CXVI.

TARIKH-I SHAHADAT-I FARRUKH SIYAR

OF

MIRZA MUHAMMAD BAKHSH.

[THE full title of this work is Tárikh-i Shahádat-i Farrukh Siyar wa Julús-i Muhammad Shah. The author, Mirzá Muhammad Bakhsh, was a poet, and wrote under the name Ashob. Nothing has been found about him beyond what he himself tells us in his Preface. He was a soldier, and served with Nawáb Mu'ínu-l Mulk, "from the beginning to the end of the war with Ahmad Shah Abdálí." He records how in this war he personally overthrew and granted quarter to three Abdálí horsemen, for which exploit he obtained great applause and reward. Afterwards he served under Khán-khánán (Intizámu-d daula), and obtained a mansab of 2000, with his ancestral title of Kaswar Khán; but he adds that this title was beyond his deserts, and he remained contented with his simple name of Muhammad Bakhsh. Subsequently he acted in company with 'Imádu-l Mulk Gházíu-d dín Khán. He seems to have been a bold dashing officer, and he had several brothers and friends serving with him. His name frequently appears in the course of the work when he records what he himself did or saw, as in the Extract which follows.

The work bears no special relation to the death of Farrukh Siyar. The author's intention was to write the history of "the hundred years from the death of Aurangzeb to the present time, 1196 A.H." (1782 A.D.); but Sir H. M. Elliot's MS. and another in the Library of the India Office close with the return of Nádir Sháh, and the death of Zakariya Khán, governor of the

Panjab. The history is very summary up to the beginning of the reign of Muhammad Sháh, after which it is written in full detail. The author acknowledges his obligations to the Tárikh-i Muhammad Shah, but has also recorded "what he heard from trustworthy persons, and what he saw when serving Sultáns and wazirs." In his Preface he mentions the works that he used for his Introduction. They are the usual authorities: the Akbarnáma, Tabakát-i Akbari, Ikbál-náma-i Jahángiri, "the Journal which Jahángír himself wrote in a very pleasant style," and many other works. There are some references also to his own poetical productions-a poem of 700 couplets called Falak-áshob, written at Bhartpúr, "one of the strong fortresses of Súraj Mal Ját," and another called Kár-náma, "Book of Deeds," in 3000 couplets, written by command to celebrate the wars of Nawáb Mu'ínu-l Mulk.

In the course of the Preface he speaks of the English in highly eulogistic terms. He specially mentions Captain Jonathan Scott, whose learning and acquirements he extols in verse, and for whose encouragement he is grateful. He also acknowledges the countenance and kindness which he received from Colonel Polier at Lucknow.

SIZE-9 inches by 8, 670 pages of 15 lines each.]

EXTRACT.

[When Nizámu-1 Mulk went forth to treat with Nádir Sháh, the author of this work, with several horsemen consisting of his brethren and near relations, by the strength of their horses, but with great difficulty and much management, got in front of the elephants of Asaf Jáh Nizámu-1 Mulk, and arrived first at the battle-field. * * As we were before all, we had the first sight. The Persians and others of Nádir's army, having dismounted and picketed their horses, were plundering and ransacking without check. They had broken open the chests with blows of axes and swords, torn in pieces the bags of gold and silver, and having scattered the contents on the ground, were engaged in

T

picking them up. Furniture, especially the culinary utensils of silver and copper, fell into the hands of the plunderers.

When we reached the place of meeting, it was dark, and every one, great and small, remained on the spot he first reached. His Majesty approached with a large escort of men and guns with great splendour. Next came the train of the chief wazir 'Azímu-llah Khán Zahíru-d daula Bahádur. His elephant was in armour, and he himself rode in an iron howda, and was clothed in armour from head to foot, so that his eyes were the only parts of his body that were visible. He was attended by a suitable escort of men and arms, and made his obeisance to his monarch, and his salám to Asaf Jáh. Next came the Waziru-l mamálik Bahádur. ** All the chiefs were mounted on elephants clad in armour, in war howdas of iron variously ornamented, and all the elephant riders from the greatest to the least were covered with arms and armour from head to foot.]

CXVII.

WAKI'AT-I AZFARI.

[THIS is one of the works mentioned by Sir H. M. Elliot as containing matter for the history of Sháh 'Alam. He did not obtain a copy of the work, and all that is known about it is derived from a letter written to Sir Henry by Sir Walter Elliot. It says, "The Waki'át-i Azfari is a mere antobiography of an individual of no note. This Azfarí had some intercourse with Ghulam Kádir in his youth, and gives a few particulars of events which passed under his own observation." From the extracts inclosed in this letter it is apparent that the work was written after the death of Ghulám Kádir, which occurred in 1788 A.D.]

CXVIII.

BAHRU-L MAWWAJ

OF

MUHAMMAD ALI KHAN ANSARY.

THE author of this work is Muhammad 'Alí Khán Ansárí, Ibn 'Izzatu-d daula Hidayatu-llah Khán, son of Shamsu-d daula Lutfu-llah Khán Sádik Tahawwur Jang.

Being devoted from his early youth, as most of these authors say of themselves, to history and studies subsidiary to it, and passing most of his time in the company of those who spoke and wrote of these subjects, he determined upon writing a general history; and as he had already written an account of the Prophets, he thought he could not do better than devote his time to a more secular History, embracing the lives of the Kings who in past times have ruled upon the earth; so that, through both his labours combined, he might derive the double reward of hope of heaven and advantage upon earth. Relying, therefore, upon the help of God, he allowed "the parrot of his tongue to expatiate in the garden of language," and after spending a very long time. upon his compilation, he completed it in the year 1209 A.H., corresponding with A.D. 1794-5.

It is a comprehensive and useful work, as will be seen from the list of contents given below, but it presents nothing particularly worthy of extract.

The work is divided into nine Chapters, and forty-nine Sections, fancifully called seas (bahr) and waves (mauj) respectively, and hence the title of Bahru-l Mawwaj, "The Tempestuous Sea."

CONTENTS.

Preface, p. 1.-Book I. In six Chapters: 1. Peshdádians; 2. Kaiánians; 3. Tawáifu-l Mulúk; 4. Sássánians; 5. Akásira; 6. Tubbas of Yemen, p. 8.-II. In two Chapters: 1. Ummayides; 2. 'Abbasides, p. 64.-III. In eleven Chapters: 1. Táhirians; 2. Saffarians; 3. Sámánians; 4. Ghaznívides; 5. Ghorians; 6. Buwaihides; 7. Saljúkians; 8. Khwárizmsháhís; 9.. Atábaks; 10. Isma'ílians; 11. Chiefs of Kará Khitáí and Kirmán, p. 112.-IV. In eight Chapters: 1. The Cæsars; 2. The Saljúks of Rúm; 3. Dánishmandias; 4. Salífias; 5. Mangúchakias ; 6. Rulers of Karáman; 7. Zúlkadarias; 8. Othmánlís, p. 175. -V. On the Sharifs of Mecca and Medína, p. 208.-VI. In four Chapters: 1. Turk, the son of Yáfath; 2. Tátár, and his descendants; 3. The Mughals; 4. Púranjar Kaan, p. 211.— VII. In seven Chapters, on Changíz Khán and his descendants, p. 219.-VIII. In five Chapters: 1. Chanbánians; 2. rlkánians; 3. Muzaffarians; 4. Rulers of Kirit; 5. Saribárans, p. 274.— IX. In Six Chapters: 1. Tímúr and his descendants; 2. His descendants who ruled in Irán and Khurásán; 3. Kará-kúínlú Turks; 4. Ak-kúínlú; 5. Saffaríans; 6. Nádir Sháh, Ahmad Sháh Abdálí, etc., p. 319.

SIZE-Large 8vo., containing 437 pages, with 17 lines to a page.

This work is known to me only from a copy in the Library of the Rája of Benares, and I have never heard of any other. A ponderous commentary on the Kurán bears the same title.