While I was at Kabul, no qamargāh hunt had taken place. As the time for returning to Hindustan had come near, and I was very desirous of hunting red deer, I ordered them to go forward as soon as possible and surround the hill Faraq,[69] which is seven kos from Kabul. On Tuesday, the 4th Jumādā-l-awwal, I went to hunt. Nearly 100 deer had come into the enclosure (qamargah). About a half of these were taken, and a very hot hunt took place. I gave 5,000 rupees in rewards to the ryots who were present at the hunt. On the same day an increase of 500 horse was ordered to the rank of S͟haik͟h ʿAbdu-r-Raḥmān, son of S͟haik͟h Abū-l-faẓl, so as to bring it to 2,000 personal and (2,000) horse. On Thursday, the 6th, I went to the throne-place of the late king Bābar. As I was to leave Kabul on the next day I looked on that day as a feast day, and ordered them to arrange a wine-party on the spot, and fill with wine the little reservoir they had cut in the rock. Cups were given to all the courtiers and servants who were present, and few days have passed in such enjoyment and pleasure. On Friday, the 7th, when a watch of day had passed, leaving the city auspiciously and with pleasure, a halt was made at the julgāh (meadow) of the Safīd-sang. From the S͟hahr-ārā as far as the julgah I scattered to faqirs and poor people darb and charan, that is, half and quarter rupees.[70] On that day, when I mounted my elephant for the purpose of leaving Kabul, the news arrived of the recovery of the Amīru-l-umarā and S͟hāh Beg K͟hān. The news of the good health of these two chief servants of mine I took as an auspicious omen for myself. From the julgah of the Safīd-sang, marching one kos on Tuesday, the 11th, I halted at Bikrām. I left Tās͟h Beg K͟hān at Kabul to take proper care of Kabul and neighbourhood until the coming of S͟hāh Beg K͟hān. On Tuesday, the 18th, I marched two and a half kos from the halting-place of Būtk͟hāk by the road Dūʾāba,[71] and encamped at a spring on the bank of which there are four plane-trees. No one till now had looked to the preparation of this halting-place, and they were ignorant of its condition and suitability. It is in truth a most excellent spot, and one fit to have a building erected in it. At this halting-place another qamargah hunt took place, when about 112 deer, etc., were taken. Twenty-four rang antelope and 50 red antelope and 16 mountain goats were taken. I had never till now seen a rang antelope alive.[72] It is in truth a wonderful animal of a beautiful shape. Although the black buck of Hindustan looks very finely made, the shape and fashion and appearance of this antelope is quite a different thing. They weighed a ram and a rang; the ram came to a maund and 33 seers and the rang to two maunds and 10 seers. The rang, although of this size, ran so that ten or twelve swift dogs were worn out and seized it with a hundred thousand difficulties. The flesh of the sheep of the Barbary goat in flavour does not surpass that of the rang. In the same village kulangs (demoiselle crane) were also caught.
Although K͟husrau had repeatedly done evil actions and deserved a thousand kinds of punishment, my fatherly affection did not permit me to take his life. Although in the laws of government and the ways of empire one should take notice of such disapproved deeds, I averted my eyes from his faults, and kept him in excessive comfort and ease. It became known that he was in the habit of sending men to scoundrels who did not consider consequences, and of inciting them to give trouble and attempt my life, and making them hopeful with promises. A band of these ill-fated ones of little foresight having joined together, desired to attack me in the hunts that took place in Kabul and those parts. As the grace and protection of God Almighty are the guardians and keepers of this sublime dynasty, they did not attain to their end. On the day when the halt was at the Surk͟hāb, one of that band went at the risk of his life to K͟hwāja Waisī, the Dīwān of my son K͟hurram, and revealed that nearly 500 men at K͟husrau’s instigation had conspired with Fatḥu-llah, son of Ḥakīm Abū-l-fatḥ, Nūru-d-dīn, son of G͟hiyās̤u-d-dīn ʿAlī Āṣaf-k͟hān, and S͟harīf, son of Iʿtimādu-d-daulah (Nūr-Jahān’s father), and were awaiting an opportunity to carry out the designs of the enemies and evil-wishers of the king. K͟hwāja Waisī told this to K͟hurram, and he in great perturbation immediately told me. I gave K͟hurram the blessing of felicity, and prepared to get hold of the whole set of those short-sighted ones and punish them with various kinds of punishment. Again, it came to my mind, as I was on the march, and the seizure of these people would create a disturbance and confusion in the camp,[73] to order the leaders of the disturbance and mischief to be apprehended. I handed over Fatḥu-llah in confinement to certain trusty men, and ordered capital punishment for the other two wretches, with three or four of the chief among the black-faced (conspirators). I had dignified Qāsim ʿAlī, who was one of the servants of the late king Akbar, after my accession with the title of Dayānat K͟hān. He always accused Fatḥu-llah of a want of loyalty, and said things about him. One day he said to Fatḥu-llah: “At the time when K͟husrau fled and the king pursued him, you said to me: ‘The Panjab should be given to K͟husrau and this quarrel cut short.’” Fatḥu-llah denied this, and both resorted to oaths and curses (on themselves). Ten or fifteen days had not passed after this altercation when that hypocritical wretch was arrested, and his false oath did its business.
On Saturday, the 22nd Jumādā-l-awwal, the news came of the death of the Ḥakīm Jalālu-d-dīn Muz̤affar Ardistānī, who was of a family of skill and medicine and claimed to be a descendant of Galen. At all events he was an unequalled healer. His experience added to his knowledge.[74] As he was very handsome and well-made in the days of his youth (sāda-rūʾīha)[75] he frequented the assemblies of S͟hāh T̤ahmāsp, and the king recited this hemistich about him:—
“We have a pleasant physician: come, let as all be ill.”
Ḥakīm ʿAlī, who was his contemporary, exceeded him in skill. In short, in medical skill and auspiciousness and rectitude and purity of method and disposition he was perfect. Other physicians of the age could not compare with him. In addition to his medical skill he had many excellencies. He had perfect loyalty towards me. He built at Lahore a house of great pleasantness and purity, and repeatedly asked me to honour it (with my presence). As I was very fond of pleasing him I consented. In short, the aforesaid Ḥakīm, from his connection with me and being my physician, had great skill in the management of affairs and business of the world, so that for some time at Allahabad I made him Diwan of my establishment. On account of his great honesty he was very exacting in important business, and people were vexed at this method of proceeding. For about twenty years he had ulcerated lungs, and by his wisdom preserved in some measure his health. When he was talking he mostly coughed so much that his cheek and eyes became red, and by degrees his colour became blue. I often said to him: “Thou art a learned physician; why dost thou not cure thy own wounds?” He represented that wounds in the lungs were not of such a nature that they could be cured. During his illness one of his confidential servants put poison into some medicine he was in the habit of taking every day and gave it to him. When he perceived this he took remedies for it. He objected very much to be bled, although this was necessary. It happened that he was going to the privy when his cough overcame him and opened the wounds in his lungs. So much blood poured out of his mouth and brain that he became insensible and fell, and made a fearful cry. An āftābachī (ewer-bearer) becoming aware of this, came into the assembly-room, and seeing him smeared with blood cried out: “They have killed the ḥakīm.” After examining him it was seen that there was no sign of wounds on his body, and that it was the same wound in the lungs that had begun to flow. They informed Qilīj K͟hān, who was the Governor of Lahore, and he, having ascertained the true state of the affair, buried him. He left no capable son.
On the 24th, between the garden of Wafā and Nīmlah, a hunt took place, and nearly forty red antelope were killed. A female panther (yūz) fell into our hands in this hunt. The zamindars of that place, Lag͟hmānīs, S͟hālī, and Afghans, came and said that they did not remember nor had they heard from their fathers that a panther had been seen in that region for 120 years. A halt was made on the 2nd Jumādā-l-āk͟hir, at the Wafā Garden, and the assembly for the solar weighing was held. On the same day Arslān Bī, an Ūzbeg who was one of the Sardars and nobles of ʿAbdu-l-Mūmin K͟hān, and was at that time governor of the fort of Kāhmard, having left his fort, had the blessing of waiting on me. As he had come from friendship and sincerity, I exalted him with a special robe of honour. He is a simple Ūzbeg, and is fit to be educated and honoured. On the 4th of the month an order was given that ʿIzzat K͟hān, the governor[76] of Jalālābād, should make the hunting-ground of the Arzina plain into a qamargah (ring-hunting ground). Nearly 300 animals were captured, namely, 35 qūch (rams?), 25 qūs͟hqī (?), 90 arg͟halī (wild sheep), 55 tūg͟hlī (yaks?), 95 antelope (safīda).
As it was the middle of the day when I arrived at the hunting-place and the air was very hot, the (tāzī) Arabian dogs had been exhausted.[77] The time for running dogs is in the morning or at the end of the day. On Saturday, the 12th, the halt was at Akūra Saray (?). At this stage S͟hāh Beg K͟hān,[78] with a good force, came and waited on me. He was one who had been brought up by my father, the late king Akbar. In himself he is a very brave man and energetic, so much so that constantly in the time of my father he fought several single combats, and in my own reign defended the fort of Qandahar from the hosts of the ruler of Iran. It was besieged for a year before the royal army arrived to his assistance. His manners towards his soldiers are those of an Amīr (nobleman, umarāyāna), and not according to discipline (qudrat), especially towards those who have helped him in battles or are with him in campaigns. He jokes much with his servants, and this gives him an undignified appearance.[79] I have repeatedly warned him about this, but as it is in his nature my remonstrances have had no effect.
On Monday, the 14th, I promoted Hās͟him K͟hān, who is one of the household, born ones of our dynasty, to the rank of 3,000 with 2,000 horse, and I made him governor of the province of Orissa. On the same day news came that Badīʿu-z-zamān, son of Mīrzā S͟hāhruk͟h, who was in the province of Malwa, through folly and youth had started with a body of rebels to go to the province of the Rānā and join him. ʿAbdu-llah K͟hān, the governor of that place, being informed of this event went after him, and having made him prisoner on the way, slew several of the wretches who had joined with him. An order was given that Ihtimām K͟hān should start from Agra and bring the Mīrzā to the court. On the 25th of the aforesaid month news came that Imām Qulī K͟hān, nephew of Walī K͟hān, ruler of Māwarāʾa-n-nahr, had killed him who was called Mīrzā Ḥusain, who had been reported to be the son of Mīrzā S͟hāhruk͟h. In truth, the killing of the sons of Mīrzā S͟hāhruk͟h is like the killing of the demons, as they say that from every drop of their blood demons are produced. In the station of Dhaka, S͟hīr K͟hān, the Afghan, whom when I left I had placed at Peshawar to guard the Khaibar Pass, came and waited on me. He had made no default in preserving and guarding the road. Z̤afar K͟hān, son of Zain K͟hān Koka, had been appointed to move on the Dalāzāk Afghans and the tribe of Khatur, who had perpetrated all kinds of misdeeds in the neighbourhood of Attock and the Beas and that vicinity. After performing that service and the conquest of those rebels, who numbered about 100,000 houses, and sending them off towards Lahore, he came and waited upon me at the same halting-place, and it was evident that he had performed that service as it ought to have been done. As the month of Rajab, corresponding with the Ilāhī month of Ābān, had arrived,[80] and it was known that this was one of the months fixed for the lunar weighing (wazn-i-qamarī) of my father, I determined that the value of all the articles which he used to order for his own weighing in the solar and lunar years should be estimated, and that what this came to should be sent to the large cities for the repose of the soul of that enlightened one, and be divided amongst the necessitous and the faqirs. The total came to 100,000 rupees, equal to 300 Irāq tumāns, and 300,000 of the currency of the people of Māwarāʾa-n-nahr.
Trustworthy men divided that sum among the twelve chief cities, such as Agra, Delhi, Lahore, Gujarat (Ahmadabad), etc. On Thursday, the 3rd Rajab, I favoured with the title of K͟hān-jahān my son (farzand) Ṣalābat K͟hān, who is not less to me than my own sons, and ordered that they should in all firmans and orders write of him as K͟hān-jahān. A special robe of honour and a jewelled sword were also given him. Also, having entitled S͟hāh Beg K͟hān K͟hān-daurān, I presented him with a jewelled waist-dagger, a male elephant, and a special horse. The whole of the sarkars of Tīrah, Kabul, Bangash, and the province of Sawād (Swat) Bajaur, with the (task of) beating back the Afghans of those regions, and a jagir and the faujdārship were confirmed to him. He took leave from Bābā Ḥasan Abdāl. I also ordered Rām Dās Kachhwāha to receive a jagir in this province and to be enrolled among the auxiliaries of this Subah. I conferred on Kis͟han Chand, son of the Mota (fat) Rāja, the rank of 1,000 personal and 500 horse. A firman was written to Murtaẓā K͟hān (Sayyid Farīd), governor of Gujarat, that as the good conduct and excellence and abstemiousness of the son of Miyān Wajīhu-d-dīn[81] had been reported to me, he should hand over to him from me a sum of money, and that he should write and send me some of the names of God which had been tested. If the grace of God should be with me I would continually repeat[82] them. Before this I had given leave to Zafar K͟hān to go to Bābā Ḥasan Abdāl to collect together game for sport. He had made a s͟hāk͟hband (literally a tying together of horns or branches). Twenty-seven red deer and 68 white ones came into the s͟hāk͟hband. I myself struck with arrows 29 antelope, and Parwīz and K͟hurram also killed some others with arrows. Afterwards orders were given to the servants and courtiers to shoot. K͟hān Jahān was the best shot, and in every case of his striking an antelope the arrow penetrated through and through.[83] Again, on the 14th of the month of Rajab, Zafar K͟hān had arranged a qamargah at Rāwalpindī. I struck with an arrow a red deer at a long distance, and was highly delighted at the arrow striking him and his falling down. Thirty-four red deer and 35 qarā-qūyrūg͟h (black-tailed) antelope, which in the Hindi language they call chikāra, and two pigs were also killed. On the 21st another qamargah had been arranged within three kos of the fort of Rohtas by the efforts and exertions of Hilāl K͟hān. I had taken with me to this hunt those who were screened by the curtains of honour (the members of the zanānah). The hunt was a good one and came off with great éclat. Two hundred red and white antelope were killed. Passing on from Rohtas, the hills of which contain these antelope, there are in no place in the whole of Hindustan, with the exception of Girjhāk and Nandanah, red deer of this description. I ordered them to catch and keep some of them alive, in order that possibly some of them might reach Hindustan for breeding purposes. On the 25th another hunt took place in the neighbourhood of Rohtas. In this hunt also my sisters and the other ladies were with me, and nearly 100 red deer were killed. It was told me that S͟hams K͟hān, uncle of Jalāl K͟hān[84] Gakkhar who was in that neighbourhood, notwithstanding his great age took much delight in hunting, such that young men had not so much enjoyment in it. When I heard that he was well-disposed towards faqirs and dervishes I went to his house, and his disposition and manners pleased me. I bestowed on him 2,000 rupees, and the same sum on his wives and children, with five other villages with large receipts by way of livelihood for them, that they might pass their days in comfort and contentment. On the 6th S͟haʿban, at the halting-place of Chandālah, the Amīru-l-umarā came and waited on me. I was greatly pleased at obtaining his society again, for all the physicians, Hindu and Musulman, had made up their minds that he would die. Almighty God in His grace and mercy granted him the honour of recovery, in order that it might be known to such as do not recognize His will that for every difficult ill, which those who look on the outside of causes only may have given up as hopeless, there is One who is powerful to provide a cure and remedy out of His own kindness and compassion. On the same day Rāy Rāy Singh,[85] one of the most considerable of the Rajput Amirs, ashamed on account of the fault he had committed in the matter of K͟husrau, and who was living at his home, came, and under the patronage of the Amīru-l-umarā obtained the good fortune of waiting on me; his offences were pardoned. At the time that I left Agra in pursuit of K͟husrau I had in full confidence left him in charge of Agra, so that when the ladies (maḥalhā)[86] should be sent for he might come with them. After the ladies were sent for he went for two or three stages with them, and in the village of Mathura, on merely hearing foolish tales, separated from them, and went to his native place (Bikanir). He thought that as a commotion had arisen he would see where the right road was. The merciful God, who cherishes His servants, in a short time having arranged that affair broke the rope of the alliance of those rebels, and this betrayal of his salt remained a burden on his neck. In order to please the Amīru-l-umarā I ordered the rank which he formerly held to be confirmed to him, and his jagir to remain as it was. I promoted Sulaimān Beg, who was one of my attendants from the time when I was prince, to the title of Fidāʾī K͟hān. On Monday, the 12th, a halt was made at the garden of Dil-āmīz, which is on the bank of the river Ravi. I waited on my mother in this garden. Mīrzā G͟hāzī, who had done approved service in command of the army at Qandahar, waited on me, and I bestowed great favour on him.
On Tuesday, the 13th, I auspiciously entered Lahore. The next day Mīr K͟halīlu-llah, son of G͟hiyās̤u-d-dīn Muḥammad, Mīrmīrān, who was of the descendants of S͟hāh Niʿmatu-llah Walī, paid his respects.[87] In the reign of S͟hāh T̤ahmāsp there was no family of such greatness in the whole country, for the sister of the Shah, by name Jānish Begam, was in the house of (married to) Mīr Niʿmatu-llah, the father of the Mīrmīrān. A daughter who was born to them, the Shah gave in marriage to his own son Ismaʿīl Mīrzā, and making the sons of that Mīrmīrān sons-in-law, gave his younger daughter to his eldest son, who had the same name as his grandfather, and connected (in marriage) the daughter of Ismaʿīl Mīrzā, who was born of the niece of the Shah, to another son, Mīr K͟halīlu-llah. After the death of the Shah, by degrees the family went to decay, until in the reign of S͟hāh ʿAbbās they became all at once extirpated, and they lost the property and effects that they had and could no longer remain in their own place. Mīr K͟halīlu-llah came to wait upon me. As he had undergone trouble on the road, and the signs of sincerity were apparent from his circumstances, having made him a sharer of my unstinted favours I gave him 12,000 rupees in cash, and promoted him to the rank of 1,000 personal and 200 horse, and gave an order for a jagir.