933 AH. OCT. 8th 1526 to SEP. 27th 1527 AD.1
{a. Announcement of the birth of a son.)
In Muharram Beg Wais brought the news of Faruq's birth ; though a foot-man had brought it already, he came this month for the gift to the messenger of good tidings.2 The birth must have been on Friday eve, Shawwal 23rd (932 ah.-August 2nd 1526 ad.) ; the name given was Faruq.
(b. Casting of a mortar.)
{October 22nd-Muharram 15th) Ustad 'Ah-qull had been ordered to cast a large mortar for use against Biana and other forts which had not yet submitted. When all the furnaces and materials were ready, he sent a person to me and, on Monday the 15th of the month, we went to see the mortar cast. Round the mortar-mould he had had eight furnaces made in which were the molten materials. From below each furnace a channel went direct to the mould. When he opened the furnace-holes on our arrival, the molten metal poured like water through all these channels into the mould. After awhile and before the mould was full, the flow stopped from one furnace after another. Ustad 'Ali-qull must have made some miscalculation either as to the furnaces or the materials. In his great distress, he was for throwing himself into the mould of molten metal, but we comforted him, put a robe of honour on him, and so brought him out of his shame. The mould was left a day or two to cool ; when it was opened, Ustad 'AlT-qulI with great delight sent to say, " The stone-chamber {tdsh-awi) is without defect; to cast the powder-compartment {ddru-khdnd) is easy." He got
1 Elph. MS. f. 252 ; W.-i-B. I.O. 215 f. 199* and 217 f. 20SA ; Mems. p. 343-
2 slunchi (Zenker). Faruq was Mahim's son ; he died in 934 A. H. before his father had seen him.
