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NOVEMBER, 1898.)
THE SIEGE OF AHMADNAGAR.
283
of the enemy's army, and the vain-glory which they had hitherto felt, owing to the absence of opposition on the part of the Dakhanis, became changed into fear. From this great night attack a great terror reached the enemy's force, and they became excessively afraid of fighting against the people of the Dakhan. Abandoning their natural disposition of carelessness which they had shown on that night, after this they observed the greatest caution, and used their utmost endeavours to take the fortress,
The surroundings of the fortress were divided sinong the celebrated anirs and seasoned troops. The Prince chose the east side of the fortress, which is opposite the place of the battle, as the position of his own special division and the army of Gujarat; the south side, which is opposite the village of Shaitanpur and towards the Farah-bakhsh Garden, he gave in charge to the force of the KhanKhânân; and the west side of the fortess, which is towards the city of Ahmadnagar, and is the principal gate of the fortress, was entrusted to Shahbaz Khan and Mirza Shah Rukh. The nortla side, which is towards Burhanabad and the Namaz-Gáh, was entrusted to Raja All Khân, the wdli of Burhanpur. From all four faces the Mughal army, with the intention of battle, advanced the batteries and entrenchments and completely surrounded the fortress. Day and night they carried on the work of the siege, and strove their utmost to take the fortress.
The brave Mujahid-ud-Din Shamshir Khan, who with his sons and a body of his troops outside the fortress, up to the last showed eagerness in de ending himself and fighting, came into the fortress; and then the doors of entrance and exit were barricaded, and the de!enders, of all ranks, giving up their minds to war, were assiduous in the work of battle. For a long time from inside the fire of slaughter and fighting blazed up, and night and day they employed themselves in the arrangement of bloodshed,
Although the enemy used to strive their utmost to take that fortress, all their endeavours were of no avail, and the face of victory did not show itself in the mirror of their desires. The Prince, from the great energy and diligence which he used in the conquest of that fortress, used often himself to go into the batteries, and strive to fill in the ditch and erect the sar-kúb; so that in a few days it reared its head to a level with the walls of the fortress, and they also filled in the ditch with earth and rubbish.
Her Highness Chand Bibl also took an active part in the defence of the fortress and observing the affairs of the troops; and used her queenly endeavours in arranging the affairs of religion and the State. By day, like the world-illumining sun, she rested not from bestowing benefits and instructing those under her; and at night by the aid of her own rare good fortune, she slept not, but with weep ing and wailing before the throne of God, prayed for tranquillity ; consequently the arrow of the enemy's arrangements did not hit the target of their designs, and none of their attempts to take the fottress gave birth to their desires. Although the Mughal troops used the utmost diligence in erecting the sar-káb, the people of the fortress raised one of their towers to a level with it, or erected building higher than it, and so rendered abortive the plans of their opponents.
In the midst of these affairs, Vankuji Ka11,10 who before this had been a staunch ally of Ahmad Shah and Mlyáņ Manjů, with their concurrence now returned to the neighbourhood of the Mughal army. Several times he threw himself on the oatposts of the Mughal army, who were charged with the protection of the forage place, and seizing many of their horses, elephante, camels and cattle, killed a countless number of their men, In like manner Sa'adat Khân, who some time before this had gone to the Nasik district, having collected a numerous army, came directly on the road of the opposing Army, and blocked the enemy's communications, so that no created being could possibly pass from the limit of Sultanpur and Nandurbar in this direction,
Sayyid Baja - who was one of the amire of Akbar's army, and was distinguished for his bravery - by the Prince's orders, went to drive back Vankújt ; and from his excessive haughtiness and pride, giving no attention to the organisation of his force, with a limited number who came to him proceeded to repel Vankújf. When he reached the enemy; in advance of his supports, helpless as a
10 This must be Venkatedri of Penkonda -vide Garetter, Vol. XVII. p. 880,
