"condition but at the expence of many millions "of deenars, nor could such another be con"structed under a period of two centuries."

Among the temples at Mutra were found five golden idols, whose eyes were of rubies, valued at 50,000 deenars. * On another idol was found a sapphire, weighing 400 miskals, and the image itself, being melted down, produced 98,300 miskals of pure gold; besides these images there were above 100 idols of silver, which loaded as many camels. † The King tarried in Mutra 20 days; in which time the city suffered greatly from fire, beside the damage it sustained by being pillaged. At length he continued his march along the course of a stream on whose banks were seven strong forti. fications, all of which fell in succession: there were also discovered some very ancient temples, which, according to the Hindoos, had existed for 4000 years. Having sacked these temples and forts, the troops were led against the fort of Munj. This fort was full of Rajpoots, who held out 25 days; but finding the place no longer tenable, some rushed through the breaches on the enemy, and met that death which they no longer endeavoured to avoid; others threw themselves headlong from the walls, and were dashed to pieces; and others, again, burned themselves in their houses, with their wives and children, so that not one of the garrison survived.

* 22,3331.

+ One hundred camels would not carry more than 150,000l. in silver.

The position of this place has not been fixed, if the name be correct.

Mahmood, having secured what was valuable, next invested the fort of Raja Chundpal. But he had sent off all his treasure to the mountains, and at the approach of the King evacuated the place; there, however, still remained much spoil and provi. sions, which Mahmood divided amongst his troops.

Mahmood from hence marched against another raja, whose name was Chundur Ray. This prince, after some skirmishes, finding himself unable to cope with the Mahomedans, sent off his treasure and other valuable effects, and fled to the mountains. Chundur Ray had an elephant of uncommon size, such as had never before been seen in Hindoostan, which was not more remarkable for its enormous bulk than for its docility and courage. Mahmood, having heard much of this elephant, sent to the Raja, offering him advantageous terms of peace, and a great sum of money for this animal. The pride of Chundur Ray did not permit him to listen to terms with Mahomedans, so that Mahmood was disappointed. The elephant, however, happened one night to break loose from his keepers, and went into the Ghiznevide camp, where it permitted itself to be mounted and brought before the King, who called it Khooda-dad, "The gift of God," because it came by accident into his hands. Mahmood, loaded with spoil and encumbered with captives, returned to Ghizny, where he caused the objects of his plunder to be displayed. They consisted of 20,000,000 of dirms of gold and silver bullion, 5300 captives, 350

* Taking the dirm at 5d. the sum would not amount to more than 416,6661. sterling.

elephants, besides jewels, pearls, and precious effects, which could not be properly estimated. Nor was the private spoil of the army less than that which came into the public treasury.

The King, on his return, ordered a magnificent mosque to be built of marble and granite, of such beauty as struck every beholder with astonishment, and furnished it with rich carpets, and with candelabras and other ornaments of silver and gold. This mosque was universally known by the name of the Celestial Bride. In its neighbourhood the King founded an university, supplied with a vast collection of curious books in various languages. It contained also a museum of natural curiosities. For the maintenance of this establishment he appropriated a large sum of money, besides a sufficient fund for the maintenance of the students, and proper persons to instruct youth in the arts and sciences.

When the nobility of Ghizny perceived the taste of their king evince itself in architecture, they also endeavoured to vie with each other in the magnificence of their private palaces, as well as in public buildings which they raised for the embellishment of the city. Thus, in a short time, the capital was ornamented with mosques, porches, fountains, reservoirs, aqueducts, and cisterns, beyond any city in the East. Some authors affirm, that among the curiosities which the King brought from India, was a bird resembling a dove, which possessed the peculiar faculty of discovering poison however secretly conveyed into any apartment in which the bird lived. It is said, on such occasions,

the bird was affected with the smell of the poison in such a way, as to fly distractedly about its cage, while tears streamed involuntarily from the eyes. This bird, with other curiosities, was sent as a present to the Caliph of Bagdad, Alkâdir Billa. Other authors mention a stone that he brought from Hindoostan, which being dipped in water and applied to wounds, proved efficacious in healing them.

A. H. 410.

A. D. 1019.

The King, in the year 410, caused an account of his exploits to be written and sent to the Caliph, who ordered it to be read to the people of Bagdad, making a great festival upon the occasion, expressive of his joy at the propagation of the faith.

A. H. 412.

A. D. 1021.

In the year 412, a petition was presented from his subjects, setting forth, that some tribes of Arabs had for many years interrupted the communication with Mecca, so that for fear of them, and on account of the weakness of the Caliph, who neglected to expel them, and whose power had long since declined, pilgrims were unable to pay their devotions at the shrine of the Prophet. The King immediately appointed Aboo-Mahomed, the Kazy-ool-Koozat *, with a considerable force, to accompany a kafila, proceeding to Mecca, with a strong escort. But, lest the enemy should be too strong for him, he sent 30,000 dirms to procure a safe journey to the pilgrims. Accordingly many thousand individuals of all classes prepared to depart.

*This officer united the powers of chief of the high court of justice, and head of the religion.

Having reached the desert of Keid, they beheld a large encampment of Arabs pitched on their route. This banditti drew up to oppose the pilgrims. Aboo-Mahomed, being desirous of treating with them, sent a message to their chief, offering him 5000 dirms. The chief, Humad Bin Ally, instead of accepting the proposal, resented it so much, that, without delay, he advanced to attack the kafila. Aboo-Mahomed, in the mean time, drewout his troops, when, fortunately, in the very beginning of the action, a Turkish slave in the kafila, well skilled in archery, lodged an arrow in the brain of Humad Bin Ally. The Arabs, on the fall of their chief, fled; and the kafila, without further molestation, proceeded to Mecca, where having paid their devotions, they returned by the same route, and arrived at Ghizny.

Mahmood received this year advices from India that the neighbouring princes had, in his absence, attacked Koowur Ray, the Raja of Kunowj, for entering into alliance with the King, and placing himself in subjection to him. Mahmood immediately marched to his aid, but before he arrived, Nunda Ray, Raja of Kalunjur, having besieged Kunowj, slew Koowur Ray, with a number of his principal chiefs. Mahmood arrived at the Jumna, and was surprised to find that the Raja of Lahore, who had so often fled before his troops, was now encamped on the opposite bank; but the deep and formidable river prevented an immediate attack. In this state of anxiety, eight of the royal guard of Mahmood's army, without orders, swam