912 AH.-MAY 24th 1506 TO MAY 13th 1507 AD. 321
Spring than any part even of Kabul are the open-lands of Baran, the plain of Chash-ttipa, and the skirt of Gul-i-bahar. Many sorts of tulip bloom there ; when I had them counted once, it came out at 34 different kinds as [has been said].' This couplet has been written in praise of these places,
Kabul in Spring is an Eden of verdure and blossom ; Matchless in Kabul the Spring of Gul-i-bahar and Baran.
On this excursion I finished the ode,
My heart, like the bud of the red, red rose,
Lies fold within fold aflame ; Would the breath of even a myriad Springs
Blow my heart's bud to a rose ?
In truth, few places are quite equal to these for spring-excursions, for hawking (qfish salmaq) or bird-shooting {qiish atmdq), as has been briefly mentioned in the praise and description of the Kabul and Ghaznl country.
(q. Nasir Mirza expelled from Badakhshan^)
This year the begs of Badakhshan i.e. Muhammad the armourer, Mubarak Shah, Zubair and Jahanglr, grew angry and mutinous because of the misconduct of Nasir Mirza and some of those he cherished. Coming to an agreement together, they drew out an army of horse and foot, arrayed it on the level lands by the Kukcha-water, and moved towards Yaftal and Ragh, to near Khamchan, by way of the lower hills. The Mirza and his inexperienced begs, in their thoughtless and unobservant fashion, came out to fight them just in those lower hills. The battle-field was uneven ground ; the Badakhshls had a dense mass of men on foot who stood firm under repeated charges by the Mlrza's horse, and returned such attack that the horsemen fled, unable to keep their ground. Having-beaten the Mirza, the Badakhshls plundered his dependants and connexions.
Beaten and stripped bare, he and his close circle took the road through Ishklmlsh and Narln to Klla-gahl, from there followed the Qizll-su up, got out on the Ab-dara road, crossed at Shibr-tu, a"d so came to Kabul, he with 70 or 80 followers, worn-out, naked and famished.
' f. 136.
