News came that Ibrahim Tarkh&n had strengthened Fort Shiraz and was seated in it; also that Qarpbar-'all (the Skinner) and Abu'l-qasim Kohbur, the latter not being able to stay in Khwaja Didar with the Aiizbegs in Samarkand, had both come into Yar-yilAq, strengthened its lower forts and occupied them.
Leaving Fan on our right, we moved on for Keshtiid. The head-man of Fan had a reputation for hospitality, generosity, serviceableness and kindness. He had given tribute of 70 or 80 horses to SI. Mas'ud Mirza at the time the Mirza, when SI. Husain Mltza. made attack on Hisar, went through Fan on his way to his younger brother, Bai-sunghar Mirza in Samarkand. He did like service to others. To me he sent one second-rate horse; moreover he did not wait on me himself. So it was! Those renowned for liberality became misers when they had to do with me, and the politeness of the polite was forgotten. Khusrau Shah was celebrated for liberality and kindness; what service he did Badi'u'z-zaman Mirza has been mentioned; to Baqi Tarkhan and other begs he shewed great generosity also. Twice I happened to pass through his country j1 not to speak of courtesy shewn to my peers, what he shewed to my lowest servants he did not shew to me, indeed he shewed less regard for us than for them.
\Turki) Who, o my heart ! has seen goodness from worldlings r Look not for goodness from him who has none.
Under the impression that the Auzbegs were in Keshtud, we made an excursion to it, after passing Fan. Of itself it seemed to have gone to ruin; no-one seemed to be occupying it. We went on to the bank of the Kohik-water (Zar-afshan) and there dismounted. From that place we sent a few begs under Qasim Quchm to surprise Rabat-i-khwaja; that done, we crossed the river by a bridge from opposite Yari, went through Yari and over the Shunqar-khana (Falcons'-home) range into Yar-yilaq. Our begs went to Rabat-i-khwaja and had set up ladders when the men within came to know about them and
1 The second occasion was when he crossed from Sukh for Kabul in 910 ah. (fol. 120).
