As I had never been along the Rustam-maidān road,[1477] I went with a few men to see it. Rustam-plain (maidān) lies amongst mountains and towards their head is not a very charming place. The dale spreads rather broad between its two ranges. To the south, on the skirt of the rising-ground is a smallish spring, having very large poplars near it. There are many trees also, but not so large, at the source on the way out of Rustam-maidān for Gīrdīz. This is a narrower dale, but still there is a plot of green meadow below the smaller trees mentioned, and the little dale is charming. From the summit of the range, looking south, the Karmāsh and Bangash mountains are seen at one’s feet; and beyond the Karmāsh show pile upon pile of the rain-clouds of Hindūstān. Towards those other lands where no rain falls, notFol. 240. a cloud is seen.
We reached Hūnī at the Mid-day Prayer and there dismounted.
(July 30th) Dismounting next day at Muḥammad Āghā’s village,[1478] we perpetrated (irtqāb) a ma’jūn. There we had a drug thrown into water for the fish; a few were taken.[1479]
(July 31st) On Sunday the 3rd of Sha‘bān, we reached Kābul.
(August 2nd) On Tuesday the 5th of the month, Darwīsh-i-muḥammad Faẓlī and Khusrau’s servants were summoned and, after enquiry made into what short-comings of theirs there may have been when Ḥusain was overcome, they were deprived of place and rank. At the Mid-day Prayer there was a wine-party under a plane-tree, at which an honorary dress was given to Bābā Qashqa Mughūl.
(August 5th) On Friday the 8th Kīpa returned from the presence of Mīrzā Khān.
(aa. Excursion to the Koh-dāman.)
(August 11th) On Thursday at the Other Prayer, I mounted for an excursion to the Koh-dāman, Bārān and Khwāja Sih-yārān.[1480] At the Bed-time Prayer, we dismounted at Māmā Khātūn.[1481]
(August 12th) Next day we dismounted at Istālīf; a confection was eaten on that day.