for the purpose of plunder and punishment, and he collected such wealth from the ráís, ráos, and ránas, that his treasury was overflowing."

"Thence he went towards Bálághatrak, as it was necessary to discharge his arrows against the Mughals. Hail glorious morn of prosperity, for that sun rose on high! His standards ascended rapidly, stage by stage, for a period of one month, and the road was illumined by the light of his army."

"On Monday, the last day of Muharram, 690 H., the neighbourhood of the city was blessed by the king's arrival. He did not delay and plant his flags in the city, because another victory was urging him on; but during the month of Safar he gave himself up to enjoyment at Sírí, near the city.” *

Advance upon Ranthambor.1

On Thursday, the 18th of Rabi'u-l-awwal, the Sháh held a darbár, distributed robes of honour, and gave red umbrellas, dúrbáshes, and standards to two of his confidential servants, and selected also Ruknu-d dín Ibrahim for marks of special favour. "The maliks of the kingdom, according to their respective ability, showered gold upon the head of the king."

The king then marched from Sírí towards Ranthambor. The first march was to Sohráit, thence to Chandáwal, "where he encamped for some time." o Thence to Rewárí in two marches. Thence to the country of Nárnaul. Thence the march was to Beohán, where the people had their mouths shut through thirst. The earth was dry, and in it not a blade of grass had sprung up anywhere, through drought. The sipáhis, whom a river would not have satisfied, how could they procure enough water from two or three wells?" A hundred camels, however, were here laden with water, to satisfy the necessities of the army. The king killed several tigers on this expedition. Hills were on each side covered with peacocks. "Two weeks he was employed in passing this hilly tract, when the Sháh arrived on the borders of Ranthambor." The Turks began to plunder on every

The original says "conquest of Ranthambor," but this heading is not suited to the text.

side, "and the king sent out horsemen to collect information." The Hindús were killed or enslaved, as far as within four parasangs of

Jháin.

From this place, Karrí Bahádur was sent on with a few archers to reconnoitre as far as the hills of Jháín, from which place 500 Hindús made a sally. "They were wounded with the poisoned arrows of the Turks, and exclaimed in Hindí, 'Strike, strike.' Seventy were killed and forty wounded, and, though they were reinforced, they retreated to the hills, and the royal troops returned to camp, and reported to the king what had occurred. Next day, the king despatched 1,000 men under Malik Khurram 'Ariz Malik, the chief Karíbak, Malik Katlagh-tigin, 'Azam Mubárak, the amír of of Nárnaul, Ahmad Sarjándár, Mahmúd Sarjándár, the chief huntsman Ahmad, and Ankú and Abájí Akhurbak. They advanced at full speed to within two parasangs of Jháín, when they entered a narrow pass in the hills, and alarm spread in Jháín."

The ráí was in affright, and sent for Gurdan Sainí, who was the most experienced warrior amongst the 40,000 ráwats under the ráí, and "had seen many fights among the Hindús. Sometimes he had gone with the advance to Málwa; sometimes he had gone plundering in Gújarát." The Sainí took 10,000 ráwats with him from Jháin, and advanced against the Turks, and, after a severe action, he was slain. Upon which the Hindús fled, and in the pursuit many were slain and many taken prisoners, but only one man was wounded among the royal troops.

Great consternation spread in Jháín, and at night the ráí, and all the Hindus with him, fled to the hills of Ranthambor, and the victorious troops returned to the king, and presented the plunder they had obtained, the heads which they had cut off, armour, horses, swords, and "a string of ráwats with their hands bound." The king allowed them to retain their booty, and distributed gold to them besides, and robes of honour.

The Capture of Jháin.

Three days after this, the king entered Jháín at mid-day, and occupied the private apartments of the ráí, where he admired the exquisite colours and carving on the stone, "on which the figures were

so beautifully cut, that they could not be exceeded in wax. The plaister was so beautifully made, that it reflected the image of one looking at it, and the mortar was mixed with sandal. The woodwork was all of 'úd (aloe-wood)."

He then visited the temples, which were ornamented with elaborate work in gold and silver. Next day he went again to the temples, and ordered their destruction, as well as that of the fort, and set fire to the palace, and "thus made a hell of paradise." The foundations of Jháin were so destroyed, that the army of the Sháh was enriched by the discovery of burnt treasures, and "so much gold was laden upon elephants, that who could tell its amount? This enormous wealth made rich men of beggars, for in every ruin a treasure had been found. While the soldiers sought every opportunity of plundering, the Sháh was engaged in burning the temples, and destroying the idols. There were two bronze images of Brahma, each of which weighed more than a thousand mans. These were

broken into pieces, and the fragments distributed amongst the officers, with orders to throw them down at the gates of the Masjid on their return."

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Malik Khurram then departed in pursuit of the infidels to their retreat in the hills, and took countless prisoners. Another party was detached under Sarjándár, across the Chambal and Kuwárí, to plunder Málwa, and shed the blood of the false religionists. When he was two parasangs beyond the Kuwárí, he came upon an open plain to which a narrow pass led. Here he found a crowd collected who had escaped the sword of the malik, and he plundered them to such an extent, that it is beyond my power to describe." The party returned, and met the king on the banks of the Chambal, to which river he had moved his camp. Thence Mubárak Bárbak was detached in another direction towards the Banás, where he plundered according to the fashion of the time. Malik Jándárbak Ahmad was detached in another direction. He also plundered and massacred "from the hill of Lára to the borders of Mára."

The King's return to Dehli.

The king returned towards Dehli, with "an army so encumbered by booty, that it could not proceed more than a mil a day." He

first visited on his route the hills of Bayáná, and as the road was "difficult on account of rivers and hills,” he allowed his officers to march in any direction they chose. The Sultán proceeded more leisurely in the rear.

On the king's return to Dehli, he held the second anniversary of his accession, on the 3rd of Jumáda-l ákhir, in the palace of Sírí. Description of the festival. "Each bride who witnessed the procession from the housetop, when she gazed at the countenance of the king, tore up her marriage settlements," in love and despair.-Concluding praises of the king, "who achieved two victories in different quarters of the country in one year." The author speaks of his work. "When I commenced this history, I thought of writing falsehoods, but truth seized my hand and restrained me." The poem was finished on the 20th of Jumáda-l ákhir, 690 н.

Conquests of Sultán 'Aláu-d din Khilji.

"'Aláu-d dín, that king whose court is like Jamshid's, who has conquered the east and protects the west, whose fortune is lofty, whose commands are obeyed." *** He who has been honoured by the chief of the 'Abbásís, who has destroyed the country of the sun-worshippers. When the arm of his fortune was raised, he became the ruler of Hindústán. When he advanced from the capital of Karra, the Hindús, in alarm, descended into the earth like ants. He departed towards the garden of Behár, to dye that soil with blood as red as a tulip. He cleared the road to Ujjain of vile wretches, and created consternation in Bhílsán. When he effected his conquests in that country, he drew out of the river the idols which had been concealed in it.

As this was but a small adventure in his sight, he determined to proceed towards Deogír, "where he overcame Rám Deo." "But see the mercy with which he regarded the broken-hearted, for, after seizing that ráí, he set him free again. He destroyed the temples of the idolaters, and erected pulpits and arches for mosques. He captured two-and-twenty elephants, in battles raging like the stream of the Nile. He captured also Bengal elephants from Lakhnautí, but those of Deogír were of a different stamp,-not such as knew

only how to eat their full, but such as could discharge arrows and brandish swords.' Were I to attempt to recount the plunder of jewels and gold, no measure or balance would suffice, for the treasure had been accumulated by the ráís from of old. Camels and mules were laden with rubies and diamonds, and every kind of precious stone, and the most experienced jewellers were unable even to guess at their value, and who can tell of the heaps of amber, and the costly silks? He returned victorious with this booty, in order to accomplish new conquests."

He advanced again from Karra, with iron in one hand and gold in the other; he gave a crown to one chief, while he took off the head of another. He marched to Dehli and set up his kingly throne, while all the world were in astonishment at the marvel that Dehli should be taken by Karra. The whole city declared that no one had ever been blessed with such good fortune. When he had established himself upon the throne, he began to think of the neighbouring countries. All the independent chiefs bowed down their heads, except the ill-fortuned Mír of Multán. That wretch was not of such importance that the Sháh should himself undertake any expedition against him." So Ulugh Khán was despatched with orders to conclude the business speedily, and, on its accomplishment, he returned to Court; and "all, both young and old, were astonished at the success of the universe-conquering Sultán."

3. 'ASHIKA OF AMIR KHUSRU.

["L'Innamorata." This, like the Kiránu-s Sa'dain, is a kind of epic or historical poem, having for its main subject the loves of Dewal Rání, daughter of the Ráí of Gújarát, and Khizr Khán, eldest son of Sultán 'Aláu-d dín. Khizr Khán, as told by Barní, fell under his father's displeasure and was put in confinement. Upon the death of 'Aláu-d dín, the traitor and would-be-usurper, Malik Náib Káfúr, caused the eyes of the prince to be put out. When Kutbu-d dín Mabárak Sháh had ascended the throne, to secure his own position, he had Khizr Khán and other of his

1 That elephants were once taught these useful exercises is evident from a similar passage in the Sikandar-náma, of Nizámí,