Description of Kashmir.

At this stage I made inquiries about the country and city of Kashmír from men who were acquainted with it, and from them I learned that ** Kashmír is au incomparable country. *** In the midst of that country there is a very large and populous city called Naghaz. The rulers of the country dwell there. The buildings of the city are very large and are all of wood, and they are four or five stories high. They are very strong and will stand for 500 or 700 years. A large river runs through the middle of this city, as large as the Tigris at Baghdád, and the city is built upon both sides of it. The source of this river is within the limits of Kashmír in a large lake, some parasangs in length and breadth, which is called Vír-nák. The inhabitants have cast bridges over the river in nearly thirty places. These are constructed of wood, stone, or boats; seven of the largest are within the city, and the rest in the environs. When this river passes out of the confines of Kashmír, it is named after each city by which it passes; as the river of Dandána, the river of Jamd. The river passes on and joins the Chináb above Multán. The united waters pass below Multán and then join the Ráwí. The river Biyáh comes down through another part and joins them, and the three united rivers fall into the Sind or Indus in the neighbourhood of Uch. All these (united) rivers are called the Sind or the Panjáb, and this river falls into the Persian Gulf near Thatta. *

On the 29th Jumáda-l ákhir, I started from Jabhán and marched five kos and encamped on the banks of the Dandána. There I ordered a number of boats to be collected and a bridge to be formed. I ordered Amír Sháh Malik and Jalálu-l Islam to take their post at the head of the bridge and carefully superintend the passage of the army. When all the soldiers and baggage had crossed in safety, I also passed over and encamped. Next day, the 1st Rajab, I placed the heavy baggage in charge of certain amirs, who were to follow in the rear. Then I started for the seat of my empire, intending to travel rapidly. That day

I accomplished twenty kos, and rested at the village of Sambast, in the Júd mountains. On the 2nd I again started, and travelling one and a half watch of the day, I reached the vicinity of the fort of Barúja, where I halted for an hour, and after saying noonday prayers, I again started, and entering the Chol-i Jalálí, I continued my course until, at the time of evening prayer, I emerged from the desert, and encamped on the margin of a lake which had been filled by the rains of the rainy season. On the 3rd I again set off, and at breakfast time reached the banks of the Indus. I had sent orders to Pír 'Alí Salandoz, and other amirs who had charge of this territory, to construct a strong bridge of timber and boats over the river. They had executed my orders, and I passed over the bridge immediately. I ordered Amír Alláh-dád to guard the bridge for the transit of the forces and baggage which were coming up. I halted by the river till noonday prayer, which I said in public; then I again started, and travelled ten kos more before halting for the night. On the 3rd I marched again, and, travelling rapidly, I reached the fort of Bánú, and there encamped.

478

XIX.

ZAFAR-NAMA

OF

SHARAFU-D DIN, YAZDI.

"THE Book of Victory" by Mauláná Sharafu-d dín 'Alí Yazdí, who died A.D. 1446. This work, which Mirkhond declares to surpass everything that had up to his time enlightened the world in the department of history, is a very partial biography of Tímúr, written A.D. 1424. It is interspersed with fables, and is well known to the Orientalists of Europe by the accurate French translation of M. Petis de la Croix (Histoire de Timur Bec, Paris, 1722, 4 vols. 12mo.), which is one of Gibbon's chief sources respecting this hero.

The translation of M. Petis de la Croix does not contain the second and third parts of the Zafar-náma, nor does it contain the supplement of the original written by Táju-d dín Salmání, who continued the history to the time of Shah Rukh, A.D. 1410; and as the Zafar-náma does not commence till the twenty-fifth year of Tímúr's age, the translation is by no means to be considered a complete biography, more especially as it is an abridged rather than a full version of the original. The French version was translated into English by J. Darby in 1723. There is also an Italian translation by Bradutti.

[As stated in the foregoing notice of the Malfusát-i Tímúri, the Zafar-náma is based upon that autobiography, and so far as the expedition to India is concerned, it is merely a polished reproduction of that work. This fact may be seen on a comparison of the following Extracts with those which precede this from the Malfúzát-i Timúri. So identical are they that the Extracts

which follow might be dispensed with. But the Zafar-náma enjoys such a high reputation, and has been so largely used and quoted as an authority by writers, both in the East and in Europe, that it cannot be passed over in a comprehensive work like the present.

[The translation has been made by the editor, and he has had the use of four MSS. belonging to the Library of the India Office. In one of these (No. 985), the work has been stripped of much of its florid and redundant ornament-in fact, it has been subjected to a treatment closely resembling that which Petis de la Croix found to be necessary in making his French translation. This abridged MS. does not appear to give any account of the writer by whom it was prepared, but the following extract of a letter to Sir H. Elliot from the late Professor Duncan Forbes in all probability refers to this same work. "Another curiosity (in the British Museum) connected with Tímúr is a very plain and sensible paraphrase of the Zafar-náma, done, by command of Jahángír, by 'Abdu-s Sattár Kásim in the city of Ajmír, a.н. 1024 (1617 A.D.). The doer of the thing says very sensibly in his introduction that Yazdí's book is very flowery and pedantic, written in the 'ibárat-i munshiyána, which we may felicitously translate the Jedediah Cleishbotham style, which he, 'Abdu-s Sattár aforesaid, improves marvellously by leaving out all Arabic and Persian verses that are not to the point, and enriching the narrative from other sources." The editor has, in general followed this MS., but he has constantly referred to the other copies, and has occasionally introduced from them names and passages which seemed worthy of notice.]1

EXTRACTS.

Cause of Timúr's Invasion of Hindustán.

Tímúr, the invincible and world-conquering, had given to Prince Pír Muhammad Jahángír the provinces of Kunduz,

A translation of part of the Zafar-náma, by Major Hollings, was published in the Dehli Archæological Journal, 1862, but I have not seen it.-ED.

Bakalán, Kábul, Ghazní, and Kandahár, with all their dependencies as far as the confines of India. The prince accordingly took possession of these territories, and ruled with justice and liberality. Under the orders of the Emperor he collected the troops of his provinces, and marched forth to conquer other countries with a large army and valiant chiefs. * * * He plundered the Aghánís of the Koh-i Sulaimán, and crossing the river Indus he took the town of Uch by storm. From thence he marched to Multán and laid siege to it. Multán at that time was governed by Sárang, elder brother of Mallú Khán. After the death of Sultán Fíroz Sháh these two brothers raised his grandson Sultán Mahmúd to the throne, and seized upon the government of Hindustán. Mallú remained at Dehlí in attendance on the Sultán, and Sárang had taken possession of Multán. The prince's forces having invested Multán, they every day made two vigorous assaults. The intelligence of these proceedings being carried to Tímúr was the cause of his going to Hindustán. Just at that time he had resolved to assemble forces from all his dominions, and to march against China,' with the intent of destroying the idol temples, and of raising mosques in their places. He had previously heard that the standards of the faith of Islám had been raised in Dehlí and other places, and that its profession of faith was impressed upon the coins, but that the country in general was polluted by the inhabitants being infidels and idolaters. Impelled by the desire of waging a religious war, he resolved to march against Multán and Dehlí. He consulted with his nobles and chiefs, and they concurred in the propriety of making the invasion.

In the month of Rajab, 800 H. (March 1398 A.D.), nearly corresponding to the year of the Leopard, he began his march towards Hindustán, with an army as numerous as the leaves of the trees.

*When he arrived at Indaráb, the chiefs of that country came and cast themselves at his feet, saying that they were Musulmáns, and that the infidel Kators and Siyah-poshes exacted sums of

1 "Khitáí."