On the 29th I again marched and reached the river Jumna. On the other side of the river I descried a fort, and upon making inquiry about it, I was informed that it consisted of a town and fort, called Loní and that it was held by an officer named Maimún as kotwál on behalf of Sultán Mahmúd. I determined to take that fort at once, and as pasture was scant where I was, on the same day I crossed the river Jumna. I sent Amír Jahán Sháh and Amír Sháh Malik and Amír Allah-dád to besiege the fort of Loní, and I pitched my camp opposite to the fort. They invested the fort which was under the command of the kotwál named Maimún. He made preparations for resistance. At this time a holy shaikh who dwelt in the town came out very wisely and waited upon me. Although the shaikh was greatly honoured by the people, still, they would not listen to his advice, but determined to fight rather than surrender to me. These people were Hindus and belonged to the faction of Mallú Khán. They despised the counsels of the venerable father and resolved to resist. When I was informed of it, I ordered all the amírs and soldiers to assemble and invest the fort. They accordingly gathered with alacrity round the fort, and in the course of one watch of the day they carried the place. It was situated in a doáb between two rivers, one the Jumna, the other the Halín, the latter being a large canal which was cut from the river Kalíní and brought to Fírozábád, and there connected with the Jumna by Sultán Fíroz Sháh. Many of the Rájpúts placed their wives and children in their houses and burned them, then they rushed to the battle and were killed. Other men of the garrison fought and were slain, and a great many were taken prisoners. Next day I gave orders that the Musulmán prisoners should be separated and saved, but that the infidels should all be despatched to hell with the proselyting sword. I also ordered that the houses of the saiyids, shaikhs, and learned Musulmáns should be preserved, but that all the other houses should be plundered and the fort destroyed. It was done as I directed and a great booty was obtained.
When my heart was satisfied with the conquest of Loní, I rode away from thence on the 1st Rabi'u-l ákhir to examine the fords of the Jumna, and proceeded along the bank of the river. When I came opposite the palace Jahán-numá, I found some places where the river was passable. At the time of mid-day prayer, I returned to the camp. I gave orders to the princes and amírs, and then held a council about the attack upon Dehlí and the operations against Sultán Mahmúd.
After much discussion in the Council of War, where everyone had something to say and an opinion to offer, it appeared that the soldiers of my army had heard tales about the strength and prowess and appearance of the elephants of Hindustán. They had been told that in the fight one would take up a horseman and his horse with his trunk and hurl them in the air. These stories had been met by suitable answers from some of the bold troopers. The Council of War at length agreed that a plentiful supply of grain must first be secured, and stored in the fort of Loní as a provision for the army. After this was done, we might proceed to the attack of the fort and city of Dehlí. When the Council was over, I ordered Amír Jahán Sháh, Amír Sulaimán Sháh, and other amírs to cross over the Jumna and to forage in the environs of Dehlí, bringing off all the corn they could find for the use of the army.
It now occurred to me that I would cross over the Jumna with a small party of horse to examine the palace of Jahán-numá, and to reconnoitre the ground on which a battle might be fought. So I took an escort of 700 horsemen clad in armour and went off. I sent on 'Alí Sultán Tawáchí and Junaid Bur-uldaí as an advance guard. Crossing the Jumna I reached Jahán-numá and inspected the whole building, and I discovered a plain fit for a battle-field. 'Alí Sultán and Junaíd, my advance-guard, each brought in a man belonging to the van-guard of the enemy. 'Alí Sultán's prisoner was named Muhammad Salaf. When I had interrogated him about the matters of Sultán Mahmúd and Mallú Khán, I ordered him to be put to death as an augury of good. My scouts now brought me information that Mallú Khán with 4,000 horsemen in armour, 5,000 infantry, and twenty-seven fierce war elephants fully accoutred, had come out of the gardens of the city and had drawn up his array. I left Saiyid Khwájah and Mubashar Bahádur with 300 brave Turk horsemen on gray horses (sufaid sawár i Turk) in the Jahán-numá and withdrew towards my camp. Mallú Khán advanced boldly towards Jahán-numá and Saiyid Khwájah and Mubashar went forth to meet him. A conflict ensued, and my men fought valiantly. Immediately I heard of the action I sent Súnjak Bahádur and Amír Alláh-dád with two regiments (kushún) to their support. As soon as practicable, they assailed the enemy with arrows and then charged them. At the second and third charge the enemy was defeated and fled towards Dehlí in disorder. Many fell under the swords and arrows of my men. When the men fled, an extraordinary incident occurred: one of the great war elephants, called Bengálís, fell down and died. When I heard of it I declared it to be a good omen. My victorious troops pursued the enemy to the vicinity of the city, and then returned to present themselves at my tent. I congratulated them on their victory and praised their conduct. Next day, Friday the 3rd of the month, I left the fort of Loní and marched to a position opposite to Jahán-numá where I encamped. The officers who had been sent out foraging brought in large quantities of grain and spoil.
I now held a Court. I issued a summons to the princes, amírs,
núyáns, commanders of kushúns, the commanders of tumáns, of
thousands and of hundreds, and to the braves of the advance-
At this Court Amír Jahán Sháh and Amír Sulaimán Sháh, and other amírs of experience, brought to my notice that, from the time of entering Hindustán up to the present time, we had taken more than 100,000 infidels and Hindus prisoners, and that they were all in my camp. On the previous day, when the enemy's forces made the attack upon us, the prisoners made signs of rejoicing, uttered imprecations against us, and were ready, as soon as they heard of the enemy's success, to form themselves into a body, break their bonds, plunder our tents, and then to go and join the enemy, and so increase his numbers and strength. I asked their advice about the prisoners, and they said that on the great day of battle these 100,000 prisoners could not be left with the baggage, and that it would be entirely opposed to the rules of war to set these idolaters and foes of Islám at liberty. In fact, no other course remained but that of making them all food for the sword. When I heard these words I found them in accordance with the rules of war, and I directly gave my command for the Tawáchís to proclaim throughout the camp that every man who had infidel prisoners was to put them to death, and whoever neglected to do so should himself be executed and his property given to the informer. When this order became known to the gházís of Islám, they drew their swords and put their prisoners to death. 100,000 infidels, impious idolaters, were on that day slain. Mauláná Násiru-d dín 'Umar, a counsellor and man of learning, who, in all his life, had never killed a sparrow, now, in execution of my order, slew with his sword fifteen idolatrous Hindus, who were his captives.