It was only after this retreat that we learned what had hap­pened before our coming up, and how Mustapha-qhan had been defeated. That General having broke in the intrenchment at once, and filled every part of it with confusion and terror, thought that all was over; when the Governor, who found himself almost alone, resolved not to survive his shame, and advanced towards him, with intention to sell his life at a dear rate. He was inces­santly shooting arrows from his elephant; and his guards, armed with heavy musquets, were firing as they advanced; as did some few men on horseback that followed some Radjahs, and at last engaged the enemy. Mustapha-qhan, on observing the Governor, pointed to his people who he was, and he ordered that he should be brought alive. Whilst he was yet speaking Hekim-shah, who was one of the bravest and the most zealous of his friends, having drawn after him three or four brave men more, engaged three or four of the six that followed Mehdy-nessar-qhan, but soon fell dead of his wounds, as did Dil-shah, another brave who had come to hand-blows. Mustapha-qhan was near now; and the two Generals seemed eager to engage each other, when his elephant-man being wounded with a musquet-ball, fell down sprawling in his blood; and the animal having no driver, turned to the left and right, and seemed so much frightened and out of its senses, that Mustapha-qhan, afraid lest the animal should carry him away and snatch the victory out of his hands, jumped down and advanced on foot, sabre in hand, expecting that others would follow his example, and soon form a circle round his person with which he might surround the Governor. His ill destiny would it so, that his people mistaking his intention, fancied that he had fallen down for the same reason which had brought down his driver; and they fell into confusion immediately, after which most of them fled out of the intrenchment; and their General after having said a few words upon such a reverse of fortune, reluctantly followed his people on foot; nor was he thought of, or recollected, but when he was out of the intrenchment; then only did his people think of him, and they brought him a horse. As by this time his people were now in confusion, dispersed, and incapable to hear any command, he went a little farther, and ordered the music to strike up in sign of victory, in hopes of enticing his troops round his person; but they were incapable of hearing him, and their General, finding all his efforts vain, followed the runaways. The Governor seeing the enemy out of the intrenchment, rallied as many of his people as he could, and passed the ramainder of the day and the whole night on horseback, ready to receive the enemy. It was at that time, that it became known that Radja Sunder-sing’s brigade, after having opposed the enemy as well as they could, had been broke at last, and overthrown; and that Mustapha-qhan, without minding him any more, had gone on, and put to flight Radja Kyret-chund with his brigade; whilst B8lend-qhan having also broke into the intrenchment, was plundering the tents, and filling every part with terror and confusion. Sunder-sing, I say, who saw such a state of things, and not a standard standing, not a single pair of colours displayed, concluded that the Governor had been killed, and that all was over; and he fled with as many of his men, as had escaped the sabre. His example was followed by Radja Beshen-sing, by Mahammed-djemal, and by some other Commanders of small note, who all turned their backs, and fled. Some took shelter within the city walls, and many more in Djaafer-qhan’s garden and in the groves adjoining, as well as on the water side; and thus one full half of the intrenchment remained without a man to defend it. Nor did there remain even a trace of the army-market, and of the tents, colours and standards that had been standing there in the morning. The whole became an empty waste, as far as the eye could reach. The other troops stationed at that part of the intrenchment that joined the city westward, seeing such a state of things, left that station, and turned towards the eastern part, where Mustapha-qhan was then, and where they thought the greatest efforts would be made. The Governor, who was everywhere, and gave his orders everywhere, passed the day in a small incommodious tent pitched at a small distance from Abdol-aaly-qhan’s, and the night in that Commander’s tent, where he used to take some rest; whilst that Commander, with myself the last of men, and Mehdyr-nessar-qhan, and Naky-aaly-qhan with some guards, watched over his person. Once the Afghans approached by night near the intrenchment, and threw some rockets in it, to try how people were upon their guards, for they intended a surprise. But this stratagem was defeated by the alertness of Mehdy-nessar-qhan, who ran Good con­duct of the Governor’s. everywhere, and gave order that the troops should not move from their stations, but should fight in their posts, without minding anything else. This order tranquillised the troops; and the confusion which was already rising, subsided at once. The next day the enemy cannonaded so vigorously, that a great number of men and horses were maimed by their balls. Those that were at some distance within the intrenchment, were losing every moment a horse or a limb; but those that were close at the foot of it, suffered nothing. For five days together, the cannonade went on at the same rate. The seventh, which was a Wednesday of the month Sefer, the spies gave notice that to-morrow Mustapha-qhan would decamp, and continue his march. This advice having engaged the Governor to assemble his council, he asked them what they thought of the intelligence. The wisest amongst them were of opinion “that Mustapha-qhan was not a man to depart without trying another engagement; that meanwhile the troops ought to be ordered to get ready to receive the enemy; and that every preparative ought to be made; after which they might wait what fate would produce for them; but that by all means the vanquished troops must be kept behind the intrenchment, whereas those that had stood their ground, and fought the enemy, ought to be brought out of it, to take him in flank.” Accordingly, Abdol-aaly-qhan, and Ahmed-qhan-coréishy, and Sheh-djehan-yar with Qhadum-hussëin-qhan, and some others, were put at the head of so many brigades, that were to march out; and Djesvent-nagur, and Namder-qhan, Radja of Mehin, with his three brothers, and their regiments, together with the bodyguards, and Mehdy-nessar-qhan, were ordered to attend the Governor everywhere; but those that had felt the weight of the Afghan sabre, like Radja Kyret-chund, and Zulficar-qhan, and some others, were ordered to remain within the intrenchment. At day-break, the Governor made his morning prayer, recommended himself to God Almighty’s safe­guard, and mounted, followed by Abdol-aaly-qhan, who had about fifteen hundred horse with him. The Governor himself had a thousand more, as well as a thousand musqueteers preceded by a few rocket men and two or three swivels. A little after, Mustapha-qhan’s cavalry appeared out of the mango-groves on the south of the intrenchment, whilst his artillery was advancing westward. This being observed by Mehdy-nessar-qhan, he came up and desired Abdol-aaly-qhan to attend to that manœuvre “as it became necessary to prevent the enemy’s taking possession of the mound that retained the waters of the lake. Otherwise,” added he “if they succeed in taking post thereon, it will be impossible to shew one’s self in the plain below, because they would fire from behind a cover, and we from an open plain.” This advice being approved by Abdol-aaly-qhan, he from that moment inclined to the left; and the Governor went on with the highroad, but inclining towards the right, at about a gunshot from the former. Whilst Abdol-aaly-qhan was advancing with his brigade, in which I was myself, the enemy had already crossed the plain, turned the mound, and taken possession of that strong post, from whence they immediately commenced firing with their cannon; at the same time M8rteza-qhan, son to Mustapha-qhan, alighted from his horse with a large number of men which he stationed at the right and left of the post, to support the cannon; and that General himself having closed with the extremity of the dyke, shut up the empty space betwixt that extremity and the highroad, and stopped his elephant over against that of the Governor’s, who was advancing on that road. The empty space between the father and son was immediately filled up by a number of brave Afghans, who ranged themselves straight and cut as formidable an appearance as Alexander’s wall*; from whence with their long musquets, they commenced a terrible fire, the dis­tance between them and us being not above an arrowshot. In a little time most of those at my right and left were wounded and slain, or had their horses sprawling on the ground. Amongst these proved to be one of Abdol-aaly-qhan’s best friends, who having lost his horse, came to request my assistance. I ordered therefore the elephant to kneel, and took the man behind my häodah; but whilst the elephant was rising, a musquet-ball came, and struck the man again, and I thought it had gone through his body; but by good luck, it had been slackened by the folds of his girdle, and by the thickness of his belt. At that moment another ball came which wounded me in the arm; it burned and tore off the flesh, but spared the bone. The driver of Abdol-aaly-qhan’s elephant received two musquet-balls at the same time, and tumbled down, but did not die. Abdol-aaly-qhan desired Rahman-qhan, who sat behind him, to supply the driver’s place, and took the driver behind, whom he placed where Rahman-qhan had been. The engagement became hot now, and people fell down every moment. This being disliked by one of Abdol-aaly-qhan’s officers, whose name was, I believe, Mirza-fate-ollah, as brave a man as ever fought in a battle, he selected a small number of musqueteers, and although wounded himself in the foot, and hardly able to move, he brought them before Abdol-aaly-qhan’s elephant, and was encouraging and directing their fire; but that made by the enemy proved so hot, that our people, unable to stand it, com­menced lagging and skulking behind. So that there remained on the field of battle only about three hundred horse, with some infantry under the command of Abdol-aaly-qhan, Ahmed-qhan-coréishy, Shah-djehan-yar and Qhadum-hussëin-qhan. At this sight Abdol-aaly-qhan sent to the Governor to inform him that matters went ill with them, and that unless they were supported, they would not be able to advance. That he hoped he would come himself to his assistance, as his appearance alone would encourage his people to renew their attack; that otherwise whatever was to befall them, would happen, but then the battle would be as good as lost. The Governor on this message wanted to advance, but was overruled by Hadji-ahmed, his father; so that finding no assistance came to us, we recommended ourselves to God, like people that could not expect to return from that engagement. At this very time Mustapha-qhan on his elephant made his appearance from behind the mound; and we all concluded that the Afghans were coming to an attack: when Fate-ollah-qhan with his mus­queteers joined us, and commenced firing; and at the first fire he brought down Mustapha-qhan’s driver, as well as his standard-bearer. Both standard-bearer and standard rolled together down, and I know not why, but at this sight, I cried out: We have beaten them. So I hope in God; and I accept the omen, answered Abdol-aaly-qhan, with three ohter Commanders that were with him. At these words they plucked up fresh courage, pushed their ele­phants forwards, got upon the mound, and finding M8rteza-qhan there with his Afghans, they engaged them briskly. From thence we could descry the Governor, who having got rid of his father, was advancing in haste, preceded by a large body of men, who with their rockets, wall-pieces, and long musquets, were doing a great deal of execution, whilst marching. This added spurs to the courage of all of us, who were engaged with the Afghans, and fighting with the sabre body to body; in which way the business of wounding and killing went on so briskly, that I saw in a moment about forty or fifty of the bravest Afghans wounded and slain. At this very moment, a rising zephyr of victory was spread­ing over the Governor’s standard; and in fact that zephyr proved to be the wind itself, which being westerly, shifted at once to the east, and blew all that smoke and dust in the enemy’s face. At this critical moment, a musquet-ball entered Mustapha-qhan’s eye, and went out at his ear; and that General fell on his face in such a manner, that his people took him for dead, lost courage, and fell into confusion, and at last fled on all sides. M8rteza-qhan seeing his father’s elephant returning towards the Afghan camp, guessed the reason of such a retreat; and losing courage, he quitted the field likewise. It must be observed that as Mustapha-qhan had always looked with a left invidious eye both on the Prince of the faithful, (on whom be peace and grace for ever!)* and on those that loved him, he now received his punition in his right eye, and was punished as he deserved. The Governor having first pros­trated himself on the ground with Abdol-aaly-qhan and some other commanders, in acknowledgment of this victory, ordered the enemy to be pursued slowly; and at the same time he commanded the music to play in token of victory. The troops had orders to march in order, as the enemy had rallied by this time, and was retreating with a steady pace, without the least appearance of dismay or confusion. But as they had their wives and families with them, and a deal of baggage besides, whenever the carts or sumpter beasts were stopped by any impediment, two or three thousand of them would stop at the same time with a deal of composure, without ever offering to advance a foot, until every thing was set to right again, and then only they recommenced their march, but with an undaunted countenance, that did not look like that of vanquished foes. This countenance of theirs having made impression on the Governor, he recommended to his men, only to follow the enemy, without betraying too much eager­ness. And thus they were advancing slowly, and at the rate of one cosse in five hours’ time, stopping each time when the enemy stopped, and playing their music; and they continued in this manner, until the enemy’s dust could be no more descried. In the evening, news came that Mustapha-qhan’s troops had encamped at the reservoir called Mety-p8r, about which spot the General having given some signs of life, they descended him from his elephant, and put him into his paleky; in which he recovered his senses so far, as to ask how matters went, and being told, he expressed a regret at those repeated reverses of fortune. As soon as the enemy was seen encamped, the Governor returned to his tent, where he received the congratulations and nuzurs of his officers, on whom he bestowed encomiums according to their respective ranks and merits; so that every one was satisfied. As to me, he embraced me heartily, and loaded me with caresses and compli­ments, probably because I was the oldest among them. The army passed the night under arms. In the morning intelligence was received that Mustapha-qhan had marched on; upon which the Governor marched immediately, and encamped at the very place which the enemy had left. The next day the Afghans marched to Nobetp8r, still followed by us, who kept them company from stage to stage, until they came to Muhabbet-aaly-p8r.