the great diamond taken at Agra,
said to be the most valuable on earth. Babar declared that no stone
could compare in value with his own life, and after solemnly walking
round Humayun's couch, as in a religious sacrifice, he retired to
devote himself to prayer. Soon afterwards he was heard to exclaim, "I
have borne it away! I have borne it away!" Humayun began to recover,
and, as he improved, Babar gradually sank. Commending his son to
the protection of his friends, and imploring Humayun to be kind and
forgiving to his brothers, the first of the "Great Moguls" of India
passed away. He was buried at Kabul, in one of his beloved gardens,
which, according to Tartar custom, he had chosen for his tomb, in
"the sweetest spot of the neighbourhood." [2]

Babar's connection with Agra.

Babar's connection with Agra began immediately after the battle
of Panipat. He sent forward Humayun, who occupied the town without
opposition. The story of the great diamond referred to above is here
recorded in the Memoirs. The Raja of Gwalior, slain at Panipat, had
left his family and the heads of his clan at Agra. In gratitude to
Humayun, who treated them magnanimously, and protected them from
plunder, they presented to him a _peskesh_, or token of homage,
consisting of a quantity of jewels and precious stones. Among these was
one famous diamond which had been acquired by Sultan Alaeddin. "It is
so valuable that a judge of diamonds valued it at about half the daily
expense of the whole world. It is about eight _mikkals_" (or about
280 carats). This is generally supposed to be the celebrated Koh-i-nur.

Babar determined to establish the seat of his government at Agra, but
was almost dissuaded by the desolate appearance of the country. "It
always appears to me," he says, "that one of the chief defects of
Hindustan is the want of artificial watercourses. I had intended,
wherever I might fix my residence, to construct water-wheels, to
produce an artificial stream, and to lay out an elegant and regularly
planned pleasure ground. Shortly after coming to Agra I passed the
Jumna with this object in view, and examined the country to pitch upon
a fit spot for a garden. The whole was so ugly and detestable that
I repassed the river quite repulsed and disgusted. In consequence of
the want of beauty and of the disagreeable aspect of the country, I
gave up my intention of making a _charbagh_ (garden house); but as no
better situation presented itself ne