(/. Babur goes into winter-quarters in Between-the-two-rivers.)
As it was now almost winter and no grain or fruits1 remained in the open country, it was not thought desirable to move against (Tambal in) AiLzkint but return was made to Andijan. A few days later, it was settled after consultation, that for uf to winter in the town would in no way hurt or hamper tht enemy, rather that he would wax the stronger by it through raids and guerilla fighting; moreover on our own account, it was necessary that we should winter where our men would not become enfeebled through want of grain and where we could straiten the enemy by some sort of blockade. For these desirable ends we marched out of Andijan, meaning to winter near Armiyan and Niish-ab in the Rabatik-aurchuri, known also as Between-the-two-rivers. On arriving in the two villages above-mentioned, we prepared winter-quarters.
The hunting-grounds are good in that neighbourhood; in th jungle near the Ailalsh river is much bughu-mardl2 and pig; th small scattered clumps of jungle are thick with hare and pheasant; and on the near rising-ground, are many foxes* of fine colour and swifter than those of any other place. While we were in those quarters, I used to ride hunting every two or three days; we would beat through the great jungle and hunt bughu-mardl, or we would wander about, making a circle round scattered clumps and flying our hawks at the pheasants. The pheasants are unlimited4 there; pheasant-meat was abundant as long as we were in those quarters.
While we were there, Khudal-birdi Tughchl, then newlyfavoured with beg's rank, fell on some of Tambal's raiders and brought in a few heads. Our braves went out also from Aush and Andijan and raided untiringly on the enemy, driving in his
1 tuiak ; i.e. other food than grain. Fruit, fresh or preserved, being a principal constituent of food in Central Asia, tuluk will include several, but chiefly melons. " Les melons constituent presque seuls vers le fin d'et6, la nourriture des classes pauvres (Th. Radloff. I.e. p. 343).
2 Cf. /. 66 and note.
3 tulki var. tulku, the yellow fox. Following this word the Ilai. MS. ha? u day kamin dur instead of w rangln dur.
* bi hadd ; with which I.O. 215 agrees but I.O. 217 adds farbih, fat, which is right in fact (f. 2b) but less pertinent here than an unlimited quantity.
