BABUR TEXTS:
1. Beveridge 1922, vol. 1, p.378 Feb 16, 1519. (Feb. 16th) After starting off the camp for the river, I went to hunt rhinoceros on the Sawati side which place people call also Karg-khana (Rhino-home). A few were discovered but the jungle was dense and they did not come out of it. When one with a calf came into the open and betook itself to flight, many arrows were shot at it and it rushed into the near jungle ; the jungle was fired but that same rhino was not had. Another calf was killed as it lay, scorched by the fire, writhing and palpitating. Each person took a share of the spoil. After leaving SawatI, we wandered about a good deal ; it was the Bed-time Prayer when we got to camp.
Babur, edn Leyden and Erksine 1826:253 1519 Babur - 1519 [February 16]. — After sending on the army towards the river [Indus], I myself set off for Sawati, which they likewise call Karak-Khaneh [kark-khmia, ‘the rhinoceros-haunt’], to hunt the rhinoceros. We started many rhinoceroses, but as the country abounds in brushwood, we could not get at them. A she rhinoceros, that had whelps [note plural], came out, and fled along the plain ; many arrows were shot at her, but as the wooded ground was near at hand she gained cover. We set fire to the brushwood, but the rhinoceros was not to be found. We got sight of another, that, having been scorched in the fire, was lamed and unable to run. We killed it, and every one cut off a bit as a trophy of the chase. After leaving Sawati [etc]”
2. Beveridge 1922, p.450, 451 Fol.253b, 254 – 9-10 Dec 1525. Today I rode out before dawn. .. We dismounted near Bigram (Peshawar); and next morning, the camp remained on that same ground, rode to Karg-awi. We crossed the Siyah-ab in front of Bigram, and formed our hunting circle looking down-stream. After a little, a person brought word that there was a rhino in a bit of jungle near Bigram, and that people had been stationed near-about it. We betook ourselves, loose rein, to the place, formed a ring round the jungle, made a noise, and brought the rhino out, when it took its way across the plain. - Humayun and those come with him from that side (Tramontana), who had never seen one before, were much entertained. It was pursued for two miles; many arrows were shot at it; it was brought down without having made a good set at man or horse. Two others were killed. I had often wondered how a rhino and an elephant would behave if brought face to face; this time one came out right in front of some elephants the mahauts were bringing along; it did not face them when the mahauts drove them towards t, but got off in another direction.
Babur, edn Leyden and Erksine 1826: 292 – Next morning we continued halting in the same station, and I went out to hunt the rhinoceros. We crossed the Siah-Ab [Black River] in front of Bekram, and formed our ring lower down the river. When we had gone a short way, a man came after us with notice, that a rhinoceros had entered a little wood near Bekram, and that they had surrounded the wood, and were waiting for us. We immediately proceeded towards the wood at full gallop, and cast a ring round it. Instantly, on our raising the shout, the rhinoceros issued out into the plain, and took to flight. Humaiun, and those who had come from the same quarter, never having seen a rhinoceros before, were greatly amused. They followed it for nearly a kos, shot many arrows at it and finally brought it down. The rhinoceros did not make a good set at any person or any horse. They afterwards killed another rhinoceros. I had often amused myself by conjecturing how an elephant and rhinoceros would behave it brought to face each other; on this occasion the elephant keepers brought out the elephants so that one elephant fell right in with the rhinoceros. As soon as the drivers put their beasts in motion, the rhinoceros would not come up but immediately ran off in another direction. (This day we stayed in Bekram).
3. Beveridge 1922, p. 490 Fauna of Hindustan - The rhinoceros is another. This also is a large animal, equal Fol. 275^. in bulk to perhaps three buffaloes. The opinion current in those countries (Tramontana) that it can lift an elephant on its horn, seems mistaken. It has a single horn on its nose, more than nine inches {qdrish) long ; one of two qdrlsh is not seen.^ Out of one large horn were made a drinking-vessel 7 and a dice-box, leaving over [the thickness of] 3 or 4 hands.^ The rhinoceros'hide is very thick ; an arrow shot from a stiff bow, drawn with full strength right up to the arm-pit, if it pierce at all, might penetrate 4 inches {allik, hands). From the sides {qdsh) of its fore and hind legs,^ folds hang which from a distance look like housings thrown over it. It resembles the horse more than it does any other animal.^ As the horse has a small stomach (appetite ?), so has the rhinoceros ; as in the horse a piece of bone (pastern ?) grows in place of small bones (T. dshuq, Fr. osselets (Zenker), knuckles), so one grows in the rhinoceros ; as in the horse's hand {ailik, Pers. dast) there is kumiik (or gilmuk, a tibia, or marrow), so there is in the rhinoceros.3 It is more ferocious than the elephant and cannot be made obedient and submissive. There are masses of it in the Parashawar and Hashnagar jungles, so too between the Sind-river and the jungles of the Bhira country. Masses there are also on the banks of Fol. 276. the Saru-river in Hindustan. Some were killed in the Parashawar and Hashnagar jungles in our moves on Hindustan. It strikes powerfully with its horn ; men and horses enough have been horned in those hunts.4 In one of them the horse of a chuhra (brave) named Maqsud was tossed a spear's-length, for which reason the man was nick-named the rhino's aim (jnaqsHd-i-karg). – [quotation also in Yule & Burnell 1886:762]
Babur, edn Leyden and Erksine 1826: 316. The rhinoceros is another. This also is a huge animal. Its bulk is equal to that of three buffaloes. The opinion prevalent in our countries, that a rhinoceros can lift an elephant on its horn, is probably a mistake. It has a single horn over its nose, upwards of a span in length, but I never saw one of two spans. Out of one of the largest of these horns I had a drinking-vessel made, and a dice-box, and about three or four fingers’ bulk of it might be left. Its hide is very thick. If it be shot at with a powerful bow, drawn up to the armpit with much force, and if the arrow pierces at all, it enters only three or four fingers’ breadth. They say, however, that there are parts of his skin that may be pierced, and the arrows enter deep. On the sides of its two shoulder-blades, and of its two thlghs, are folds that hang loose, and appear at a distance like cloth housings dangling over it. It bears more resemblance to the horse than to any other animal. As the horse has a large stomach, so has this ; as the pastern of the horse is composed of a single bone, so also is that of the rhinoceros ; as there is a gumck (marrow) in the horse’s fore leg, so is there in that of the rhinoceros. It is more ferocious than the elephant, and cannot be rendered so tame or obedient. There are numbers of them in the jungles of Pershawer and Hashnaghar, as well as between the river Sind and Behreh in the jungles. In Hindustan too, they abound on the banks of the river Sirwu [=Gogra]. In the course of my expeditions into Hindustan, in the jungles of Pershawer, and Hashnaghar, I frequently killed the rhinoceros. It strikes powerfully with its horn, with which, in the course of these hunts, many men, and many horses, were gored. In one hunt, it tossed with its horn, a full spear’s length, the horse of a young man named Maksud, whence he got the name of Rhinoceros Maksud.
4. Beveridge 1922, p.557 folio 315. – 1527 – Haibat Khan Karg-andaz deserted and went to Sambal – Karg-andaz is overthrower of the rhinoceros (or wolf)
Babur, edn Leyden and Erksine 1826:358 – Haibet Khan Gurg-endaz fled to Sambal. [gurg-endaz is wolf-hunter. Or Karak-endaz , rhinoceros hunter]
5. Beveridge 1922, p.657 folio 364. March 23, 1529. Chunar. While we were on this ground, a person said he had seen a tiger and rhinoceros on an aral by the side of the camp. – March 24. Neither tiger nor rhino appeared.
Babur, edn Leyden and Erksine 1826:407 – 24 March 1529 [NOT 1528]– At this station, a man said that in an island close to the edge of the camp, he had seen a lion and rhinoceros. Next morning we drew a ring round the ground, but no lion or rhinoceros was roused. [close to Chunar, 25.11 – 82.86]
