīrak to the bank of the Khujand-river. One day we crossed the water by way of an excursion, cooked food and made merry with the braves and pages. That day some-one stole the gold clasp of my girdle. Next day Bayān-qulī's Khān-qulī and Sl. Muḥ. Wais fled to Taṃbal. Every-one suspected them of that bad deed. Though this was not ascertained, Aḥmad-i-qāsim _Kohbur_ asked leave and went away to Aūrā-tīpā. From that leave he did not return; he too went to Taṃbal. 908 AH.—JULY 7TH. 1502 TO JUNE 26TH. 1503 AD.[607] (_a. Bābur's poverty in Tāshkīnt._) This move of The Khān's was rather unprofitable; to take no fort, to beat no foe, he went out and went back. During my stay in Tāshkīnt, I endured much poverty and humiliation. No country or hope of one! Most of my retainers dispersed, those left, unable to move about with me because of their destitution! If I went to my Khān dādā's Gate,[608] I went sometimes with one man, sometimes with two. It was well he was no stranger but one of my own blood. [Sidenote: Fol. 101b.] After showing myself[609] in his presence, I used to go to Shāh Begīm's, entering her house, bareheaded and barefoot, just as if it were my own. This uncertainty and want of house and home drove me at last to despair. Said I, 'It would be better to take my head[610] and go off than live in such misery; better to go as far as my feet can carry me than be seen of men in such poverty and humiliation.' Having settled on China to go to, I resolved to take my head and get away. From my childhood up I had wished to visit China but had not been able to manage it because of ruling and attachments. Now sovereignty itself was gone! and my mother, for her part, was re-united to her (step)-mother and her younger brother. The hindrances to my journey had been removed; my anxiety for my mother was dispelled. I represented (to Shāh Begīm and The Khān) through Khwāja Abū'l-makāram that now such a foe as Shaibāq Khān had made his appearance, Mughūl and Turk[611] alike must guard against him; that thought about him must be taken while he had not well-mastered the (Aūzbeg) horde or grown very strong, for as they have said;—[612] To-day, while thou canst, quench the fire, Once ablaze it will burn up the world; Let thy foe not fix string to his bow, While an arrow of thine can pierce him;