"To thee I've sent the scent of myself.
That I may bring thee the more quickly to myself."
On Thursday, the 3rd (Bahman), at the garden of Kalanaur, Khan `Alam
was honoured by kissing the threshold. By way of nazar he brought 100
muhars and Rs. 1,000, and (stated that he) would present his offerings
in due course. Zambil Beg, the ambassador of my brother Shah `Abbas,
was following him with the royal letter and the rarities of that
country (Persia), which he had sent as presents. Of the favours and
kindness conferred by my brother on Khan `Alam, if I were to write of
them in detail, I should be accused of exaggeration. In conversation
he always gave him the title of Khan `Alam, and never had him out
of his presence. If he ever voluntarily stayed in his own quarter,
he (`Abbas) would go there without ceremony, and show him more and
more favour. One day there was a qamurgha hunt at Farrukhabad, and he
ordered Khan `Alam to shoot with a bow. Out of good manners he brought
a bow with two arrows (only). The Shah gave him 50 other arrows from
his own quiver. It happened that 50 of these arrows struck the game,
and two arrows missed. Then he ordered some of his attendants who had
the entrée at feasts and assemblies to shoot with arrows. Most shot
well. Among them Muhammad Yusuf (qarawul), shot an arrow which went
through two boars, and those who were standing by broke out without
control into applause. At the time Khan `Alam took his leave, he seized
him in the embrace of honour, and showed him great affection. After
he had left the city, he went to his halting-place, and made many
apologies and bade him farewell. As for the beautiful and costly
things that the Khan `Alam brought, it was indeed the assistance of
his destiny that gave such rare things into his hand. Among them was
the picture of the fight of Sahib Qiran (Timur) with Tuqtamish K.,
and the likenesses of him and his glorious children and the great
Amirs who had the good fortune to be with him in that fight, and
near each figure was written whose portrait it was. In this picture
there were 240 figures. The painter had written his name as Khalil
Mirza Shahrukhi (in the MS. it is Savaj and not Shahrukhi). The work
was very complete and grand, and resembled greatly the paint-brush of
Ustad Bihzad. If the name of the painter had not been written, the work
would have been believed to be his. As it was executed before Bihzad's
date it is probable that the latter was one of Khalil Mirza's pupils,
and had adopted his style. This precious relic had been obtained from
the illustrious library of Shah Isma`il (the 1st), or had come to my
brother Shah `Abbas from Shah Tahmasp. A person of the name of Sadiqi,
a librarian of his, had stolen it, and sold it to someone. By chance
(the painting) fell into the hands of Khan `Alam at Isfahan. The
Shah heard that he had found such a rare prize, and asked it of him
on the pretence of looking at it. Khan `Alam tried to evade this by
artful stratagems, but when he repeatedly insisted on it, he sent it
to him. The Shah recognized it immediately he saw it. He kept it by
him for a day, but at last, as he knew how great was our liking for
such rarities, he--God be praised--made no request [256] whatever for
it, but told the facts of the case (about its being stolen) to Khan
`Alam, and made the picture over to him.
At the time when I sent Khan `Alam to Persia, I had sent with him a
painter of the name of Bishan Das, who was unequalled in his age for
taking likenesses, to take the portraits of the Shah and the chief
men of his State, and bring them. He had drawn the likenesses of
most of them, and especially had taken that of my brother the Shah
exceedingly well, so that when I showed it to any of his servants,
they said it was exceedingly well drawn.
On the same day Qasim K., with the Bakhshi and Diwan of Lahore, had the
good fortune to do homage. Bishan Das, the painter, was honoured with
the gift of an elephant. Baba Khwaja, who was one of the auxiliaries of
Qandahar, was accorded the mansab of 1,000 personal and 550 horse. On
Tuesday, the 3rd, Madaru-l-mahammi (centre of important affairs)
I`timadu-d-daula made ready his army. Inasmuch as the charge of the
Panjab is entrusted to his agents, and he has also various jagirs
in Hindustan, he held a review of 5,000 horsemen. As the area of
Kashmir is not such that its produce may suffice for the expenses of
the force that is always on service with the servants of the army of
prosperity, and as, in consequence of the report (of the approach)
of the glorious and victorious standards, the price of grains and
vegetables had risen very high, an order was given, for the comfort
of the public, that those servants who were in attendance on the royal
stirrup should arrange their retinues, and only taking with them those
who were indispensable, should send the remainder to their jagirs,
and in the same way should take every precaution to reduce as far
as possible the number of their beasts and followers. On Thursday,
the 10th, my fortunate son, Shah-Jahan returned from Lahore, and
had the good fortune to do homage. Having honoured Jahangir Quli
K. with a dress of honour, a horse and an elephant, I gave him leave
to proceed with his brothers and sons to the Deccan. On this day
Talib Amuli received the title of Maliku-sh-shu`ara (king of poets),
and was clothed in a dress of honour. His origin was from Amul. For
some time he was with I`timadu-d-daula. As the merits of his style
surpassed that of his contemporaries, he was enrolled among the poets
of the throne. The following couplets are by him: