The Bābur-nāma in English (Memoirs of Bābur)Babur, Emperor of Hindustan
History
The Bābur-nāma in English (Memoirs of Bābur)
Babur, Emperor of Hindustan
Babur, Emperor of Hindustan, 1483-1530; Mogul Empire
(_Feb. 23rd_) On Wednesday the 22nd of the month, the headmen and
_chauderis_[1411] of Bhīra were summoned, a sum of 400,000
_shāhrukhīs_[1412] was agreed on as the price of peace _(māl-i-amān)_,
and collectors were appointed. We also made an excursion, going in a
boat and there eating a confection.
(_Feb. 24th_) Ḥaidar the standard-bearer had been sent to the Bilūchīs
located in Bhīra and Khūsh-āb; on Thursday morning they made an offering
of an almond-coloured _tīpūchāq_ [horse], and did obeisance. As it was
represented to me that some of the soldiery were behaving without sense
and were laying-hands on Bhīra people, persons were sent who caused some
of those [Sidenote: Fol. 226.] senseless people to meet their
death-doom, of others slit the noses and so led them round the camp.
(_Feb. 25th_) On Friday came a dutiful letter from the Khūshābīs; on
this Shāh Shujā` _Arghūn's_ son Shāh Ḥasan was appointed to go to
Khūsh-āb.
(_Feb. 26th_) On Saturday the 25th of the month,[1413] Shāh Ḥasan was
started for Khūsh-āb.
(_Feb. 27th_) On Sunday so much rain fell[1414] that water covered all
the plain. A small brackish stream[1415] flowing between Bhīra and the
gardens in which the army lay, had become like a great river before the
Mid-day Prayer; while at the ford near Bhīra there was no footing for
more than an arrow's flight; people crossing had to swim. In the
afternoon I rode out to watch the water coming down (_kīrkān sū_); the
rain and storm were such that on the way back there was some fear about
getting in to camp. I crossed that same water (_kīrkān sū_) with my
horse swimming. The army-people were much alarmed; most of them
abandoned tents and heavy baggage, shouldered armour, horse-mail and
arms, made their horses swim and crossed bare-back. Most streams flooded
the plain.
(_Feb. 28th_) Next day boats were brought from the river (Jehlam), and
in these most of the army brought their tents and baggage over. Towards
mid-day, Qūj Beg's men went 2 miles up the water and there found a ford
by which the rest crossed.
[Sidenote: Fol. 226b.] (_March 1st_) After a night spent in Bhīra-fort,
Jahān-nūma they call it, we marched early on the Tuesday morning out of
the worry of the rain-flood to the higher ground north of Bhīra.
As there was some delay about the moneys asked for and agreed to
(_taqabbul_), the country was divided into four districts and the begs
were ordered to try to make an end of the matter. Khalīfa was appointed
to one district, Qūj Beg to another, Nāṣir's Dost to another, Sayyid
Qāsim and Muḥibb-i-`alī to another. Picturing as our own the countries
once occupied by the Turk, there was to be no over-running or
plundering.
(_m. Envoys sent to the court in Dihlī._)
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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