As soon as my eye fell upon the dispositions of Rája Ratan Sen, I ordered my warriors to shout their battle-cry aloud, and the drums and other instruments to be sounded. The noise reverberated through the hills, and filled the hearts of the infidels with dismay and trembling, so that they wavered. At this moment I ordered my forces to make one grand charge upon the infidels. At the first onset, the Hindus broke and fled, and my victorious soldiers pursued, slashing their swords, killing many of the fugitives, and sending them to hell. Only a few of them escaped, wounded and dispirited, and hiding themselves like foxes in the woods, thus saved their lives. When the soldiers gave up killing the infidels, they secured great plunder in goods and valuables, prisoners and cattle. No one of them had less than one or two hundred cows, and ten or twenty slaves—the other plunder exceeded all calculation. On this day, Prince Pír Muhammad Jahángír and Amír Sulaimán Sháh, with the right wing of the army, and Prince Sultán Husain and Amír Jahán Sháh, with the left wing, returned and joined me. By my orders they had parted from me, and had penetrated the valleys on my right and left. They had encountered and routed many infidels, and had slain great numbers of them, but they had not gained so much spoil (as my division). I was satisfied with the victory I had won over Ratan Sen and his forces, and all that he possessed had fallen into the hands of my soldiers. Day came to a close, and I encamped between the two mountains. The princes and amírs of the right and left wing, whose way had lain through other valleys, came in to me in the evening, which was the evening of Friday, the 16th,* and reported to me their en­gagements with the enemy, and the men who had distinguished themselves by feats of valour. After a night's rest, on the morning of Friday, I arose, and after saying my prayers I mounted and rode towards the valley of those two mountains, intent upon the conquest of the Siwálik hills.

Capture of Nagarkot (Kángra).

When I entered the valley on that side of the Siwálik, infor­mation was brought to me about the town (shahr) of Nagarkot, which is a large and important town of Hindustán, and situated in these mountains. The distance was thirty kos, but the road thither lay through jungles, and over lofty and rugged hills. Every ráí and rája who dwelt in these hills had a large number of retainers. As soon as I learned these facts about Nagarkot and the country round, my whole heart was intent upon carrying the war against the infidel Hindus of that place, and upon sub­duing the territory. So I set spurs to my horse, and wended my way thither.

The left wing of my army, commanded by Amír Jahán Sháh, had obtained no booty on the previous day, so I ordered his division to the front to battle with the infidels, and to capture spoil to compensate them for the deficiency of the previous day. I sent Sáín Tímúr with a party of soldiers forward as an advance-guard, and then I followed. At breakfast time Sáín Tímúr the commander of the vanguard, sent to inform me that there was a very large force of infidels in front drawn up in order of battle. I instantly ordered Amír Jahán Sháh, whom I had sent to the front with the forces of the left wing and the army of Khurásán, to attack the enemy. The amír, in obedience to my order, advanced and charged the enemy. At the very first charge the infidels were defeated and put to flight. The holy warriors, sword in hand, dashed among the fugitives, and made heaps of corpses. Great numbers were slain, and a vast booty in goods and valuables, and prisoners and cattle in countless num­bers, fell into the hands of the victors, who returned triumphant and loaded with spoil.

A horseman belonging to the kushún of Amír Shaikh Núru-d dín and 'Ali Sultán Tawáchí now came galloping in to inform me that upon my left there was a valley in which an immense number of Hindus and gabrs had collected, and were crying out for battle. Vast herds of cattle and buffalos were grazing around them, in numbers beyond the reach of the imagination. As soon as I heard this, I proceeded to the place, and having said my mid-day prayers with the congregation on the way, I joined Amír Shaikh Núru-d dín, and I ordered him, with 'Alí Sultán Tawáchí, to march with their forces against the enemy. In compliance with this order they went boldly forward, and by a rapid march came in sight of the infidels. Like a pack of hungry sharp-clawed wolves, they fell upon the flock of fox-like infidels, and dyed their swords and weapons in the blood of those wretches till streams of blood ran down the valley. I went to the front from the rear, and found the enemy flying on all sides, and my braves splashing their blood upon the ground. A party of the Hindus fled towards the mountain, and I taking a body of soldiers pursued them up that lofty mountain, and put them to the sword. After mounting to the summit I halted. Finding the spot verdant and the air pleasant, I sat myself down and watched the fighting and the valiant deeds my men were per­forming. I observed their conduct with my own eyes, and how they put the infidel Hindus to the sword. The soldiers engaged in collecting the booty, and cattle, and prisoners. This exceeded all calculation, and they returned victorious and triumphant. The princes and amírs and other officers came up the mountain to meet me, and to congratulate me on the victory. I had seen splendid deeds of valour, and I now promoted the performers and rewarded them with princely gifts. The enormous numbers of cows and buffalos that had been taken were brought forward, and I directed that those who had captured many should give a few to those soldiers who had got no share. Through this order, every man, small and great, strong and feeble, obtained a share of the spoil. I remained till evening on the mountain, and after saying evening prayer I came down. I encamped in the valley where there were running streams. Several times when I en­camped in these mountains great numbers of monkeys came into the camp from the jungles and woods, both by night and day, and laid their claws upon whatever they could find to eat, and carried it off before the faces of the men. At night they stole their little articles and curiosities.

Since the 14th Jumáda-l awwal, when I entered the Siwálik hills, I had fought the enemy several times, I had gained vic­tories and captured forts. From that time to the 17th Jumáda-l ákhir, one month and two days, I had been engaged in fighting, slaying, and plundering the miscreant Hindus of those hills, until I arrived at the fort of Jammú. I reckoned that during those thirty-two days I had twenty conflicts with the enemy, and gained as many victories. I captured seven strong celebrated forts belonging to the infidels, which were situated two or three kos distance apart, and were the jewels and beauties of that region. The people of these forts and countries had formerly paid the jizya (poll-tax) to the Sultán of Hindustán; but for a long time past they had grown strong, and casting off their allegiance to those sovereigns, they no longer paid the jizya, but indulged in all sorts of opposition.

One of these eight forts belonged to a chief named Shaikha, a relation of Malik Shaikh Kúkar. The people of the fort made some Musulmáns who were dwelling amongst them their media­tors, and sent offers of submission and service. But I saw looks of deception and treachery in the faces of the people of the fort. When my ministers had settled the amount of the ransom money, and the officers proceeded to collect it, these bad people evaded payment. On being informed of this, I gave orders that all kinds of articles should be taken at a good price instead of money and specie (jins). When this was understood, they brought forth all sorts of things and gave them over at a high valuation, so it came to pass that all the bows and arrows and swords that they possessed were surrendered instead of money. I now issued an order that forty of the Hindus of the fort should come out to serve Hindú Sháh, my treasurer. Being of a dis­obedient rebellious spirit they resisted, paid no respect to my order, and even killed some of the Musulmáns who were in the fort. Directly I heard this, I gave orders for the amírs with their respective forces to advance boldly against the fort. In execution of this order all my forces assembled en masse to storm the place. They assailed it on every side, and fixing their scaling-ladders they mounted the walls and penetrated to the interior. The men of the garrison having been guilty of conduct worthy of death, were killed. Two thousand thus perished and were sent to hell. The women and children were made prisoners, and the buildings were levelled with the ground. By the favour and grace of God my heart had thus been gratified with the over­throw of the vile infidels of the Siwálik. I had subdued their strongholds, and there remained no other contumacious ráí or rája to conquer. I inquired of the people who were acquainted with this region if there were any more infidels in the vicinity against whom I could carry the scourge of holy warfare.