THE THIRTEENTH NEW YEAR'S FEAST

On the eve of Wednesday, the 23rd Rabi`u-l-awwal, 1027 (March 10,

1618), after the lapse of fourteen and a half gharis, the entrance of

the Sun--that is, H.M. the Great Light--the Benefactor of the Universe,

into the constellation of the Ram, took place. Twelve years had now

passed from the august Accession of this suppliant at the throne of

God, in prosperity, and the New Year began in joy and thanksgiving. On

Thursday, 2 Farwardin, Divine month, the festival of my Lunar weighment

took place, and the fifty-first [1] year of the age of this suppliant

at God's throne began with rejoicings. I trust that my life will be

spent in the doing of God's Will, and that not a breath of it will

pass without remembering Him. After the weighment had been finished,

a fresh feast of joy was arranged, and my domestic servants celebrated

the day with brimming cups.

On this day Asaf K. (Nur-Jahan's brother), who held the rank of

5,000 with 3,000 horse, was favoured by the grant of 4,000 two-horsed

and three-horsed troopers, and Sabit K. was raised to the office of

Examiner of Petitions. I bestowed the post of the Artillery on Mu`tamid

K. A Kachh (Cutch) horse had been brought as an offering by the son

of Dilawar K. No horse so good as this had come into my establishment

till I encamped in Gujarat, and as M. Rustam showed a great liking for

it, I presented it to him. On the Jam were conferred four rings--viz.,

diamond, ruby, emerald, and sapphire--and two hawks. I also gave four

rings--viz., ruby, cat's-eye, emerald, and sapphire--to Raja Lachmi

Narayan (of Kuch Bihar). Muruwwat K. had sent three elephants from

Bengal, and two of them were included in my private stud. On the eve

of Friday I ordered lamps to be placed round the tank, and this had a

very good appearance. On Sunday Haji Rafiq came from `Iraq, and had

the good fortune to kiss the threshold, and laid before me a letter

which my brother Shah `Abbas had sent with him. The aforesaid person

is a slave of Mir Muhammad Amin K., the caravan leader, and the Mir

had brought him up from his childhood. In truth, he is an excellent

servant. He frequently visited `Iraq, and became intimate with my

brother Shah `Abbas. This time he had brought tipchaq [2] horses and

fine cloth-stuffs, such that of the horses some were put into the

private stables. As he is a skilful slave, and a servant worthy of

favour, I honoured him with the title of Maliku-t-tujjar (King of

Merchants). On Monday I gave Raja Lachmi Narayan a special sword,

a jewelled rosary, and four pearls for ear-rings. On Mubarak-shamba

(Thursday) I increased by 500 horse the mansab of 5,000 personal

and 1,000 horse held by Mirza Rustam; I`tiqad K. was promoted to a

mansab of 4,000 and 1,000 horse; Sarfaraz K. was promoted to a mansab

of 2,500 and 1,400 horse; Mu`tamid K. to the rank of 1,000 with 350

horse. On Anira'i Singh-dalan and Fida'i K., horses worth 100 muhars

were conferred. As the guarding and administration of the Punjab had

been entrusted to I`timadu-d-daula, I, at his request, promoted to

the government (hukumat) of the said Subah, Mir Qasim, the Bakhshi

of the Ahadis, who is related to him, and bestowed on him a mansab

of 1,000 personal with 400 horse and the title of Qasim K. Before

this I had given Raja Lachmi Narayan an `Iraq horse. On this day I

conferred on him an elephant and a Turki horse, and gave him leave

to go to Bengal. The Jam was dismissed to his native country with

a present of a jewelled waist-sword, a jewelled rosary, two horses,

one from `Iraq and the other a Turki, and a dress of honour. Salih,

brother's son of the deceased Asaf Khan, [3] was promoted to a mansab

of 1,000 with 300 horse, and allowed to go to Bengal, and a horse

was conferred on him. On this date Mir Jumla [4] came from Persia,

and had the good fortune to pay his respects. The aforesaid is one

of the respectable Sayyids of Isfahan and his family have always

been held in honour in Persia, and now his brother's son, Mir Riza,

is in the service of my brother, Shah `Abbas, and has the rank of

Sadr, and the Shah has married him to his own daughter. Mir Jumla

had left Persia fourteen years before this, and gone to Golconda to

Muhammad Quli Qutbu-l-mulk. His name is Muhammad Amin. Qutbu-l-mulk

gave him the title of Mir Jumla. For ten years he had been his Mudar

`Alaihi (Centre of Affairs) and his Sahib Saman (factotum). After

Qutbu-l-mulk died, and the rule came to his brother's son, the latter

did not treat the Mir properly, and so he took leave and hastened to

his native country. The Shah, on account of his connection with Mir

Riza, and the respect which he had for men [5] of merit, showed much

consideration for and kindness to him. He (the Mir) also presented

fitting offerings, and passed three or four years in Persia, and

amassed properties (estates?). [6] As he several times represented

that he wished to enter the service of this Court, I sent a farman and

invited him. Immediately the farman arrived he severed his connections

there, and set the face of loyalty towards this Court. This day he

attained the honour of kissing the carpet, and produced as offering

twelve horses, nine tuquz [7] of silk cloths, and two rings. As

he had come with devotion and sincerity, I conferred favours and

kindness on him, and presented him with 20,000 darbs (Rs. 10,000)

for his expenses and a dress of honour. On the same day I gave the

post of Bakhshi of the Ahadis to `Inayat K. in place of Qasim K. I

honoured Khwaja `Aqil, who is one of the old servants, with the title

of `Aqil K., and presented him with a horse. On Friday, Dilawar K.,

coming from the Deccan, had the good fortune to kiss the threshold,

and presented an offering of 100 muhars and Rs. 1,000. Baqir K.,

Faujdar of Multan, was promoted to a mansab of 800 personal and 300

horse. Tijarat K. and Bahu'i, [8] Zamindar of Multan, were honoured

with the gift of elephants. On Saturday, the 11th, marching from

Dohad with the intention of hunting elephants, I pitched at the

village of Kara Bara (Garbara ?). On Sunday, the 12th, the village

of Sajara (Sajwara ?) became the place of alighting. It is 8 koss

from this place to Dohad, and 1 1/2 koss to the hunting-ground. On

the morning of Monday, the 13th, I went to hunt elephants with a body

of my private servants. As the grazing-place of the elephants is in a

hilly country, with elevations and depressions, a passage is obtained

with difficulty by one on foot. Before this, a large body of horse

and foot had surrounded the jungle after the manner of a qamurgha,

and outside the jungle, on a tree, they had prepared a wooden platform

for me. On all sides of this they had arranged seats on other trees for

the Amirs. They had got ready 200 male elephants with strong nooses,

and many female elephants. On each elephant there were seated two

elephant-drivers of the tribe of Jarga, [9] whose special employment

is the hunting of elephants, and it had been arranged that they

should bring the wild elephants from the jungle into my presence,

that I might witness the hunt. It happened that at the time when the

men from all sides entered the jungle, in consequence of the thickness

of the forest and the heights and hollows, the chain was broken, and

the order of the qamurgha did not remain perfect. The wild elephants in

bewilderment turned in every direction, but twelve male and female came

to this side (where J. was). As the fear was that they might escape,

they drove in the tame elephants and tied them (the wild elephants)

up wherever they found them. Although many elephants were not caught,

at least two excellent ones were captured, very handsome in shape,

of good breed, and perfect marks. As there is a hill in the jungle in

which the elephants were, called Rakas (Rakshas) Pahar, [10] or demon

hill, I called these two elephants Ravan Sar and Pavan Sar, these

being the names of two demons. On Tuesday, the 14th, and Kam-shamba

(Wednesday), the 15th, I halted.

On the eve of Thursday, the 16th, I marched, and halted at the stage of

Kara Bara. Hakim Beg, [11] who is one of the household of the Court,

was honoured with the title of Hakim K., and a sum of Rs. 3,000 was

given to Sangram, a Zamindar of the hill country of the Panjab. As

the heat was very great, and marching by day was to be avoided,

I marched by night. On Saturday, the 18th, a halt was made in the

parganah of Dohad. On Sunday, the 19th, the sun that bestows favour

on the world attained the highest point in the constellation of

Aries. On this day a great entertainment was held, and I sat on the

throne. I promoted Shah-nawaz K., who held a mansab of 5,000, with the

favour of 2,000 horse, of two and three horses. Khwaja Abu-l-Hasan,

the Chief Bakhshi, was given a mansab, original and increased, of

4,000 with 2,000 horse. As Ahmad Beg K., of Kabul, who had obtained

the governorship of Kashmir, had promised that he would conquer in

the space of two years Tibet and Kishtwar, and the promised time

had elapsed, and he had not fulfilled this service, I removed him,

and promoted Dilawar K. Kakar to the Government of Kashmir. I gave

him a dress of honour and an elephant, and sent him off. He also

made a promise in writing that in the course of two years he would

conquer Tibet and Kishtwar. Badi'u-z-Zaman, s. Shahrukh M. came from

the jagir he held in Sultanpur, and had the good fortune to kiss the

threshold. Having at this time honoured Qasim K. with a jewelled dagger

and an elephant, I dismissed him to the Government of the Punjab.

On the night of Tuesday, the 21st, I marched from the stage mentioned,

and turned the reins of the army of prosperity towards Ahmadabad. As

in consequence of the great heat and the corruption of the air I would

have had to undergo much hardship, and would have had to traverse a

long distance before reaching Agra, it occurred to me not to proceed

at this hot season to the capital. As I heard much praise of the rainy

season in Gujarat, and there was no report about the evil reputation

of Ahmadabad (see infra for account of epidemic there), I finally

conceived the idea of remaining there. Inasmuch as the protection and

guardianship of God (to Him be praise) was in all places and at all

times extended to this suppliant, just at this crisis news arrived

that signs of the plague (waba) had shown themselves again at Agra,

and many people were dying, my intention of not going to Agra,

which had thrown its rays on my mind through Divine inspiration,

was confirmed. The entertainment of Thursday, the 23rd, was held at

the station of Jalod. [12]

Previously to this, the rule of coinage was that on one face of

the metal they stamped my name, and on the reverse the name of the

place, and the month and year of the reign. At this time it entered

my mind that in place of the month they should substitute the figure

of the constellation which belonged to that month; for instance, in

the month of Farwardin the figure of a ram, and in Urdibihisht the

figure of a bull. Similarly, in each month that a coin was struck,

the figure of the constellation was to be on one face, as if the

sun were emerging from it. This usage is my own, and has never been

practised until now. [13]

On this day I`tiqad K. was promoted to the dignity of a standard,

and a standard was also conferred on Muruwwat K., who was attached to

Bengal. On the night of Monday, [14] the 27th, the camp was pitched in

the village of Badrwala, in the parganah of Sahra. [15] At this stage

was heard the voice of the koel (koyal). The koel is a bird of the

crow tribe, but smaller. The crow's eyes are black, and those of the

koel red. The female has white spots, but the male is all black. The

male has a very pleasant voice, quite unlike that of the female. It

is in reality the nightingale of India. Just as the nightingale is

agitated and noisy in the spring, so is the cry of the koel at the

approach of the rainy season, which is the spring of Hindustan. Its

cry is exceedingly pleasant and penetrating, and the bird begins its

exhilaration (masti) when the mangoes ripen. It frequently sits on

the mango-trees, and is delighted with the colour and scent of the

mango. A strange thing about the koel is that it does not bring up its

young from the egg, but, finding the nest of the crow unguarded at the

time of laying, it breaks the crow's eggs with its beak, throws them

out, and lays its own in the place of them, and flies off. The crow,

thinking the eggs its own, hatches the young and brings them up. I

have myself seen this strange affair at Allahabad.

On the night of Kamshamba (Wednesday), the 29th, the camp was on

the bank of the Mahi, and the entertainment of Mubarakshamba was

held there. Two springs appeared on the bank of the Mahi, that had

very clear water, so much so that if a poppy-seed fell into them the

whole of it was visible. All that day I passed with the ladies. As

it was a pleasant place to walk about in, I ordered them to build a

raised seat round each of the springs. On Friday I fished in the Mahi,

and large fish with scales fell into the net. I first told my son,

Shah-Jahan, to try his sword on them. After this I ordered the Amirs

to strike them with the swords they had in their belts. My son's

sword cut better than all of theirs. These fish were divided among

the servants who were present. On the eve of Saturday, the 1st of

Urdibihisht, marching from the above-mentioned stage, I ordered [16]

the mace-bearers (yasawulan) and tawachiyan to collect the widows and

poor people from the villages on the road and near it, and bring them

before me, so that I might bestow charity on them with my own hand,

which would be an occupation, and the helpless ones might also find

grace. What better occupation could there be than this? On Monday,

the 3rd, Shaja`at K. `Arab, and Himmat K., and other servants who

belonged to the Deccan and Gujarat, had the good fortune to kiss

the threshold. The holy men and the possessors of blessing (faqirs,

etc.) who lived at Ahmadabad paid their respects to me. On Tuesday,

the 4th, the bank of the river at Mahmudabad became the alighting

place. Rustam K., whom my son, Shah-Jahan, had left in the Government

of Gujarat, was honoured by paying his respects. The entertainment of

Thursday, the 6th, was held on the bank of the Kankriya tank. Nahir

K., according to order, came from the Deccan and raised the head of

honour with the good fortune of prostrating himself before me.

A diamond ring was presented to my son, Shah-Jahan, as part of the

offering of Qutbu-l-mulk. It was of the value of 1,000 muhars, and on

it there appeared three letters of equal size and of good form, such

that they made the word Lillahi (for God). This diamond had been sent,

as it was reckoned one of the marvels of the world. In fact, veins and

scratches are flaws in precious stones, but it was generally thought

that the marks on this one were fabricated. Moreover, the diamond

did not come from any celebrated mine. As my son, Shah-Jahan, wished

that it should be sent to my brother, Shah `Abbas, as a souvenir of

the conquest of the Deccan it was sent to the Shah along with other

gifts. [17]

On this day I presented Brikha Ray bad-farush (panegyrist) with

Rs. 1,000. He is a Gujarati by origin, and is fully versed in the

chronicles and circumstances of that country. His name was Bunta--that

is, a sapling (nihal). It seemed to me that it was anomalous to call

an old man Bunta, especially now that he had become verdant (sar-sabz)

and fruit-bearing through the irrigation (sahab, literally, cloud, or

mirage) of our kindness. I therefore ordered that henceforth he should

be called Brikha Ray. Brikha means "tree" in Hindi. On Friday, the

7th of the aforesaid month, corresponding with the 1st Jumada-l-awwal,

at a chosen propitious hour, I entered the city of Ahmadabad with all

enjoyment. At the time of mounting, my son of prosperous fortune,

Shah-Jahan, had brought 20,000 charan, or Rs. 5,000, for the nisar

(scattering), and I scattered them as I hastened to the palace. When I

alighted there he laid before me by way of an offering a jewelled turra

(aigrette) of the value of Rs. 25,000, and those of his officers whom

he had left in this Subah also presented offerings. They altogether

amounted to nearly Rs. 40,000. As it was represented to me that Khwaja

Beg Mirza Safawi had reached the neighbourhood of the forgiveness of

God--i.e., had died--at Ahmadnagar, I promoted to a mansab of 2,000

personal and horse, original and increased, Khanjar K., whom he had

adopted as his son, and, indeed, held dearer than a son of his loins,

and who was in truth, an intelligent, ambitious youth, and a servant

worthy of patronage, and entrusted him with the charge of the fort

of Ahmadnagar.

In these days, in consequence of the great heat and the corruption

of the air, sickness had broken out among the people, and of those

in the city and the camp there were few who for two or three days had

not been ill. Inflammatory fever or pains in the limbs attacked them,

and in the course of two or three days they became exceedingly ill--so

much so that even after recovery they remained for a long time weak

and languid. They mostly at last recovered, so that but few were in

danger of their lives. I heard from old men who resided in this country

that thirty years before this the same kind of fever prevailed, and

passed away happily. Anyhow, there appeared some deterioration in the

climate of Gujarat, and I much regretted having come here. I trust

that the great and glorious God, in His mercy and grace, will lift

up this burden, which is a source of uneasiness to my mind, from off

the people. On Mubarak-shamba (Thursday), the 13th, Badi`u-z-zaman,

s. Mirza Shahrukh, was promoted to the mansab of 1,500 personal

and horse, and presented with a standard, and appointed faujdar of

Sarkar Patan. Sayyid Nizam, faujdar of Sarkar Lucknow, was raised to

the mansab of 1,000 personal and 700 horse. The mansab of `Ali Quli

Darman, who was attached to the province of Qandahar, at the request

of Bahadur K., the governor thereof, was ordered to be 1,000 personal

and 700 horse. Sayyid Hizbar K. Barha was dignified with the mansab

of 1,000 personal and 400 horse. I promoted Zabardast K. to the rank

of 800 personal and 350 horse. On this day Qasim Khwaja of Dihbid [18]

had sent from Ma-wara'a-n-nahr (Transoxiana) by the hand of one of his

tribesmen by way of supplication five tuyghun (white) falcons. One died

on the road, and four arrived at Ujjain in safety. I ordered them to

hand over the sum of Rs. 5,000 to someone among them, that he might

purchase and take with him whatever things would be agreeable to the

Khwaja, and gave a reward of Rs. 1,000 to himself. At this time Khan

`Alam, who had been sent as ambassador to the ruler of Persia, sent

an ashyani falcon (bird from the nest), which in the Persian language

they call ukna. [19] Outwardly one cannot distinguish between these

and baz dami [20] falcons by any particular mark, but after they

have been flown the difference is clear. On Thursday, the 20th, Mir

Abu-s-Salih, a relation (? son-in-law) of the deceased Mirza Yusuf

K., came from the Deccan by order, and enjoyed the good fortune of

kissing the threshold. He presented as an offering 100 muhars [21]

and a jewelled plume (kalgi). Mirza Yusuf K. [22] was one of the

Rizawi Sayyids of Mashhad, and his family was always held in great

honour in Khurasan, and just now my brother Shah `Abbas has given

his daughter in marriage to the younger brother of the aforesaid

Abu-s-Salih. His father, Mirza Atagh, [23] was the head of the

attendants of the mausoleum of Riza, the 8th Imam. Mirza Yusuf Khan,

by means of the patronage of H.M. (Akbar), had risen to nobility, and

attained to the mansab of 5,000. Without doubt he was a good Mir, and

held his many servants in good order. A number of relations gathered

round him. He died [24] in the Deccan. Although he left many sons,

who obtained favours in consideration of former services, special

attention was paid to the development of his eldest son. In a short

time I advanced him to the rank of nobility. Certainly there is a

great difference between him and his father.

On Mubarak-shamba (Thursday), the 27th, I presented Hakim

Masihu-z-zaman with 20,000 darbs (8 anna pieces), and to Hakim

Ruhu-llah 100 muhars and Rs. 1,000. As he had thoroughly diagnosed

my constitution, he perceived that the climate of Gujarat was very

inimical to it. He said: "As soon as you moderate your habit of taking

wine and opium, all these troubles of yours will disappear." Indeed,

when I in one day diminished (the quantity I took of) both of them,

there was a great gain on that first day. On Mubarak-shamba (Thursday),

the 3rd Khurdad, Qizilbash K. was promoted to the mansab, original and

increased, of 1,500 personal and 1,200 horse. A report was received

from Gajpat K., superintendent of the elephant stables, and Baluch

K., chief huntsman (Qarawul Beg), that up to this time sixty-nine

elephants, male and female, had been caught. Whatever took place after

this would be reported. I ordered them to beware not to take old or

small elephants; but with this exception they should catch all they

saw, male or female. On Monday, the 14th, [25] the sum of Rs. 2,000

was presented for Shah `Alam's anniversary, to Sayyid Muhammad,

his representative. A special Kachh horse, one of the good horses of

the Jam which had been presented to me, was given to Raja Bir Singh

Deo. I made a present of Rs. 1,000 to Baluch K., the chief huntsman,

who is engaged in capturing elephants. On Tuesday, 15th, I found I had

a severe headache, which at last ended in fever. At night I did not

drink my usual number of cups, and after midnight crop-sickness [26]

was added to my fever, and till morning I rolled about on my couch. On

Wednesday, the 16th, at the end of the day, the fever diminished,

and, after asking the advice of my doctors, I took my usual number of

cups on the third night. Although they urged me to take some broth of

pulse and rice, I could not make up my mind to do so. Since I arrived

at the age of discretion, I never remember having taken bughan [27]

broth, and hope that I may not want it in future. When they brought

food for me this day, I had no inclination for it. In short, for

three days and two nights I remained fasting. Though I had fever for

a day and a night, and my weakness was such that it appeared as if

I had been confined to bed for a long time, I had no appetite left,

and had no inclination towards food.

I [28] am amazed to think what pleasure or goodness the founder of

this city could have seen in a spot so devoid of the favour (of God)

as to build a city on it. After him, others, too, have passed their

lives in precious trouble in this dustbin. Its air is poisonous, and

its soil has little water, and is of sand and dust, as has already [29]

been described. Its water is very bad and unpalatable, and the river,

which is by the side of the city, is always dry except in the rainy

season. Its wells are mostly salt and bitter, and the tanks in the

neighbourhood of the city have become like buttermilk from washermen's

soap. The upper classes who have some property have made reservoirs

in their houses, which they fill with rainwater in the rainy season,

and they drink that water until the next year. The evils of water to

which the air never penetrates, and which has no way for the vapour to

come out by, are evident. Outside the city, in place of green grass

and flowers, all is an open plain full of thorn-brakes (zaqqum), and

as for the breeze that blows off the thorns, its excellence is known:

"[30]O thou, compendium of goodness, by which of thy names shall

I call thee?

I had already called Ahmadabad Gardabad (the abode of dust)."

Now, I do not know whether to call it Samumistan (the place of the

samum or simoom) or Bimaristan (abode of sickness), or Zaqqum-zar

(the thorn-bed), or Jahannamabad (the house of Hell), for it contains

all these varieties. If the rainy season had not prevented me, I would

not have delayed one day in this abode of trouble, but, like Solomon,

would have seated myself on the throne of the wind, and hastened

out, and released the people of God from this pain and trouble. As

the men of this city are exceedingly weak-hearted and wretched, in

order to guard against any of the men from the camp entering their

houses with a view to oppress them, or interfering with the affairs

of the poor and miserable: and lest the Qazi and Mir `Adl (judge)

should, from fear of the face of men (ru-didagi), temporize and not

stop such oppression, I, from the date on which I entered the city,

notwithstanding the heat of the air, every day, after completing the

midday prayer, went and sat in the Jharoka. It was towards the river,

and had no impediment in the shape of gate, or wall, or watch-men

(yasawul), or chobdars (mace-bearers). For the sake of administering

justice, I sat there for two or three sidereal hours and listened

to the cries for redress, and ordered punishments on the oppressors

according to their faults and crimes. Even in the time of weakness I

have gone every day to the jharoka, though in great pain and sorrow,

according to my fixed custom, and have looked on ease of body as

something unlawful [31] (haram) for me.

"For the care of the people of God

At night I make not mine eyes acquainted with sleep;

For the ease of the bodies of all

I approve of pain for my own body."

By the grace of Allah, it has become my habit not to surrender

the nychthemeron, for more than two or three sidereal hours of

the coin of Time, to the plundering of sleep. In this there are two

advantages--one, the knowledge of the kingdom; the other, wakefulness

of heart in calling God to mind. God forbid that this life of a few

days should pass in carelessness. As a heavy sleep is in front, I must

reckon as a gain this time of my wakefulness, which I shall not see

again in sleep, and must not be careless of recollecting God for a

single wink. "Be wakeful, for a wondrous [32] sleep is ahead." On the

same day that I contracted fever, my son Shah-Jahan, who is close to

my heart, also contracted it. His attack lasted a long time, and for

ten days he could not come to pay his respects. He came on Thursday,

the 24th, and waited on me, and appeared very weak and powerless,

so much so that if anyone had not explained the matter, one might

have supposed he had been ill for a month or more. I am grateful

that at last all ended well. On Thursday, the 31st, Mir Jumla, who

had come from Iran--a summary of what had happened to him has been

already written--was honoured with the mansab of 1,500 personal and

200 horse. On this day, in consequence of the weakness I suffered

from, I bestowed as alms on deserving people an elephant, a horse,

and varieties of quadrupeds, with a quantity of gold and silver and

other valuable things. Most of my servants also brought alms according

to their means. I told them that if their object was to parade their

loyalty, their proceeding was not acceptable, and if they were acting

from genuine piety there was no need for bringing their alms into

the Presence; they could secretly and personally distribute them

to the poor and needy. On Mubarak-shamba (Thursday), the 7th Tir,

Divine month, Sadiq K. Bakhshi was promoted to the mansab of 2,000

personal and horse, original and increased; Iradat K., the Mir Saman,

to that of 2,000 and 1,000 horse, Mir Abu Salih Rizawi to the mansab

of 2,000 and 1,000 horse, with the title of Rizawi Khan, and, being

honoured with a standard and an elephant, he took leave for the Deccan.

At this time it was represented to me that the Commander-in-Chief,

the Ataliq Khan-khanan, as a sequel to the celebrated line, "For every

rose one must bear the pain of a hundred thorns," had written an ode,

and that Mirza Rustam Safawi and Mirza Murad, his son, had also tried

their skill. An impromptu opening couplet came into my mind:

"A cup of wine should be poured [33] on the cheek of the rosebud.

There are many clouds, much wine should be poured."

Of those who were present at the entertainment who had the poetic

temperament each composed an ode, and presented it. It became known

that the hemistich was from Maulana `Abdu-r-Rahman Jami. I looked at

the whole of his ode (or odes). Except this hemistich, which like a

proverb has become famous over the world, he has not written anything

epigrammatic. All is very simple and smooth. [34] On this day arrived

the news of the death of Ahmad Beg K., governor of Kashmir. His sons,

who were of the house-born ones of the Court, and on whose foreheads

the signs of intelligence and zeal were manifest, obtained suitable

mansabs, and were sent to do duty in the Suba of Bangash and Kabul. His

mansab was that of 2,500; his eldest son obtained that of 3,000 (?),

[35] and three other sons that of 900 each. On Thursday, the 14th,

Khwaja Baqi K., who was adorned with the high qualities of dignity,

honour, generosity, and valour, under whose rule was one of the thanas

of the country of Berar, was promoted to the mansab of 1,500 and 1,000

horse, original and increased, and the title of Baqi K. Ray Kahnur

(Kunwar?), who was formerly Diwan of Gujarat, was chosen for the

diwanship of Malwa.

At this time the pairing of the saras, which I had never seen before,

and is reported never to have been seen by man, was witnessed

by me. The saras is a creature of the crane genus, but somewhat

larger. [36] On the top of the head it has no feathers, and the

skin is drawn over the bones of the head. From the back of the eye

to six finger-breadths of the neck it is red. They mostly live in

pairs on the plains, but are occasionally seen in flocks. People

bring a pair in from the fields, and keep them in their houses,

and they become familiar with men. In fact, there was a pair of

saras in my establishment to which I had given the names of Laila

and Majnun. One day a eunuch informed me that (the) two had paired

in his presence. I ordered that if they showed an inclination to

pair again they should inform me. At dawn he came and told me that

they were about to pair again. I immediately hastened to look on. The

female having straightened its legs bent down a little: the male then

lifted up one of its feet from the ground and placed it on her back,

and afterwards the second foot, and, immediately seating himself

on her back, paired with her. He then came down, and, stretching

out his neck, put his beak to the ground, and walked once round

the female. It is possible they may have an egg and produce a young

one. Many strange tales of the affection of the saras for its mate

have been heard. The following case has been recorded because it is

very strange. Qiyam K., who is one of the khanazads (houseborn ones)

of this Court, and is well acquainted with the arts of hunting and

scouting, informed me that one day he had gone out to hunt, and found

a saras sitting. When he approached, it got up and went off. From its

manner of walking he perceived signs of weakness and pain. He went to

the place where it had been sitting, and saw some bones and a handful

of feathers on which it had been sitting. He threw a net round it,

and drew himself into a corner, and it tried to go and sit in the

same place. Its foot was caught in the net, and he went forward and

seized it. It appeared extremely light, and when he looked minutely

he saw there were no feathers on its breast and belly: its flesh

and skin had separated, and there were maggots. Moreover, there was

no sign of flesh left on any of its members: a handful of feathers

and bone came into his hand. It was clear that its mate had died,

and that it had sate there from the day it lost its companion.

"My burning heart hath melted my body with separation's pang;

A soul-consuming sigh burnt me, as 'twere a lamp.

The day of my joy became black like the night of grief,

Separation from thee hath made my day like this."

Himmat K., who is one of my best servants, and whose word is worthy

of reliance, told me that in the Dohad [37] pargana he had seen a

pair of saras on the bank of a tank. One of his gunners shot one

of them, and in the same place cut off its head and stripped [38]

it of its feathers (?). By chance we halted two or three days at

that place, and its mate continually walked round it, and uttered

cries and lamentation. "My heart," he said, "ached at its distress,

but there was no remedy for it save regret." By chance, twenty-five

days afterwards, he passed by the same spot, and asked the inhabitants

what had become of that saras. They said it died on the same day,

and there were still remains of feathers and bones on the spot. He

went there himself, and saw it was as they said. There are many tales

of this kind among the people, which it would take too long to tell.

On Saturday, the 16th, there came the news of the death of Rawat

Shankar, who was one of those on duty in Bihar. Man Singh, his

eldest son, was raised to the mansab of 2,000 personal and 600 horse:

his other sons and connections were also raised in mansab, and were

directed to obey him. On Thursday, the 21st, the elephant Bavan, [39]

the pick of my catch, which had been left in the pargana of Dohad to be

tamed, was brought to Court. I ordered him to be kept near the jharoka

on the river side, that he might be constantly under my eye. In the

elephant-stables of H.M. Akbar the largest elephant I saw was Durjan

Sal. It was long the premier elephant. Its height was 4 yards (dara`

[40]), and 3 1/2 quarters of the Ilahi gaz, which is 8 yards and 3

fingers of the ordinary gaz. At present, among the elephants of my

establishment, the largest athlete is `Alam-Gajraj, which H.M. Akbar

himself had caught. It is the chief of my special elephants. Its

height is 4 1/8 yards, or 7 yards and 7 fingers [41] of the ordinary

yard. The ordinary gaz has been fixed at 24 fingers' breadth of an

average-sized man, and the Ilahi gaz is 40 fingers' breadth.

On this day Muzaffar K., who had been promoted to the Subadarship of

Thatta (Sind), had the good fortune to kiss the threshold. He presented

100 muhars and Rs. 100 as nazr, and the equivalent of Rs. 100,000 in

jewels and jewelled things. At this time news came that God Almighty

had bestowed on my son Parwiz a son [42] by the daughter of Shah Murad,

deceased. It is to be hoped that his coming will be of good omen to

this State.

On Sunday, the 24th, Ray Bihari [43] had the good fortune to kiss the

threshold: there is not a greater Zamindar than this in the country of

Gujarat. His country is close to the sea. Bihari and the Jam are from

one stem. They were united ten generations ago. As far as territory and

forces go, the standing of Bihari is greater than that of the Jam. They

say that he never came to see any of the Sultans of Gujarat. Sultan

Mahmud had sent an army against him, but in the fight the army of

Mahmud was defeated. At the time when Khan A`zam went to conquer the

fort of Junagarh in the country of Surat, Nannu, who was called Sultan

Muzaffar, and gave himself out as heir to the kingdom, was passing his

days in a state of misery under the protection of the zamindars. After

this the Jam was defeated in battle with the victorious (Royal) army,

and Nannu took refuge with Ray Bihari. Khan A`zam demanded Nannu from

Ray Bihari, and as he could not oppose the Royal army, he gave him up,

and by this piece of loyalty was saved from the blows of the victorious

army. At the time [44] when Ahmadabad was adorned by the presence of

the retinue of fortune for a short time, he did not come to wait on

me. His country was somewhat distant, and time did not admit of the

appointing of a force (against him). When it happened that I returned

there, my son Shah-Jahan appointed Raja Bikramajit with an army (for

this purpose), and he, seeing his own safety in coming in hastened

to receive the honour of kissing the threshold, giving 200 muhars

and Rs. 2,000 as nazr, and 100 horses. However, there was not one of

his horses that I approved of. His age appeared to me to be more than

eighty [45] years, and he himself said he was ninety. In his senses

and powers there was no appearance of decay. Among his men there was

an old man with white beard, moustaches, and eyebrows. He said that

Ray Bihari remembered him when he (the old man) was a child (infant),

and that he had grown up from childhood in his service.

On this day Abu-l-Hasan, [46] the painter, who has been honoured

with the title of Nadiru-z-zaman, drew the picture of my accession

as the frontispiece to the Jahangir-nama, and brought it to me. As

it was worthy of all praise, he received endless favours. His work

was perfect, and his picture is one of the chefs d'oeuvre of the

age. At the present time he has no rival or equal. If at this day the

masters `Abdu-l-Hayy and Bihzad were alive, they would have done him

justice. His father, Aqa Riza'i, of Herat, [47] at the time when I

was Prince, joined my service. He (Abu-l-Hasan) was a khanazad of my

Court. There is, however, no comparison between his work and that of

his father (i.e., he is far better than his father). One cannot put

them into the same category. My connection was based on my having

reared him. From his earliest years up to the present time I have

always looked after him, till his art has arrived at this rank. Truly

he has become Nadira-i-zaman ("the wonder of the age"). Also, Ustad

Mansur [48] has become such a master in painting that he has the

title of Nadiru-l-`Asr, and in the art of drawing is unique in his

generation. In the time of my father's reign and my own these two

have had no third. As regards myself, my liking for painting and my

practice in judging it have arrived at such a point that when any work

is brought before me, either of deceased artists or of those of the

present day, without the names being told me, I say on the spur of

the moment that it is the work of such and such a man. And if there

be a picture containing many portraits, and each face be the work of

a different master, I can discover which face is the work of each of

them. If any other person has put in the eye and eyebrow of a face,

I can perceive whose work the original face is, and who has painted

the eye and eyebrows.

On the eve of Sunday, the 31st of the month of Tir, heavy rain fell,

and it went on raining with great violence till Tuesday, the 1st

of Amurdad. [49] For sixteen days there were constantly clouds and

(? or) rain. As this is a sandy country, and the buildings in it are

weak, many houses fell, and many lives were lost. I heard from the

inhabitants of the city that they remembered no rain like that of

this year. Although the channel of the Sabarmati [50] appears full

of water, it is in most places fordable, and elephants can always

cross it. If for a day there has been no rain, horses and men can

ford it. The fountain head of this river is in the hill-country

of the Rana. It comes out from the ravine of Kokra(?), [51] and,

having traversed 1 1/2 koss, passes below Mirpur, [52] and in this

place they call it the Wakal (?). After passing 3 koss beyond Mirpur,

they call it the Sabarmati.

On Thursday, the 10th, Ray Bihari was exalted with the favour of a

male and a female elephant, a jewelled dagger, and four rings, of

red ruby and yellow ruby (topaz), sapphire, and emerald. Before this,

the Ataliq Jan-sipar (life-jeoparding), Khan-khanan (`Abdu-r-Rahim),

Commander-in-Chief, by order, had sent a force under the leadership

of his son Amru-llah [53] towards Gondwana, in order to seize the

diamond mine of Barakar [54] (?) that was in the possession of Panju,

a Zamindar of Khandesh. On this day a report came from him that the

aforesaid Zamindar, knowing that opposition to the victorious army

was beyond his power, had made an offering of the mine, and a royal

superintendent had been appointed to manage it. The diamonds of that

place are superior in kind and beauty to all other kinds of diamonds,

and much esteemed by jewellers. They are of good shape, and larger,

and superior. Of the second rank is the mine of Kokhra, [55] which

is on the borders of Bihar; but the diamonds of that place are not

obtained from the mine, but from a river which in the rainy season

comes down in flood from the hills. Before that they dam it up, and

when the flood has passed over the dam and there is little water,

a number of men who are skilled in this art go into the river bed

and bring out the diamonds. It is now three years since this country

came into the possession of the State. The Zamindar of the place is

in confinement. The climate of that land is excessively poisonous,

and strangers cannot live there. The third place is in the province

of the Karnatik (Carnatic), near the frontier of Qutbu-l-mulk. At a

distance of 50 koss [56] there are four mines. Many very fine [57]

diamonds are obtained there.

On Thursday, the 10th, Nahir K. was promoted to the mansab of 1,500

personal and 1,000 horse, and he was presented with an elephant. Maktub

K., superintendent of the Kutub-khana (library), was given the mansab

of 1,500 personal. As I had ordered that on the Shab-i-Barat they

should place lamps round the Kankriya tank, at the end of the day on

Monday, the 14th Sha`ban, I went out to look at them. The buildings

all round the tank they had arranged with lanterns of different

colours and all kinds of artifices that are practicable with lamps,

and fireworks. Although at this season there were continually clouds

and rain, by God's favour from the beginning of the night the air

had become clear, and not a trace of cloud remained, and the lights

shone just as one could wish. My domestic servants were regaled with

the cups of joy. I ordered them to light lamps in the same manner on

the eve of Friday, and a strange thing was that at the close of the

day of Thursday, the 17th, it continually rained (muttasil baridagi),

but at the time of lighting the lamps the rain ceased, and the show

was well seen. On this day I`timadu-d-daula presented an offering of

a qutbi (?) sapphire exceedingly delicate, and an elephant without

tusks with silver housings. As it was handsome-looking and of good

shape, it was put among my private elephants. On the bank of the

Kankriya tank a sanyasi, one of the most austere sects of Hindus,

had made a hut after the dervish manner, and lived as a hermit. As I

was always inclined to associate with dervishes, I hastened without

ceremony to interview him, and for a while enjoyed his society. He

was not wanting in information and reasonableness, and was well

informed according to the rules of his own faith in the doctrines of

Sufism. He had conformed to the ways of people of religious poverty

and mortification, and given up all desires and ambitions. One might

say that a better than he of his class was never seen.

On Monday, the 21st (Amurdad), the saras, the pairing of which

has been related in the preceding pages, collected together some

straw and rubbish in the little garden, and laid first of all one

egg. On the third day (afterwards) it laid a second egg. This pair

of saras were caught when they were a month old, [58] and had been

in my establishment for five years. After five and a half years they

paired, and continued doing so for a month; on the 21st of the month

of Amurdad, which the Hindus call Sawan (Sravan) the hen laid the

eggs. The female used to sit on the eggs the whole night alone, and the

male stood near her on guard. It was so alert that it was impossible

for any living thing to pass near her. Once a large weasel made its

appearance, and he ran at it with the greatest impetuosity, and did

not stop until the weasel got into a hole. When the sun illuminated

the world with his rays, the male went to the female and pecked her

back with his beak. The female then rose, and the male sate in her

place. She returned, and in the same manner made him rise, and seated

herself. In short, the female sits the whole night, and takes care

of the eggs, and by day the male and female sit by turns. When they

rise and sit down they take great precautions that no harm shall come

to the eggs.

During this season, as there was still some of the hunting time left,

Gajpat K., the darogha, and Baluch K., the head huntsman, had been left

to hunt elephants, to catch as many as they possibly could. In the same

manner the huntsmen of my son, Shah-Jahan, had also been employed. On

this day they came and waited on me. Altogether 185 elephants had been

caught, male and female: of these, 73 were males and 112 females. Out

of these, 47 males and 75 females, or 122, the imperial huntsmen and

faujdars had secured, while the huntsmen and elephant-drivers of my

son, Shah-Jahan, had taken 26 males and 37 females, or 63 altogether.

On Thursday, the 24th, I went to see the Bagh-i-Fath, [59] and

spent two days there in enjoyment and pleasure. At the end of the

day on Saturday I returned to the palace. As Asaf K. had represented

that his hawili (house) garden was exceedingly green and pleasant,

and all sorts of flowers and scented plants had bloomed there, at his

request I went to it on Mubarak-shamba (Thursday), the 31st. In truth,

it was a very nice villa, and I was much pleased. His offering of

jewels and jewelled things, and cloth, of the value of Rs. 35,000,

was accepted. Muzaffar K. was favoured with a dress of honour and

an elephant, and, as before, was entrusted with the charge of the

government of Thatta (Sind). My brother Shah `Abbas sent a letter

with some trifling presents by `Abdu-l-Karim of Gilan, who had come

with merchandise from Iran. On this day I presented him with a dress

of honour and an elephant, and gave him leave to return, and sent an

answer to the Shah's letter with a memorandum. Khan `Alam was also

honoured with a gracious farman and a special dress of honour. Friday

was the 1st of the month of Shahriwar. From Sunday, the 3rd, till

the eve of Thursday (the 7th) rain fell. It is strange that on other

days the pair of saras sate on the eggs five or six times in turn,

but during this twenty-four hours, when there was constant rain and

the air was somewhat cold, the male, in order to keep the eggs warm,

sate from early in the morning until midday, and from that time until

the next morning the female sat without an interval, for fear that

in rising and sitting again the cold air should affect them, and the

eggs become wet and be spoilt. Briefly, men are led by the guidance

of Reason, and animals according to the Divine wisdom implanted in

them by Nature. Stranger still is it that at first they keep their

eggs together underneath the breast, and after fourteen or fifteen

days have passed they leave a little space between them, for fear the

heat should become too great from their contact with each other. Many

become addled in consequence of (too great) heat.

On Thursday, the 7th, with great joy and congratulation, the advance

camp was started towards Agra. The astrologers and astronomers had

already fixed the auspicious hour for the march. As excessive rain

fell, the main camp could not cross the river of Mahmudabad (the

Vatrak) and the Mahi at this hour. Out of necessity, the advanced

camp was started at the appointed hour, and the 21st Shahriwar [60]

was fixed for the march of the main camp.

My son Shah-Jahan took upon himself the responsibility of the conquest

of the fort of Kangra, over which the noose of victory had not been

thrown by any of the Sultans of lofty dignity, and an army under the

leadership of Raja Suraj Mal, s. Raja Baso, and Taqi, who was one of

his attached servants, had before this been sent for that purpose. It

was now clear that the conquest could not be achieved by the force

that had been previously appointed. Raja Bikramajit, [61] who was

one of his principal officers, with 2,000 horse who were present of

his private attendants, and a force of Jahangiri servants, such as

Shah-baz K. Lodi, Hardi Narayan Hada, Ray Prithi Chand, and the sons

of Ram Chand, with 200 mounted musketeers and 500 foot-musketeers

(topchi, perhaps cannoniers), in addition to the force that had

previously been sent, were appointed to the duty. As the hour for

departure was fixed on this day, the aforesaid (Bikramajit) presented

as an offering a rosary of emeralds of the value of Rs. 10,000. He

was honoured with the gift of a dress of honour and a sword, and

took his leave for this duty. As he had not a jagir in that Subah,

my son Shah-Jahan asked for him as a jagir the pargana of Barhana (?),

[62] the revenue of which was 2,200,000 of dams, which [63] he himself

(? Shah-Jahan) held in in`am. [64] Khwaja Taqi, the Diwan-i-Buyutat,

who had been appointed to the Diwani of the Deccan, was honoured with

the title of Mu`taqid [65] K., a dress of honour, and an elephant. I

appointed Himmat K. to the faujdarship of the Sarkar of Bharuch

(Broach) and that neighbourhood, with the gift of a horse and a

special parm narm (shawl), and despatched him. The pargana of Bharuch

(Broach) was also bestowed on him as jagir. Ray Prithi Chand, who

had been nominated for service at Kangra, was promoted to the rank

of 700 and 450 horse. As the anniversary of Shaikh Muhammad Ghaus

[66] had arrived, I gave his sons 1,000 darbs (Rs. 500) for its

expense. Muzaffar, s. Bahaduru-l-mulk, who was attached to the Deccan,

was given the mansab of 1,000 personal and 500 horse.

As the events of twelve years of Jahangir-nama have been recorded,

I ordered [67] the clerks of my private library to make one volume

of these twelve years, and to prepare a number of copies so that I

might give them to my special servants, and that they might be sent

to the various cities, so that administrators (arbab-i-daulat) and

the auspicious might adopt them as their code. On Friday, the 8th,

[68] one of the news-writers had written the whole and made a volume,

which he produced to me. As it was the first copy that had been

prepared, I gave it to my son Shah-Jahan, whom I consider to be in

all respects the first of my sons. On the back of it I wrote with my

own hand that I had given it him on a certain day and at a certain

place. I hope that the favour of the receipt of those writings which

are intended for the satisfaction of the creature and for supplication

to the Creator may be a cause of good fortune.

On Tuesday, the 12th, Subhan Quli, huntsman, was brought to

punishment. The details of this are that he is the son of Haji

Jamal Baluch, who was my father's best huntsman, and after his

(the King's) death, he entered the service of Islam K., and went

with him to Bengal. Islam Khan, on account of his (Subhan Quli's)

connection with this Court, showed him proper consideration, and

considering him trustworthy always kept him near him when travelling

or hunting. `Usman, the Afghan, who for many years passed his days

in that Subah in disobedience and stubbornness, and the end of whose

affairs has been recorded in the preceding pages, being much troubled

by Islam Khan, sent someone to this wretch, and made proposals

for his murdering Islam. He undertook the business, and associated

two or three other men with himself. By chance, before the futile

idea of this ungrateful fellow was carried into execution, one of

them came and informed him (Islam K.). Islam K. immediately seized

and imprisoned the scoundrel. After the latter's death he came to

Court. As his brothers and relatives were included among the huntsmen,

he was also ordered to be enrolled among them. At this time the son

(Ikram K.) of Islam K. represented in an enigmatical way that he was

unworthy of service near my person. After explanation it appeared what

the charge was. Notwithstanding this, as his brothers strenuously

represented that there was only suspicion, and Baluch K., the head

huntsman, became security for him, I forbore to put him to death,

and ordered him to do duty with Baluch K. In spite of this grace and

the gift of his life, without cause or motive he fled from the Court,

and went to Agra and that neighbourhood. Baluch K., having become

his security, was ordered to produce him. He sent people to inquire

for him. In one of the villages of Agra, which was not wanting in

sedition, and is called Jahanda, [69] the brother of Baluch Khan, who

had gone to make inquiries, found him, and although he endeavoured

to bring him by persuasion to Court, he would in no way consent,

and the people rose to assist him.

Being without remedy, he (the brother) went to Khwaja Jahan at Agra,

and told him the circumstances. He sent a detachment against that

village to take him by force and bring him. The people of the village,

seeing their own ruin in the mirror of the case, handed him over to

him. This day he came to Court in chains. I gave an order for his

execution. The man of wrath (the executioner) took him to the place of

punishment with all haste. After a while, through the intercession of

one of the courtiers, I gave him his life, and ordered his feet to be

cut off, but according to his destiny (what was written on his head)

before the order arrived he had been punished. Although that doomed

man was deserving of punishment, yet I regretted [70] the circumstance,

and directed that whenever an order was given for anyone's execution,

notwithstanding that the command were imperative, they should wait

till sunset before putting him to death. If up to that time no order

for release arrived, he should without fail be capitally punished.

On Sunday there was a great commotion in the River Mahi, and very large

waves were visible. Although there formerly had been (great) rains,

yet such violence, or even the half of it, had never been known. From

the beginning of the day the flood began to come, and at the end of

the day began to decrease. Old inhabitants of this city represented

that once, during the government of Murtaza K. (Farid Bukhari), a

similar great flood had occurred. But with that exception they did

not remember another such flood.

In these days mention was made of an ode by Mu`izzi, [71] the

panegyrist of Sultan Sanjar, and his Poet-laureate. It is a very

smooth and equable [72] composition. It begins thus:

"O thou whose commands heaven obeys

Ancient Saturn is the slave of thy young Fortune."

Sa`ida, [73] the chief goldsmith, has a poetical temperament and he

imitated this ode, and presented his paraphrase to me. It was very

well composed. The following are some verses from it:

"O thou, of whose threshold the nine spheres are an examplar

Aged Time hath grown young in thy reign

Thy heart is bounteous as the Sun, and like it needs no cause

(for bounty).

All lives are devoted to thy gracious heart

Heaven is but a green [74] orange from the garden of Power

Tossed by thy gardener into the atmosphere,

O God, Thy essence has shone from eternity

The souls of all the saints receive light from Thine,

O king, may the world ever be at thy beck,

May thy Shah-Jahan ever rejoice in thy shade

O Shadow of God, may the world be filled with thy light

May the Light of God ever be thy canopy."

On Mubarak-shamba, the 14th, in reward for this ode, I ordered Sa`ida

to be weighed against money (zar, perhaps gold). At the end of the day

I went to walk about the garden of Rustam-bari, [75] which appeared

to me very green and pleasant. Sitting in a boat in the evening,

I returned to the palace.

On Friday, the 15th, a Mulla of the name of Amiri, an old man, came

from Ma-wara'a-n-nahr (Transoxiana), and had the good fortune to kiss

the threshold. He represented to me that he was one of the ancient

(servants) of `Abdu-llah Khan Uzbeg, and from the days of infancy

[76] and youth was brought up by the Khan until his death. He had

been included among his old servants, and had been a confidential

friend. [77] After the death of the Khan until now he had passed his

days respected in that country. He had left his native country with

a view to visit the blessed house (Mecca), and had come to pay his

respects to me. I made him free to remain or go. He asked to remain in

attendance on me for some days. Rs. 1,000 for expenses and a dress of

honour were given him. He is an old man of very pleasing face, and

full of talk and anecdote. My son Shah-Jahan also gave him Rs. 500

and a robe of honour.

In the middle of the garden of Khurram (Shah-Jahan's) residence

there is a bench and a reservoir. On one side [78] of that bench

there is a Mulsari-tree (Mimusops elengi) against which to lean the

back. As in one side of its trunk there was a hollow to the extent

of three-fourths of a yard, it had an ugly look. I ordered them to

cut a tablet of marble and fix it firmly in that place, so that one

could lean one's back on it and sit there. At this time an impromptu

couplet came to my tongue, and I ordered the stone-cutters to engrave

it on that stone, that it might remain as a memento on the page of

time. This is the couplet:

"The seat of the Shah of the seven worlds (kishwar),

Jahangir, son of Akbar Shahinshah.

On the eve of Tuesday, [79] the 19th, a bazaar was arranged in the

private palace. Up to this time the custom has been for the people

of the bazaar and the artificers of the city in every place to bring

their shops according to order into the courtyard of the palace (royal

abode, whether in camp or elsewhere), and bring jewels and jewelled

things and various kinds of cloth and other goods such as are sold in

the bazaar. It occurred to me that if a bazaar were prepared in the

night-time, and a number of lamps were arranged in front of the shops,

it would look well. Undoubtedly it came off well and was unusual. Going

round all the shops, whatever jewels and jewelled things pleased me

I bought. I gave some present from each shop to Mulla Amiri, and he

received so many things that he was unable to hold them.

On Mubarak-shamba (Thursday) the 21st of the Divine month of Shahriwar,

in the thirteenth year from my accession, corresponding with the

22nd Ramazan (September 2, 1618), in the Hijri year 1027, when two

and a half hours of day had passed, in prosperity and happiness,

the standards of purpose turned towards the capital of Agra. From the

palace as far as the Kankriya tank, the place of alighting, I passed

along in the usual manner, scattering money (nisar-kunan). On the

same day the feast of my solar weighment took place, and according

to solar reckoning the fiftieth year of the age of his suppliant at

the throne of God commenced auspiciously. According to my usual rule I

weighed myself against gold and other valuables. I scattered pearls and

golden roses, and looking at night at the show of lamps passed my time

in the private apartments of the royal abode in enjoyment. On Friday,

the 22nd, I ordered that all the Shaikhs and men of piety who lived in

the city should be brought in order that they might break their fast

[80] in attendance on me. Three nights were passed after this manner,

and every night at the end of the meeting I stood up and recited with

the tongue of ecstasy:

"Thou art the mighty One, O Lord,

Thou art the cherisher of rich and poor;

I'm not a world-conqueror or law-giver,

I'm one of the beggars at this gate.

Help me in what is good and right,

Else what good comes from me to any one?

I'm a master [81] to my servants,

To the Lord I'm a loyal servant."

All the Faqirs who as yet had not waited on me prayed for

allowances. According to their merits I gave to each of them land or

money for expenses, and gratified them.

On the eve of Mubarak-shamba (Thursday) the 21st, the saras hatched

one young one, and on the eve of Monday, the 25th, a second: that

is, one young one was hatched after thirty-four [82] days, and the

other after thirty-six days. One might say that they were one-tenth

[83] larger than the young of a goose, or equal to the young of the

peafowl at the age of a month. Their skin was of a blue colour. On

the first day they ate nothing, and from the second day the mother,

taking small locusts (or grasshoppers) in her mouth, sometimes fed them

like a pigeon, or sometimes like a fowl threw them before them for them

to pick up of themselves. If the locust were small, it went off well,

but if it were large, she sometimes made two or three pieces of it so

that the young ones might eat it with ease. As I had a great liking

for seeing them I ordered them to be brought before me with every

precaution that no harm might happen to them. After I had seen them

I ordered them to be taken back to the same little garden inside the

royal enclosure, and to be preserved with the greatest care, and that

they should be brought to me again whenever they were able to walk.

On this day Hakim Ruhu-llah was exalted with the gift of

Rs. 1,000. Badi`u-z-zaman, s. M. Shahrukh, came from his jagir and

waited on me. On Tuesday, the 26th, marching from the Kankriya tank,

I halted at the village of Kaj. [84] On Wednesday, the 27th, I pitched

my camp on the bank of the river at Mahmudabad called the Izak [85]

(now called Meshva). As the water and air of Ahmadabad were very bad,

Mahmud Bigara, by the advice of his physicians, founded a city on

the bank of the aforesaid river and lived there. After he conquered

Champaner, he made that place his capital, and until the time of Mahmud

the martyred [86] the rulers of Gujarat chiefly lived there. This

Mahmud was the last of the Sultans of Gujarat, and he took up his

residence at Mahmudabad. Undoubtedly the water and air of Mahmudabad

have no resemblance to those of Ahmadabad. By way of testing this I

ordered them to hang up a sheep on the bank of the Kankriya tank after

taking off its skin, and at the same time one at Mahmudabad, that the

difference of the air might be ascertained. It happened that after

seven gharis of day had passed in that place (Ahmadabad) they hung up

the sheep. When three gharis of day remained it became so changed and

putrid that it was difficult to pass near it. They hung up the sheep

at Mahmudabad in the morning, and it was altogether unchanged until

the evening, and began to be putrid when one and a half watches of

night had passed. Briefly, in the neighbourhood of Ahmadabad it became

putrid in eight sidereal hours, and in Mahmudabad in fourteen hours.

On Thursday, the 28th, Rustam K., whom my son of prosperous fortune,

Shah-Jahan, had appointed to the charge and government of Gujarat,

was honoured with the gift of an elephant, a horse, and a special

parm narm (shawl), and given leave to depart, and the Jahangiri

officers who were attached to that Subah were presented with horses

and dresses of honour according to the rank and standing of each. On

Friday, 29th Shahriwar, corresponding with 1st Shawwal, Ray Bihari was

honoured with the bestowal of a dress of honour, a jewelled sword and

a special horse, and took leave to go to his native place. His sons

were also honoured with horses and dresses of honour. On Saturday I

ordered Sayyid Muhammad, grandson [87] (?) of Shah `Alam, to ask for

whatever he desired without concealment, and I took an oath on the

Qoran to this effect. He said that as I had sworn on the Qoran he

would ask for a Qoran that he might always have it by him, and that

the merit of reading it might accrue to His Majesty. Accordingly,

I gave the Mir a Qoran in Yaqut's [88] handwriting. It was a small,

elegant [89] volume, and was the wonder of the age. On the back of

it I wrote with my own hand that I had made this gift on a certain

day and in a certain place to Sayyid Muhammad. The real reason for

this is that the Mir is of an exceedingly good disposition, endowed

with personal nobility and acquired excellencies, of good manners and

approved ways, with a very pleasing face and open forehead. I have

never seen a man of this country of such a pleasing disposition as the

Mir. I told him to translate this Qoran into plain language without

ornament, and that without occupying himself with explanations or

fine language he [90] should translate the Qoran in simple language

(lughat-i-rikhta) word by word into Persian, and should not add one

letter to its exact purport. After he had completed it he should

send it by his son Jalalu-d-din Sayyid to the Court. The Mir's son

is also a young man of external and internal intelligence. The signs

of piety and blessedness are distinct on his forehead. The Mir is

proud of his son, and in truth he is worthy, as he is an excellent

youth. As I had repeatedly shown kindness to the holy men of Gujarat,

according to their merits, I again bestowed on each cash and jewels,

and dismissed them to their homes.

As the climate [91] of this country was not suited to my temperament,

the physicians thought it right that I should decrease somewhat my

usual number of cups. According to their advice I began to decrease

their number, and in the course of a week reduced them by the weight

of one cup. At first it was six cups every evening, each cup being

7 1/2 tola, or altogether 45 tolas. The wine was usually mixed with

water. Now I drank six cups, each of which was 6 tolas and 3 mashas,

[92] altogether 37 1/2 tolas.

Sixteen or seventeen years ago I had vowed with my God at Allahabad

that when I reached fifty I would give up shooting with gun and bullet,

and would injure no living thing with my own hand. Muqarrab K., who

was one of my confidants, knew of my determination. At this date

I have reached the commencement of my fiftieth year, and one day,

in consequence of excessive fever (dud u bukhar) my breath was short

and I was very unwell. While in this condition the compact I had made

with my God came, by Divine inspiration, into my mind, and I resolved

that when my fiftieth year was completed and the period of fulfilling

my vow had arrived, I would, on the day [93] on which I visited my

father's tomb--may the light of God be his testimony--by God's help,

seek the confirmation of my resolve from my father's holy elements,

and renounce the practice (of shooting). As soon as this thought

occurred to me, my illness and trouble disappeared. I revived, and

opened my mouth to praise God, and tasted the joy of thanksgiving

for His mercies. I hope that I shall be sustained.

"How well said Firdusi of pure nature

May mercy rest on that (his) pure tomb.

"Ah! spare yon emmet [94] rich in hoarded grain,

He lives with pleasure, and he dies with pain."

On Thursday, the 4th of the Divine month, Sayyid Kabir and Bakhtar K.,

the Wakils of `Adil K., who had brought his offering to the exalted

Court, obtained leave to return. Sayyid Kabir was honoured with a

dress of honour, a horse, and a jewelled dagger, and Bakhtar K. with

a horse, a dress of honour, and a jewelled urbasi, [95] which the

people of that country (the Deccan?) wear round their necks, and a

present of 6,000 darbs was given to each of them for expenses.

As `Adil K. was constantly asking for a likeness of myself through my

prosperous son Shah-Jahan, I sent him one with a ruby of great value

and a special elephant. A gracious farman was issued that he should

be presented with whatever territory of Nizamu-l-mulk or Qutbu-l-mulk

he might get into his possession, and whenever he should require

any support and assistance, Shah-nawaz K. should prepare an army and

appoint it to assist him. In former days Nizamu-l-mulk was the largest

of the rulers of the Deccan, a superior whom all acknowledged, and

whom they considered as their eldest brother. At this period `Adil

K. did approved service, and was honoured with the exalted title of

"son." I appointed him the head and leader of the whole country of

the Deccan, and wrote this quatrain on the portrait with my own hand:

"O thou towards whom is always (turned) the eye of my kindness

Repose at ease under the shadow of my fortune.

I have sent thee my own portrait,

That thou mayest see me spiritually from my picture."

My son Shah-Jahan sent Hakim Khush-hal, son of Hakim Humam, who was

one of the excellent house-born ones of this Court, and from his

early years had been in my son's service, in company with the Wakils

of `Adil K. to convey to him the good news of the Jahangiri favour

towards him. On the same day Mir Jumla was honoured with the duty of

`Arz-mukarrir. As Kifayat K., the Diwan of Gujarat, at the time when

he was employed in the Diwani of Bengal, in consequence of certain

accidents, had lost property (az saman uftada), a sum of Rs. 15,000

was presented to him.

At this time two copies of the Jahangir-nama that had been prepared

were laid before me. One of these I had some days previously given

to the Madaru-l-mulk (centre of the kingdom), I`timadu-d-daula, and

the other I on this day bestowed on my (adopted) son (farzandi),

Asaf K. On Friday, the 5th, Bahram, son of Jahangir Quli Khan,

came from the province of Bihar, and had the good fortune to pay his

respects. He laid before me some diamonds he had obtained from the mine

of Kokra. Approved service had not been performed in that province by

Jahangir Quli K., and it was also frequently reported that certain of

his brothers and sons-in-law had stretched out the hand of tyranny in

that country, and were oppressing the servants of God (the people),

and that each of them, cutting out a governorship for himself, did not

regard the authority of Jahangir Quli. On this account a farman written

with my own hand was given to Muqarrab K., one of my confidential old

servants, stating that he was appointed Governor of Bihar. I ordered

that immediately on receipt of the farman he should hasten to that

quarter. Some of the diamonds that Ibrahim Fath-jang had sent to

Court after the taking of the mine had been given to the Government

lapidaries to cut. At this time Bahram suddenly came to Agra, and

was going on to the Court (in Gujarat). Khwaja Jahan (the Governor of

Agra) sent along with him some diamonds that were ready. One of them

is of a violet [96] colour, and cannot be outwardly distinguished

from a sapphire. Up to this time I had not seen a diamond of this

colour. It weighed several surkh, [97] and jewellers estimated its

value at Rs. 3,000, and represented that if it had been white (safid)

and had had perfect marks, it would have been worth Rs. 20,000.

This year I had mangoes up to the 6th Mihr (middle of September). In

this country there is abundance of lemons (limun), and they are large

(balida?). A Hindu brought some from a garden called Kaku (or Gangu),

which were very pleasant and large (balida, perhaps ripe). I ordered

them to weigh the largest of them, and it came to 7 tolas.

On Saturday, the 6th, the Dasahra festival took place. First, they

decked out my horses, and paraded them before me. After that they

produced the elephants, decorated in a similar way.

As the Mahi had not become fordable, so that the sublime camp could

cross it, and the climate of Mahmudabad was quite different (i.e.,

it was better) from that of other stages, I remained here for ten

more days. On Monday, the 8th, I marched and encamped at Muda. [98]

I had already sent Khwaja Abu-l-Hasan Bakhshi with an active body

of servants, such as boatmen, and also oars, [99] to make a bridge

over the Mahi, with instructions not to wait till it was fordable,

so that the victorious camp might cross at ease. On Tuesday, the 9th,

there was a halt, and on Kamshamba (Wednesday), the 10th, the camp

was at the village of Aina. [100]

At first the male saras used to hold its young one by its leg upside

down in his beak, and there was a fear that he might be unkind to it

and it might be destroyed. I accordingly ordered them to keep the male

separately, and not allow it near its young ones. I now ordered by way

of experiment that it should be allowed near them, that the real degree

of its unkindness and affection might be ascertained. After allowing

it, he displayed much attachment and kindness, and his affection

was found to be no less than that of the female; I thus knew that

this performance was out of real love. On Thursday, the 11th, there

was a halt, and at the end of the day I went to hunt with cheetahs,

and two black buck, four does, and a chikara were caught. On Sunday,

the 14th, I also went to hunt with cheetahs, and caught fifteen

head of male and female antelopes. I had ordered Rustam and Suhrab

[101] Khan, his son, to go out hunting and shoot as many nilgaw as

they could. The father and son together killed seven head, male and

female. As it was represented to me that there was a tiger in this

neighbourhood, a man-killer that had taken to eating men's flesh, and

the people of God were afflicted by it, I ordered my son Shah-Jahan

to save them from its wickedness. He, as ordered, shot it with his

gun, and brought it to me at night. I ordered them to skin it in my

presence. Although large in appearance, as it was thin, it turned

out less in weight than the large tigers I had myself killed. On

Monday, the 15th, and Tuesday, the 16th, I went to shoot nilgaw, and

on each day shot two blue bulls. On Thursday, the 18th, on the bank

of a tank at which I pitched, a feast of cups was held. Rare lotus

(kanwal) flowers had blossomed on the face of the water. My private

servants enjoyed themselves greatly with cups of wine. Jahangir Quli

had sent twenty elephants from Bihar, and Muruwwat K. eight from

Bengal, and these were brought before me. One of Jahangir Quli's and

two of Muruwwat's were placed in my private stud, and the rest were

divided amongst my followers. Mir K., s. Mirza Abu-l-Qasim Namakin,

who was one of the khanazads of this Court, was promoted to the mansab,

original and increased, of 800 personal and 600 horse. Qiyam K. was

appointed to the duty of chief huntsman, and had given him the rank of

600 personal and 150 horse. `Izzat [102] K., one of the Barha Sayyids,

who was distinguished for bravery and ambition, is attached to the

province of Bangash. At the request of Mahabat K., the Governor of

that Subah, he was promoted to the mansab of 1,500 personal and 800

horse. Kifayat K., Diwan of Gujarat, had an elephant given him, and

was allowed to depart. I conferred a sword on Safi K., Bakhshi of that

Subah. On Friday, the 19th, I went to hunt, and killed a blue bull. I

do not remember a bullet passing through a large male nilgaw. Many have

passed through females. On this day, at a distance of forty-five paces

(qadam), it went through both skins. In the language of hunters a qadam

means two feet (gam [103]) placed one in front of the other. On Sunday,

the 21st, I enjoyed myself with hawking, and ordered Mirza Rustam,

Darab K., Mir Miran, and other servants to go and shoot as many nilgaw

as they could. They killed nineteen head, male and female. Ten head of

antelope were also caught with cheetahs. Ibrahim K., Bakhshi of the

Deccan, was, at the request of the Commander-in-Chief, Khan Khanan,

promoted to the mansab of 1,000 personal and 200 horse. On Monday, the

22nd, a march was made, and on Tuesday, the 23rd, I again marched. The

huntsmen represented that there had been seen in the neighbourhood

a tigress with three cubs. As it was on the road I went myself after

them and shot all four, and then went on to the next stage. I crossed

the Mahi by the bridge that had been made. Though there were no boats

on this river of which a bridge could be made, and the water was very

deep and flowing rapidly, Khwaja Abu-l-Hasan, the chief Bakhshi,

had built with great exertions a very strong bridge two or [104]

three days before. Its length was 140 yards and its breadth 4 yards

(dara`). By way of testing it I ordered the elephant Gun Sundar Khass

which is one of the large and strong elephants, with three females,

to be sent across it. It was so firmly built that its supports did

not shake with the weight of elephants of mountainous form.

From the most honoured lips of my father I heard as follows: "In

early youth I had taken two or three cups (of wine), and had mounted

a full-blooded (mast) elephant. Though I was in my senses, and the

elephant in very good training, and was under my control, I pretended

that I was out of my senses, and that the elephant was refractory and

vicious, and that I was making him charge the people. After that,

I sent for another elephant, and made the two fight. They fought,

and in doing so went to the head of the bridge that had been made

over the Jumna. It happened that the other elephant ran away, and as

there was no other escape, he went towards the bridge. The elephant

I was on pursued him, and although I had him under control, and he

would have halted at the slightest signal, I thought that if I held

him back from the bridge the people would regard those drunken ways

(of mine) as a sham, and would believe that neither was I beside

myself, nor was the elephant violent and headstrong. Such pretences

on the part of kings are disapproved of, and so after imploring the

aid of God--Glory be to Him--I did not restrain my elephant. Both

of them went upon the bridge, and as it was made of boats, whenever

an elephant put his forefeet on the edge of a boat, half of it sank,

and the other half stood up. At each step there came the thought that

the lashings might give way. People on seeing this were overwhelmed

in the sea of perplexity and alarm. As the care and guardianship of

the Great and Glorious God is ever and in all places the protection

of this suppliant, both elephants crossed the bridge in safety." [105]

On Thursday, the 25th, a wine-feast was held on the banks of the

Mahi, and some of my intimate servants who had admittance to such

assemblies had their hearts delighted by brimming cups and ample

favours. Certainly it was an entrancing halting-ground. I stayed here

four days for two reasons--first, because of the beauty of the spot,

and secondly in order that the people might not be confused in crossing

the river.

On Sunday, the 28th, I marched from the bank of the Mahi. On Monday

I marched again. On this day a strange sight was witnessed. The pair

of saras that had had young ones had been brought from Ahmadabad on

Thursday (the 25th). In the Court of the royal enclosure, which had

been placed on the bank of a tank, they were walking about with their

young ones. By chance both the male and female raised a cry, and a

pair of wild saras hearing it, and crying out from the other side of

the tank, came flying towards them. The male with the male, and the

female with the female, engaged in a fight, and although some people

were standing about, the birds paid no heed to them. The eunuchs who

had been told off to protect them hastened to seize them. One clung to

the male and the other to the female. He who had caught the male kept

hold of it after much struggling, but the one who seized the female

could not hold her, and she escaped from his hand. I with my own hand

put rings in his beak and on his legs, and set him free. Both went and

settled in their own place. [106] Whenever the domestic saras raised

a cry they responded. I saw a sight of this kind in wild antelopes

when I had gone to hunt in the pargana of Karnal. About thirty of my

huntsmen and servants were in attendance when a black buck with some

does came in sight, and we let loose the decoy-antelope [107] to fight

him. They butted two or three times, and then the decoy came back. A

second time I wanted to put a noose on its horns and to let it go,

that it might capture (the wild one). Meanwhile the wild antelope, in

the excess of its rage, not looking at the crowd of men, ran without

regard to anything, and butting the tame buck two or three times fought

with it till it fled. The wild antelope thereupon made its escape.

On this day news came of the death of `Inayat K. He was one of my

intimate attendants. As he was addicted to opium, and when he had

the chance, to drinking as well, by degrees he became maddened with

wine. As he was weakly built, he took more than he could digest, and

was attacked by the disease of diarrhoea, and in this weak state he

two or three times fainted. By my order Hakim Rukna applied remedies,

but whatever methods were resorted to gave no profit. At the same

time a strange hunger came over him, and although the doctor exerted

himself in order that he should not eat more than once in twenty-four

hours, he could not restrain himself. He also would throw [108]

himself like a madman on water and fire until he fell into a bad [109]

state of body. At last he became dropsical, and exceedingly low and

weak. Some days before this he had petitioned that he might go to

Agra. I ordered him to come into my presence and obtain leave. They

put him into a palanquin and brought him. He appeared so low and weak

that I was astonished.

"He was skin drawn over bones."

Or rather his bones, too, had dissolved. Though painters have striven

much in drawing an emaciated face, yet I have never seen anything

like this, nor even approaching to it. Good God, can a son of man

come to such a shape and fashion? These two couplets of Ustad [110]

occurred as appropriate:

"If my shadow do not hold my leg

I shall not be able to stand till the Resurrection

Nor, from weakness, does my soul see a refuge

Where it may for a while rest on my lips."

As it was a very extraordinary case I directed painters to take his

portrait. In fact, I found him wonderfully changed. I said to him:

"Beware; in your present state do not for a moment forget God, nor

despair of His mercy! If Death grant you quarter (aman), regard the

reprieve as a time for apologizing and for amendment. If your life has

come to its close, consider every moment passed in remembrance of God

as gain. Trouble not your head about those you are leaving behind. A

slight claim of service is a great thing with us." As they had spoken

to me about his poverty, I gave him Rs. 2,000 for road-expenses,

and let him go. Next day he travelled the road of non-existence.

On Tuesday, the 30th, the bank of the River Manab [111] became the

halting-place for the sublime camp. The New Year's [112] feast of

Thursday was prepared at this place on the 2nd of the Ilahi month

of Aban. Amanu-llah, s. Mahabat K., at his request, was promoted

to the mansab of 1,000 personal and 300 [113] horse, and Girdhar,

s. Ray Sal, to that of 1,000 personal and 800 horse. `Abdu-llah,

son of Khan A`zam, obtained the mansab of 1,000 personal and 300

horse. Dilir K., who was one of the jagirdars of Gujarat, I presented

with a horse and an elephant. Ran-baz K., s. Shah-baz K. Kambu, came

by order from the Deccan, and was promoted to the post of Bakhshi

and Recorder of the army of Bangash, and his mansab was fixed at

800 personal and 400 horse. I marched on Friday, the 3rd. At this

stage [114] Prince Shuja`, the beloved son (liver-corner) of my son

Shah-Jahan, who was being brought up in the chaste lap of Nur-Jahan

Begam, and towards whom I have so much affection that he is dearer

to me than life, was attacked by a specially infantile disease which

they call "ummu-s-sibyan," [115] and for a long time his senses left

him. Although experienced people devised many remedies, they were

unprofitable, and his insensibility (bi-hushi) took away my senses

(hush). As visible remedies were hopeless, by way of humility and

submission I rubbed the head of supplication on the Court of the

gracious Ruler who cherishes his slaves, and begged for the child's

recovery. In this state it occurred to me that as I had made a

vow [116] to my God that after I had passed my fiftieth year, this

suppliant would give up hunting with bullet and gun, and would injure

no creature with his own hand, if for the sake of his safety I were

to give up shooting from the present date, it were possible that his

life would become the means of preserving the lives of many animals,

and God Almighty might give him to me. In fine, with true purpose,

and sincere belief I vowed [117] to God that I would thenceforward

not harm any living thing with my own hand. By the grace of Allah his

illness diminished. At the time when this suppliant was in his mother's

womb, one day I made no movement after the manner that other children

make. The attendants were amazed, and inquiring into the cause stated

the case to my father (Akbar). At that time my father was engaged in

hunting with cheetahs. As that day was a Friday, for the purpose of

my safety he made a vow that during his life he would not hunt with

cheetahs on a Friday. Till the end of his life he remained firm in

this determination, and I also in obedience to him until now have

never hunted with cheetahs on a Friday. Finally, on account of the

weakness of the light of my eye, Shah Shuja`, for three days I halted

at this stage, that God Almighty might give him his natural [118] life.

On Tuesday, the 7th, I marched. One day the son of Hakim [119]

`Ali was praising the milk of a camel. It occurred to me that if

I could continue that for some days, it was possible that it might

do some good, and it might prove agreeable to me. Asaf Khan had a

Persian camel in milk, and I took a little of it. Contrary to the

milk of other camels, which is not devoid of saltness, it appeared

to my taste sweet and delicious, and now for a month past I have been

drinking every day a cup of it, equal in quantity to half a water-cup,

and it is clearly advantageous, for it quenches my thirst. It is

strange that two years ago Asaf K. bought this camel, but at that

time it had not a young one, and had no sign of milk. At this time by

chance milk flowed from its dugs. They gave it every day to drink four

seers of cow's milk with five seers of wheat, one seer of black [120]

sugar, and one seer of fennel (badyan), to make its milk delicious,

sweet, and profitable. Certainly it suited me admirably, and was to my

taste. By way of testing it, I sent for some cow's and buffalo's milk,

and tasted all three. There was no comparison in sweetness and flavour

with the milk of this camel. I ordered them to give the same kind of

food to some other female camels, that it might become clear whether

the purity was in consequence of eating good food, or whether it was

due to the natural sweetness of this (particular) camel's milk. [121]

On Wednesday, the 8th, I marched, and halted on the 9th. The royal

tent was pitched near a large tank. Shah-Jahan presented me with a

boat made after the Kashmir fashion, the sitting-place of which they

had made of silver. At the end of that day I embarked in that boat and

went round the tank. On this day `Abid K., Bakhshi of Bangash, who had

been summoned, came and had the good fortune to kiss the threshold,

and was honoured with the post of Diwan-i-buyutat. Sar-faraz Khan, who

was one of the auxiliaries of Gujarat, received a standard, a private

tipchaq horse, and an elephant, and, overwhelmed with honour, obtained

leave to go. `Izzat [122] Khan, who was one of those attached to the

army of Bangash, was exalted with the gift of a standard. Marching was

ordered on Friday, the 10th. Mir Miran was promoted to the mansab of

2,000 personal and 600 horse. On Saturday, the 11th, the auspicious

equipage alighted in the pargana of Dohad. On the eve of Sunday,

the 12th of the Ilahi month of Aban, in the thirteenth year from

my accession, corresponding with the fifteenth Zi-l-Qa`da of the

Hijri year 1027, in the nineteenth degree of Libra, the Giver of

blessings gave my prosperous son Shah-Jahan a precious son by the

daughter of Asaf K. I hope that his [123] advent may be auspicious

and blessed to this everlasting State. Halting for three days at this

place, on Wednesday, [124] the 15th Aban, the camp was pitched at the

village of Samarna. [125] As it was necessary that the Mubarak-shamba

entertainment should as far as possible be arranged for on the bank

of a river and a clean place, and there was in this neighbourhood no

spot which met those requirements, there was no help for it but to

order a start when half of the night of Thursday (i.e., Wednesday),

the 16th, had passed, and when the sun rose the camp was pitched on

the bank of the tank of Bakhur. At the end of the day, the feast of

cups was held and I presented cups to some of my private servants. On

Friday, the 17th, I ordered a march. Kesho Das Maru is a jagirdar

in that neighbourhood. According to orders, he came from the Deccan,

and was honoured by doing homage.

On Saturday, the 18th (Aban), the camp was at Ramgarh. For some

nights before this there appeared, at three gharis before sunrise,

in the atmosphere, a (luminous) vapour in the shape of a pillar. [126]

At each succeeding night it rose a ghari earlier. When it assumed its

full form, it took the shape of a spear (harba), thin at the two ends,

and thick in the middle. It was curved like a sickle, and had its

back to the south, and its face to the north. It now showed itself a

watch (pahar) before sunrise. Astronomers took its shape and size by

the astrolabe, and ascertained that with differences of appearance

(?) it extended over twenty-four degrees. It moved in high heaven,

but it had a movement of its own, differing from that of high heaven,

for it was first in Scorpio and afterwards in Libra. Its declination

(harakat-i-`arz?) was mainly southerly. Astrologers call such a

phenomenon a spear (harba) in their books, and have written that

its appearance portends weakness to the kings of Arabia, and points

to their enemies prevailing over them. God knows! Sixteen nights

after this phenomenon, a star showed itself in the same quarter. Its

head was luminous, and its tail was two or three yards long, but the

tail was not luminous. It has now appeared for eight nights; when it

disappears, the fact will be noticed, as well as the results of it.

I halted on Sunday, the 19th, and on Monday I alighted at the village

of Sitalkhera. [127] On Tuesday, the 21st, there was again a halt. I

presented Rashid K., the Afghan, with a robe of honour and an elephant,

sending them to him by Ran-baz K. On Wednesday, the 22nd, the camp

rested in pargana Madanpur. [128] On Thursday, the 23rd, I halted and

had a feast of cups, and Darab K. had a nadiri dress of honour given

to him. Halting on Friday, on Saturday the camp was pitched in the

pargana of Nawari. [129] On Sunday, the 26th, I pitched on the bank

of the River Chambal, and on Monday on the bank of the River Kahnar

[130] (?). On Tuesday, the 28th, the royal standards were raised

in the neighbourhood of the city of Ujain. From Ahmadabad to Ujain

is a distance of ninety-eight kos. It was traversed in twenty-eight

marches and forty-one halts--that is, in two months and nine days. On

Wednesday, the 29th, I had an interview with Jadrup, who is one

of the austere ones of the Hindu religion, and the particulars of

whose circumstances have been described in the preceding pages, and

went with him to see Kaliyadaha. Certainly association with him is

a great privilege.

On this day it was made known to me in the contents of a report

from Bahadur K., the Governor of Qandahar, that in the Hijri year

1026--that is, last year--the number of mice in Qandahar and the

neighbourhood was so great that they destroyed all the crops and

grain and cultivation and the fruits of the trees of the province,

so that there had been no produce. They (the mice) cut off the ears of

corn and ate them. When the cultivators gathered their crops, before

they were threshed and cleaned, another [131] half was destroyed,

so that perhaps one-fourth of the crops only came to hand. In the

same way no vestige was left of the melons (melon-beds) or garden

produce. After some time the mice disappeared.

As my son Shah-Jahan had not made a birthday entertainment for his

son (Aurangzib), he petitioned at Ujain, which is the place of his

jagir, that the Thursday entertainment of the 30th should be held

at his abode. Of necessity, having consented to the carrying out of

his wish, the day was passed in enjoyment at his quarters. My private

servants who have the entrée into this kind of parties and assemblies

were delighted with brimming cups. My son Shah-Jahan brought that

auspicious child before me, and, presenting as offerings a tray of

jewels, and jewelled ornaments, and fifty elephants, thirty male and

twenty female, asked me for a name for him. Please God it will be

given him in a favourable hour. Of his elephants seven were included

in my private stud; the rest were distributed among the faujdars. The

value of the offerings that were accepted will be Rs. 200,000.

On this day `Azudu-d-daula (Jamalu-d-din Husain Anju) came from

his jagir, and had the good fortune to kiss the threshold. He gave

eighty-one muhars as nazr, and an elephant as an offering. Qasim K.,

whom I had dismissed from the government of Bengal, had been sent for,

and having had the good fortune to do homage, presented 1,000 muhars as

nazr. On Friday, the 1st of Azar, I amused myself with hawking. As the

retinue passed along, a field of millet (jwar) was met with. Though

generally a stem has only one head, each of them had twelve. I was

astonished, and at this time the tale of "The King and the Gardener"

occurred to me.