On Monday, the 15th, I rode to see the summer quarters of Tūsī-marg[98] (?). Arriving in two matches at the foot of the kotal, on Wednesday, the 17th, I reached the top of the pass. For a distance of 2 koss very elevated ground was crossed with difficulty. From the top of the kotal to the Īlāq (summer quarters) was another koss of high and low land. Although here and there flowers of various colours had bloomed, yet I did not see so many as they had represented to me, and as I had expected. I heard that in this neighbourhood there was a very beautiful valley, and on Thursday, the 18th, I went to see it. Undoubtedly, whatever praise they might use in speaking of that flowery land would be permissible. As far as the eye reached flowers of all colours were blooming. There were picked fifty kinds of flowers in my presence. Probably there were others that I did not see. At the end of the day I turned my reins in order to return. That night an account was given in my presence of the siege of Ahmadnagar. K͟hān-Jahān told a strange tale, which I had also heard before, and it is written on account of its strangeness. At the time when my brother Dāniyāl was besieging the fort of Ahmadnagar, one day the garrison laid the gun Malik-maidān[99] (king of the plain) against the Prince’s camp, and fired it. The ball reached nearly to the Prince’s tent; from that place it bounded (ricocheted), and went to the lodging of Qāẓī Bāyazīd, who was one of the Prince’s companions, and fell there. They had tied up the Qāẓī’s horse at a distance of 3 or 4 gaz. As the ball touched the ground, the horse’s tongue[100] was torn out by the root and fell on the ground. The ball was of stone, weighing 10 maunds as current in Hindustan, or 80 Khurasar maunds. The said gun is so large that a man can sit comfortably in it.
On this day I promoted Abū-l-Ḥasan, the chief Bakshi, to the mansab of 5,000 personal and 2,000 horse, Mubāriz K. to that of 2,000 personal and 1,700 horse. Bīzan (or Bīzhan) s. Nād ʿAlī, to that of 1,000 personal and 500 horse, and Amānat K. to that of 2,000 personal and 400 horse. On Thursday, the 25th, I gave Nawāzis͟h K., s. Saʿīd K., the mansab of 3,000 personal and 2,000 horse, Himmat K. that of 2,000 personal and 1,500 horse, and Sayyid Yaʿqūb K., s. Sayyid Kamāl Buk͟hārī, that of 800 personal and 500 horse. Mīr ʿAlī ʿAskar,[101] s. Mīr ʿAlī Akbar Mūsawī, was dignified with the title of Mūsawī K. As I had repeatedly heard praise of the Īlāq of Kūrī-marg,[102] I felt much disposed to visit it at this time, and on Tuesday, the 7th Amurdād, rode in that direction. How shall I write its praise? As far as the eye could reach flowers of various hue were blooming, and in the midst of the flowers and verdure beautiful streams of water were flowing: one might say it was a page that the painter of destiny had drawn with the pencil of creation. The buds of hearts break into flower from beholding it. Undoubtedly there is no comparison between this and other Īlāqs, and it may be said to be the place most worth seeing in Kashmir.
In Hindustan (i.e., Upper India) there is a bird called Papīhā,[103] of a sweet voice, which in the rainy season utters soul-piercing (jān-sūz, lit. soul-burning) laments. As the koyal lays its egg in the nest of the crow, and the latter brings up its young, so I have seen in Kashmir that the papīhā lays its egg in the nest of the g͟haug͟hāʾī[104] (ring-dove?) and the g͟haug͟hāʾī brings up its young.
On Thursday, the 17th, Fidāʾī K. was promoted to the mansab of 1,500 personal and 700 horse. On this day the ambassador of ʿIzzat[105] K., ruler of Ūrganj, by name Muḥammad Zāhid, came to the Court, and presented a petition, accompanied with some trifling presents, and recalled the existence of hereditary relations (lit., shook the chain of hereditary connection). I distinguished him with the eye of kindness, and on the spur of the moment gave the ambassador 10,000 darbs (Rs. 5,000) as a present, and ordered the officials of the buyūtāt (household) to prepare and send (by him) such things as he might ask for.
At this time a strange act of grace occurred to my son[106] K͟hān-Jahān (Lodī). He had become very ill from the madness of wine, and from the overpowering of this man-destroying intoxication things had come to such a pass that it threatened his precious life. Suddenly he reformed, and God directed him, and he made a vow that thereafter he would not defile the fringe of his lip with wine. Although I warned him that it was not good to give it up all at once, and that he should leave it off gradually, he would not consent, but gave it up manfully.
On the 25th of Amurdād Bahādur K., Governor of Qandahar, was promoted to the mansab of 5,000 personal and 4,000 horse, and on the 2nd of the Divine month of S͟hahrīwar, Mān Singh, s. Rāwat S͟hankar, to that of 1,500 and 800 horse, Mīr Ḥusāmu-d-dīn to that of 1,500 and 500 horse, and Karamu-llah, s. ʿAlī Mardān K.[107] to that of 600 with 300 horse.
As at this time I was much inclined to parti-coloured[108] veined teeth, the great Amirs exerted themselves greatly in looking out for them. Of these, ʿAbdu-l-ʿAzīz K. Naqs͟hbandī sent a servant of the name of ʿAbdu-llah with a letter to K͟hwāja Ḥasan and K͟hwāja ʿAbdu-r-Raḥīm, ss. K͟hwāja Kalān Jūybārī, who are to-day the leading holy men of Transoxiana, containing a request for these things. By chance, K͟hwāja Ḥasan had a perfect tooth, exceedingly delicate, and immediately sent it with the aforesaid (servant) to the Court, which it reached this day. I was greatly pleased, and ordered them to send the value of Rs. 30,000 in choice goods to the K͟hwājas, a service for which Mīr Baraka Buk͟hārī was fixed upon. On Thursday, the 12th S͟hahrīwar, Mīr Mīrān obtained leave to take up the faujdārship of Mewāt, and his mansab, original and increased, was fixed at 2,000 with 1,500 horse. I gave him a special horse, with a dress of honour and a sword.
At this time it was made clear from a report of Sundar[109] that Jauhar Mal, the rebel, had delivered his soul to the lords of hell (had died). It was also reported that a force sent against one of the Zamindars had abandoned the path of caution, and without fortifying the way of entrance and exit, or taking possession of the hill-tops, had entered into the fastnesses of the hills, and had fought without any good result. As the day drew towards its close, they had turned their reins with their object unaccomplished, and in turning back, had made every haste. Many people had been killed, especially those who would not put up with the disgrace of flight. They purchased martyrdom with their lives. Out of them S͟hāh-bāz K. Dalūmānī[110] (?), which is a tribe of Lodī Afghans, sacrificed his life with a band of his servants and tribesmen. In truth he was a good servant, and had intelligence combined with modesty. Another report was that Jamāl Afg͟hān, Rustam, his brother, Sayyid Naṣīb Bārha, and some others had come in wounded. It was also reported that the siege (of Kāngṛa) had become a close one, and the affair was going hard with the besieged. They had sent (literally thrown out) men as mediators, and had asked for quarter. It was hoped that by the blessing of increasing fortune the fort would be subdued.
On Wednesday, the 18th of the same month (S͟hahrīwar), Dilāwar K. Kākar died a natural death. Beyond all the other Amirs of high rank, he combined valour with leadership and knowledge of affairs, and from the time when I was a prince carried away from all the ball of superiority in my service. He acted constantly with the perfection of sincerity and the jewel of doing right, and had thus arrived at the dignity of Amirship. In the end of his life God Almighty bestowed grace upon him, and the conquest of Kis͟htwār, which was an exemplary service, was accomplished by his courage. It is hoped he may be one of the pardoned. His sons and the others that he left behind him I exalted with all kinds of favours and patronage, and enrolled those of his people who were fit for mansabs amongst the servants of the Court. I ordered the rest, to remain as usual with his sons, so that his company might not be split up.
On this day Qūr Yasāwul came with a diamond that Ibrāhīm K. Fatḥ-jang had obtained from the Bengal mine, and waited on me. Wazīr K., dīwān of Bengal, who was an old servant of the Court, died a natural death.