From Jaisalmīr proceeding by forced marches to Mārwār he ^440. sent Atka Khān to* Māldeo, and halted for several days in the vicinity* of Jodhpūr, awaiting his arrival. Inasmuch as in those* days, Nāgor had fallen into the hands of Sher Shāh, and* had inspired Māldeo with the utmost awe of the majesty and power of Humāyūn; accordingly Māldeo, fearing the wrath of Sher Shāh,* was afraid to obey that summons, and detaining Atka Khān by some trick, sent a large force under the pretence of welcoming him, with the intention of treacherously attacking Humāyūn and taking him prisoner.* Atka Khān [becoming aware of their treachery from its outset]* returned without asking permission, and informed Humāyūn of the real state of affairs. He on the instant started with all haste for Amarkoṭ. It so chanced that two of Māldeo's spies had arrived at that same place, and Humāyūn gave orders for them both to be put to death. In their despair one drew a knife, and the other a dagger,* and fell upon (their enemies) like boars wounded by arrows, and killed* a large number of living things,* men, women and horses, whatever came in their way.* Among the number was Humāyūn's charger: Humāyūn thereupon asked Tardī Beg for a few horses and camels,* he however behaved meanly, and Humāyūn mounted a camel. After a while* Nadīm, his foster-brother,* gave the horse which his mother was riding to the king, he himself going on foot in his mother's retinue through that bare desert, which was like an oven for heat.* His mother after­wards rode on the camel, and they traversed that road* which was so terribly difficult, amid constant* alarms of the attack of Māldeo, [and with intense labour and distress.* In the middle of ^441. the night they reached a place of safety; by chance the Hindūs of Māldeo's army]* pursuing them through the night, missed their way,* and in the morning, in a narrow pass, came upon the rearguard of the army, who were two and twenty in number. Mun‘im Khān and Roshan Beg* Koka, and another* party of men who belonged to that side having arrived, a battle ensued. In the very first onset the leader of the Hindūs went to hell from an arrow-wound, and a large number were killed. They could not withstand the attack, and many camels fell into the hands of the Muslims. This victory was the occasion of great rejoicing.* Marching from thence and being without water,* after three days they arrived at a halting-place, where, on account of its depth* a drum had to be beaten at the mouth of the well, so that its sound might reach the place where the oxen for drawing the water were.* For lack of water, a crowd of people in their distress were lost, and* disappeared like water in that sandy plain, which was a very river of quicksand, while many horses and camels drinking water after their long and unaccustomed drouth, died* from surfeit of water. And inasmuch as that desert, like the midday mirage,* was as interminable as the troubles of the hap­less * wretches of the army, perforce they turned aside by a circuitous route* towards Amarkoṭ, which lies at a distance of a hundred krohs from Tatta. The governor of Amarkoṭ, named Rānā, came out to meet them accompanied by his sons, and did all in his power* to render fitting service.