Badia ez Zeman, hearing of the banquet given by Mozaffer, 'sent an invitation to me and to several nobles of my retinue. On that occasion, when by any chance I appeared to be inattentive, they would hide the goblets in their hands and take a ' draught in a hurry; although there was no necessity for such 'caution, since it was allowable at an entertainment for every ' one to follow the common usage. There was a roast goose set before me, which I left untouched; not knowing how to carve ́ it. The Mirza asked me if I did not like it; upon which I 'told him my reason for not partaking of it, and he immediately 'cut up the goose into thin slices for me. No man was superior 'to him in attentions of this kind. At the end of the feast he 'presented me with an enamelled dagger, a kerchief of golden 'cloth, and a Tipchak horse.' 6 Does any one want to know what the lions of Heri were three centuries ago? During my sojourn of twenty days at Heri I saw every thing 'worthy of notice except the Khanekah, or convent of Hussain Mirza. There was the Bleaching Ground, the Paper Mills, 'the Park, the Fishpond, the College of Guher-shad-begum, her Tomb, and her Grand Mosque, the Raven Garden, the Warrior's Seat, the Kiosk and Mansion of Enjoyment, the Lily Place, the Twelve Towers, the Irak Gate, and the Kip'chak Gate, the College of Badia ez Zeman, the Mosque of Ali Shir, his College and Convent, which is called the Pure, and 'his Baths and Hospital.' We have another wine scene, followed by a military one of a very different character. The same imperturbable coolness pervades both descriptions: 'On that day, being with some friends in a tent near the gate ' of the Charbagh, I desired them to drink freely, in order that I "might observe the gradual effect of wine upon them, while I 'abstained from it myself, being still unwell. Ghiâs the Buffoon 'made his appearance, but was turned out again several times in sport, until, with much wrangling and jesting, he forced his 'way into the party. While we were there I composed and sent 'to Shah Hassan the following verses: '(TOORKI.) My friends, enjoy the rose-garden of beauty in this banquet, 'While I am deprived of the delights of their society; 'Yet, since the charms of social bliss are theirs, 'I breathe a hundred prayers that no evil may betide them. Between noon-day and afternoon prayers the party got 'drunk, and began to be guilty of fooleries. On the 28th of 'June, Ali Rikabdar having swum across the water in the Gar'den of the Plane Tree a hundred times, I presented him with a 6 'dress of honour and a saddled horse. About the same time I 'sent these verses to Polad Sultan, at Samarcand: O Zephyr, if thou enter the sanctuary of that cypress, The Abdalrahman Afghans did not pay their taxes, and mo'lested the caravans. Therefore I went in July to chastise them, and sent predatory parties to scour the country. One of these 'detachments was in the dale to the east of Gerdez, when forty or fifty Afghans came in sight. Before I could ride up Hus'sain Hassan rashly spurred his horse into the midst of them, ' and was laying about him right and left, when, his horse being wounded, threw him, and he was quickly cut in pieces by the Afghans. The Ameers stopped short, and calmly looked on ' without rendering him any assistance. When I arrived with 'some choice troops, we cut down all the Afghans, and made a 'tower of their skulls.' 6 Now for some descriptions of character. that of his own father, Omar Sheikh:-- The first we have is 'Omar Sheikh was always bent on some scheme of conquest. 'Several times he led an army against his brother at Samarcand, but without success. In the year 1494, Ahmed Mirza formed 'a league with Mahmud Khan, and they marched on each side of the Sihoon against him. At this juncture, being in the fort ' of Akshi, he was precipitated from the edge of the steep rock 'with his pigeons and pigeon-house, and departed to the other ' world. (The Mahometan Princes in the east have often 'been fond of pigeons. Those of the Emperor Akbar were 'trained to perform many fantastic movements. Each of them, 'before receiving the daily allowance of food, made fifteen 'circular flights and seventy tumbles. Among the Ottoman Sultan's household there were formerly the Bulbulji Bashi, 'first nightingale-keeper, and Tutuji Bashi, first parrot-keeper.) • Omar Sheikh Mirza was of low stature. He was very corpu'lent, and wore his tunic extremely tight. He was not fanciful, ' either in his food or dress. His turban was without folds, and he allowed the end to hang down. During the heats, when out of the diwan, he usually had a Mogul cap. He was of the 'Hanifah sect, and strict in his belief. He never omitted the 'five daily prayers, and during his whole life he rigidly performed the Kaza, or retributory prayers and fasts. (The • Mahometans, when sick, or on a journey, or in war, are not bound to observe the stated prayers and fasts, but are enjoined to make up for the omission afterwards.-W. E.) Much of his time was spent in reading the Koran. He was an affectionate disciple of the venerable Khwajeh Obeidullah of Samarcand. He read the mystical poems, especially the Shah Nameh (the Book of Kings, a poetical history of ancient Persia, in 120,000 verses, composed in the eleventh century by Ferdausi). He I was so just, that, when a caravan from China (Khita) lay 'buried in snow among the eastern hills, although he was then in straitened circumstances, yet he caused all the effects to be 'preserved until the heirs came from the western cities, in the following year, to claim them. He was of an excellent temper, 'affable, eloquent, and sweet in his conversation, yet brave withal and manly. Twice he advanced in front of his army, and displayed his prowess in combat. He was a middling shot with the bow. He had uncommon strength in his fists, and ' never hit a man without knocking him down. In his youth he 'was very fond of talar and buzeh, an intoxicating liquor made ' of millet. Latterly he indulged himself with a drinking party once or twice a-week, and he was much addicted to the use of maajun, inebriating comfits prepared with bang, which brought on a feverish irritability. He often played at backgammon, ' and sometimes at games of chance with the dice. (According 'to the commentaries on the Koran, all games of chance are forbidden.) He fought three great battles; one with his fatherin-law, Yunis Khan, on the Sirr, at a place called the Goat's Leap, where he was defeated. Another with the Uzbeks, near 'the river Aras. They were returning with plunder from the 'territory of Samarcand, when he crossed the Aras, then frozen 'over, and routed them. In his third battle, in which he was 'opposed to Sultan Ahmed, his eldest brother, he was over'thrown.' A truly Asiatic career! out of the three great battles of Omar Sheikh's life, one being fought against his father-in-law, and another against his brother! Omar's Ameers then follow: ".. .. Sheikh Mazid Beg, who was first appointed to be my governor. His arrangements and discipline were excellent. "No man stood higher in the esteem of Omar Sheikh Mirza. 'Nevertheless he was a man of gross habits, and given to unna⚫tural practices. After his death the Ameer Baba Kuli was 'my governor. He kept his troops in good order; but he neither 'prayed nor fasted, and was like an infidel in his whole deport 'ment. The Ameer Hassan Yakub, "the handsome Jacob," was a 'frank, clever, and good-tempered man, an excellent archer, and 'distinguished for his skill at leap-frog. On the death of Omar Sheikh, he became Master of my household, i.e. Prime Minister. He was, however, a narrow-minded man, and a promoter of ' dissension. Another was Kasim Beg, a man of ancient rank. He was 6 successor to Hassan Yakub in the office of Prime Minister. 'To the end of his life his power and favour with me were on 'the increase. He was a bold man at a foray, and made a 'gallant use of his scymitar in the service of Omar Sheikh, and even, in his old age, with me. He was a faithful and pious 'Moslem, who carefully abstained from all dubious meats. In a 'period of great difficulty he forsook me, and joined Khosrou Shah. In the year 1504 he returned to my service, when that chief was reduced to destitution. He became governor of Humaioon during my residence at Cabul. His judgment and ' talents were of a superior order; and, though he could neither 'read nor write, he had an elegant vein of wit. Another of the Ameers was Ali Dost Taghai, a Mogul, the "Grand Huntsman. He received great favour at my hands, and 'I was told that he would be very useful to me; but I cannot 'tell what service he ever did in all the years he was with me. 'He was covetous, self-conceited, mean, seditious, insincere, and ' of a sour visage. Another was Mir Ghias Taghai. He was much in the con'fidence of Sultan Abusaid Mirza, who gave him the custody of the Square Seal. He was no less a favourite with Omar • Sheikh. He was a very facetious man, but fearless in de'bauchery. 'Another was Kamber Ali, a Mogul, the son of a skinner. He was ewer bearer to Yunis Khan, but finally attained the ' rank of Beg. From me he received distinguished favours, and 'behaved very well till he reached a certain elevation, when he 'became negligent, and his talk was very silly. There can be 'no doubt that a great talker must often talk foolishly.' Ahmed Mirza, a great man in his day, in the Eastern world, figures in another passage. .... Meanwhile Ahmed Mirza, on his return through Uratippa in the month of July, was seized with a burning fever, and departed from this transitory world, by the side of the 'White River, in the forty-fourth year of his age. He was tall, ruddy, and corpulent. He wore his turban in the four-plaited manner, according to the fashion of the time. He was a man ' of very pleasant manners. He was attached to the Hanifah* sect, and was a true orthodox believer. He omitted none of the five daily prayers, even when engaged in a drinking party. His religious instructor was Khwajeh Abeidulla. He was 'According to Sale, there are four sects of orthodox Mahometans; Hanafees, 'Shafees, Malekees, and Hambalees, named after their founders. The Hanafees ' decide questions by reason; the three others by tradition. The heretical sects dispute about free-will and predestination; whether God has a corporeal nature, &c. polite and ceremonious at all times, especially in his intercourse with the Khwajeh. It is said that, however long they might sit together, he never changed the position of his knee, except in one instance, when he rested one knee on the other. After he rose the Khwajeh examined the spot, and found a bone lying there, (the bone of a dead animal defiles a Mahometan, and he is bound to purify himself after touching it.) He was 'so observant of decorum that he would never uncover his feet, even before his own relations, (the Asiatics wear long robes, which conceal the feet as they sit cross-legged). He was a "plain honest Turk, of moderate abilities. He was scarcely able to read, but he was a just man, and always consulted the Khwajeh in affairs of importance. He was true to his promise, and faithfully performed all his engagements and treaties. He was brave in battle, and a dexterous archer: in riding ' across the place of exercise, he used to hit the brazen basin 'several times. When he became very lusty he had recourse to falconry, and seldom failed to bring down a quail or a pheasant ' with his gos-hawk. With the exception of Ulugh Beg, there 'was no king equal to him in field sports. He would drink wine for twenty or thirty days at a stretch, and then abstain for an equal period, during which he took 'pungent substances.' A Lord Chief Justice is mentioned in connexion with accomplishments that should put our English Bench to the blush. An Asiatic Chief Justice has a wider field of character open to him, and is not bounded and oppressed by the sobrieties and matter-offact tone of his deportment. In May 1497, agreeably to my appointment with Ali Mirza, I issued from Andejan, to resume the siege of Samarcand, and, 'passing through Yar Ailak, encamped at Yam, where, in a 'skirmish on the pleasure-ground, Khwajehka Mullai, the Lord 'Chief Justice of Andejan, the elder brother of Khwajeh Kilan, received an arrow in the neck, and departed to the mercy of 'God. He was a learned man, and was nominated by my father 'to be Keeper of the Seal. He was skilled in falconry, and knew "the art of bringing down rain and snow by enchantment.' Imagine a biographer of Lord Denman detailing, with the appearance of a profound veracity, among a variety of talents and accomplishments, his lordship's power over the sky, and art of bringing down rain by enchantment! Sultan Hussain and his Ameers now come before us, each with his character in They generally charge each other with infidelity. The Shiites, who assert that Ali 'was the first lawful Caliph, are divided into a countless number of sects. Mr. Forster says, that this division of the Moslems into so many sects was owing mainly to the study of Aristotle.' |