Page:Babur-nama Vol 1.djvu/96

26 FARGHANA

in Tashkint and was there entrusted with the guardianship of Khan Mirza ( Wais) and given Dizak. He had started for Makka by way of Hind before I took Kabul (910AH. Oct. 1504AD.), but he went to God's mercy on the road. He was a simple person, of few words and not clever.

Khwaja Husain Beg was another, a good-natured and simple person. It is said that, after the fashion of those days, he used to improvise very well at drinking parties.^

Shaikh Mazid Beg was another, my first guardian, excellent in rule and method. He must have served {khidmat qilghan dur) under Babur Mirza {Shahrukhi). There was no greater beg in 'Umar Shaikh Mirza's presence. He was a vicious person and kept catamites.

'Ali-mazid Quchin was another ;2 he rebelled twice, once at Akhsi, once at Tashkint. He was disloyal, untrue to his salt, vicious and good-for-nothing.

Hasan (son of) Yaq'ub was another, a small-minded, good- tempered, smart and active man. This verse is his : —

" Return, O Huma, for without the parrot-down of thy lip. The crow will assuredly soon carry off my bones." 3

Fol. 14. He was brave, a good archer, played polo (chaughan) well and leapt well at leap-frog.4 He had the control of my Gate after 'Umar Shaikh Mirza's accident. He had not much sense, was narrow-minded and somewhat of a strife-stirrer.

Qasim Beg Quchin, of the ancient army-begs of Andijan, was another. He had the control of my Gate after Hasan Yaq'ub Beg. His life through, his authority and consequence waxed without decline. He was a brave man ; once he gave some Auzbegs a good beating when he overtook them raiding near Kasan ; his sword hewed away in 'Umar Shaikh Mirza's

1 qushuqlarni yakhshi aitura ikan dur. Elph. MS. for qushuq, tuyuk. Qushuq is allowed, both by its root and by usage, to describe improvisations of combined dance and song. I understand from Babur's tense, that his information was hearsay only.

2 i.e. of the military class. Cf. Vullers s.n. and T.R. p. 301.

3 The Huma is a fabulous bird, overshadowing by whose wings brings good-fortune. The couplet appears to be addressed to some man, under the name Huma, from whom Hasan of Yaq'ub hoped for benefit.

4 khak-bila ; the Sanglakh, (quoting this passage) gives khak-p:l:k as the correct form of the word.