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56
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
[MARCH, 1907.
All these slaves were well-made and good-looking, of white and red complexion, with gold-lace waistbelts and hats of flowered gold lace. On each side of the hat hung flowered-pattern tufts (turrah-hãe ), towards the ears, near the cheeks. Their long sidelocks were in curls. Many of the slaves, those who were officers, had jewelled aigrette-holders with feathered plumes fixed on the top of the hat. They rode fast horges of Kabuli breed, and guided them, each in his own station, with a grave demeanour. They moved at the distance of a musket-shot from the Shah's person, all their faces turned towards him. The Shāh rode alone in the middle, with an open space around him.
In whatever direction he chanced to glance, one slave holding a pipe and another bearing a porous bottle of water rushed up to him. Then the Shah would take the pipe-stem into his hand, rein in his horse, and proceed slowly. When done with his pipe, he would rinse his mouth three times with water from the bottle.
The treasure and the food sapplies, the stores of clothes, and so forth were carried in the following manner. On the left flank, outside the ranks of the slaves, there were one bundred camels loaded with bread, baked and then dried, two hundred camels loaded with grain, this was called sur sát,83 This grain was given out daily in allotted portions to the nobles and the servants of the Begams. On the right flank were two hundred camels loaded with clothes and vessels, silver pots, and so forth. Such treasure as there was came in the rear of the guard of slaves, which followed the Shāh ; it was carried on mules and two-humped dromedaries.
Shāh Pasand Khan and Jangbāz Khan, with the quwāhi-bishi, were told off to the rearguard and held command over its movements. The three thousand slaves, who rode in front as advance guard, fully armed and ready, bore each a lance whose head was either gilt or silver-plated, having a decorated (muqaiyash) and fringed (musalsal) pennant. To the onlooker, owing to the multitude of lanoes, it seemed like the glittering of rain. In the rays of the sun the spear heads and pennants so shone, that you might imagine the stars were sparkling in the sky. It was wondrous as a garden in springtime, and a sight worth beholding.
On the day that the Shāh after the afternoon (Euhr) prayer set out to conquer the fort of Ballamgadh, the author in company of the Mir şāḥib (Sher Andaz Khān] was in attendance on His Majesty. By a lucky chance the ranks of those slaves formed up close to me. In whatever direction I looked, my eyes rested on countenances lovely as youthful Joseph, as if the slaver from Paradise, throng upon throng, had descended upon earth, and with their fairy-like dispositions were Beated firmly in the saddle, thirsting for the blood of the children of Adam. By the Lord ! I was 80 overcome that my head drooped to the pommel of my saddle.
A horseman named Mir Muhammad 'Atā, by race & Barakki Sayyid, belonging to the troops of the 'Usman Khan already mentioned, who, to a certain extent, was proficient in Arabic and Persian, and used to pay a daily visit to the Mir şāḥib, had set up a friendship with the author. At the time I have been speaking of, he was at my side. He exclaimed: "O 80-and-bo! What " is the matter with thee? Thy complexion has turned saffron-colour and thy eyes red as the planet “ Mars. The hot rays of the sun have affected thee!" He offered me water from the chagal or leather-bottle that he carried, and I re-opened my eyes. I answered: "I have no need of water"; and I repeated the following quatrain :
Quatrain. An roz kih atask-i-muhabbat afrokht,
“The day when the fire of affection was kindled, Ashiq roshan--'ishq zi ma'shuq amokht;
"The lover learnt from the loved one the bright
ness of love, As janib-i-dost sar-zad in tox wa gudar,
"Through a friend arose this burning and
melting, 1ā dar na girift-1-shama parwanati na sokht. "So that the butterfly should not fall into the
lamp and burn." 1 Turkish, "requisitions in kind levied from the enemy."
