18 ON SOME EARLY GARDEN HISTORY 



Plates II. and III., portrays two of these pages, on 

 which the first visit of the Emperor Babar to the 

 Bagh-i-Vafa is described. The painting is signed 

 Bishandas, the Persian form of Vishandas, show- 

 ing the artist to have been Hindu. In this 

 miniature Babar is seen to be personally directing 

 the laying-out of "the four-fold field-plot." 

 Two gardeners hold the measuring line, the 

 architect with his plan stands in attendance, 

 while the tank, somewhat reduced in size, is 

 fitted into the bottom corner of the picture. 

 Pomegranates and orange trees border the square 

 plot, and above the walls tower the snowy 

 heights of the White Mountain, on which, to 

 show its altitude, the artist introduces an ibex, 

 with chikor (mountain partridge) on the lower 

 slopes. An embassy of the Begs knocks at the 

 garden gate, hastening, no doubt, with news of 

 some fresh revolt or trouble in the camp : but 

 the Emperor, completely absorbed in his favourite 

 pastime, is not to be diverted from his new 

 garden schemes. 



Fifteen years afterwards Babar mentions 

 another visit to this favourite spot : three days' 

 rest snatched from the midst of his endless 

 campaigns against the turbulent Afghans. The 



