Much about this time, the Prince Mahomed, son of the King Sikundur Lody, having taken pro­tection with Rana Sanka, had by his assistance and that of Hussun Khan Mewatty advanced against the Mogul Emperor Babur; but he sus­tained a defeat, as we have already seen, at Kan-wa. The Prince Mahomed first fled to Chittoor, but was subsequently invited to join the Lody chiefs who had assembled at Patna, and being proclaimed king, soon made himself master of all Behar. Sheer Khan, perceiving that he could not withdraw the officers from the Prince Maho-med Lody's interest, and that he had not suffi­cient force to oppose him, of necessity submitted to his authority, and by that means saved a part of Behar which Mahomed Lody permitted him to retain. This Prince told him at the same time, that if he should effectually assist him in recover­ing Joonpoor from the Moguls, he would restore Behar to him. A written compact to that effect was accordingly drawn up and executed between them.

Some time after this, Sheer Khan, having ob­tained leave to return to Sahsaram, began to levy troops, and Mahomed Shah Lody, marching with an army against the Moguls, sent him orders to join. Sheer Khan delayed doing so for some time, which convinced the Prince he was luke­warm in his interest, and he accordingly marched his army through Sheer Khan's estate on his way to Joonpoor. On this occasion, Sheer Khan came out to meet him, caused an elegant entertainment to be provided for him, and accompanied him as far as Joonpoor. The troops of Hoomayoon eva­cuated the province on their approach, so that the Afghans obtained possession of the whole country as far as Manukpoor.

Hoomayoon, who was at this time besieging Kalunjur, having heard of the progress of the Afghans, raised the siege, and marched against them. Mahomed Shah Lody having on this oc­casion given the chief command of his army to Bubun Khan and Bayezeed Khan, Sheer Khan conceived himself neglected, and accordingly betraying his master, wrote a private letter the night before the action to Mirza Hindoo Beg, one of the Mogul generals, acquainting him, “That he esteemed himself a servant of Babur's “family, to whom he owed his advancement, and “that he would be the cause of defeating the “Afghans next day.” Accordingly, as had been preconcerted, Sheer Khan drew off his troops during the action, which occasioned Mahomed Shah Lody's defeat, for which service he was greatly favoured by Hoomayoon. Mahomed Shah Lody, after this defeat, having retreated to Patna, with­drew from public life, and in the same year died a natural death in retirement in Orissa.

Hoomayoon, after this victory, returned to Agra, and sent Mirza Hindoo Beg to Sheer Khan, requiring of the latter to put him in possession of the fort of Chunar. Sheer Khan excused himself, and obliged Hindoo Beg to retreat. Hoomayoon returned immediately with his whole army to be­siege Chunar, and having invested it, he received a letter from Sheer Khan, acquainting him, “That “he considered himself one of the servants of the “house of Babur, from whom he first obtained a “government; that he had evinced his fidelity “by being the occasion of the late victory; that, “therefore, if the King would permit him to retain “the fort of Chunar, he was willing to pay him the “revenues of the lands which he held, and would “send his son, Kootub Khan, with five hundred “horse, to be maintained at his own expence, in “the King's service.” The affairs of Guzerat, owing to the conquests of Bahadur Shah, required the King's presence in that quarter, so that Hoo-mayoon, taking into consideration the strength of Chunar, consented to these terms, and being joined by Kootub Khan, with five hundred horse, he marched against Bahadur Shah. He had scarcely reached Guzerat, however, when Koo-tub Khan deserted with his party, and returned to his father. Sheer Khan raised forces, and reduced all Behar; and, gaining confidence from this success, he invaded Bengal, and having fought several severe actions, penetrated to its capital.

Mahmood Shah Poorby of Bengal shut himself up in Goor, to which Sheer Khan laid siege; but learning that the zemindars of Behar, during his absence, had raised an insurrection, he left Khowas Khan to prosecute the siege of Goor, and returned in person to Behar. Shortly afterwards, Sheer Khan rejoined the army, and the garrison of Goor being straitened for supplies, Mahmood Shah fled in a boat to Hajypoor. Being closely pursued by Sheer Khan, he gave battle, but was defeated and wounded in the action; and abandoning his king­dom, it fell into the hands of Sheer Khan.

Hoomayoon, returning from Guzerat, con­ceived it necessary to check Sheer Khan's rising power; for which purpose, he marched towards Chunar. Julal Khan, a son of Sheer Khan, who commanded there, left the defence to Ghazy Khan Soor, and retired to the hills of J'har-cund, from whence he returned and annoyed the besiegers. The siege was carried on for six months, when Roomy Khan, who commanded Hoomayoon's artillery, reduced the fort by means of floating stages which have been already de­scribed.

Hoomayoon, leaving Dost Beg in charge of Chunar, marched towards Bengal, where Mahmood Shah Poorby, who, as we have already related, was wounded in an action with Sheer Khan, claimed his protection. Hoomayoon, having ad­vanced to the pass of Gurhy, the frontier post of Bengal, found that Sheer Khan had sent his son Julal, with Khowas Khan and a strong detachment, to guard the defile. Jehangeer Koolly Beg and some other chiefs were directed to dislodge them; but they were repulsed in several attacks. Being, however, supported by more troops, and the whole army appearing in sight, a successful assault was made, and the Moguls at length became masters of the pass. Julal Khan fled to his father at Goor, who, being in no condition to engage so superior a force, evacuated that capital, carried off all his wealth to the mountains of J'harkund, and began to project a scheme for possessing himself of Rohtas, in which he might lodge his family and wealth in security.

Sheer Khan had no hopes of taking Rohtas by open force; it became necessary, therefore, to devise some stratagem to effect the object. He accordingly sent a person to Raja Hurry Krishn Ray, who was in possession of it, to say, “That “as he was about to attempt the recovery of “Bengal, he relied on their former friendship for “permitting him to send his family and treasure “into Rohtas, with a few attendants.” Hurry Krishn Ray at first refused; but Sheer Khan, having sent an artful agent to him a second time, with handsome presents, assured him, “That it was for “his women and treasure alone he requested pro-“tection: that should he be fortunate enough to “conquer Bengal, he would make proper acknow-“ledgments for the favour; but if he should lose “his life in the contest, he rather chose that his “family and wealth should remain in the hands of “Hurry Krishn Ray, than fall into those of his “enemies, the Moguls.” Hurry Krishn Ray suf­fered himself to be deceived; but in giving his consent, * resolved to keep the treasure when once in his possession.

Sheer Khan having provided dolies†, * placed armed men in them, except in the two or three which were to go first; and having filled five hundred money-bags with leaden bullets, appointed some of his most trusty soldiers to carry them, in the dis­guise of servants, with sticks in their hands: they appeared as if they were carrying the treasure up the mountain. The men who carried the dolies were also soldiers. This train having reached the gate, and the first and second doly being examined, and found to contain only old women, all farther precaution was neglected. The Raja was, in the mean time, busy in counting the bags, which he now cal­culated on as his own. The dolies having reached the house which the Raja had appointed for the reception of the females, the savage wolves * rushed out among the sheep, and dyed the fold with their blood. The men who conveyed the treasure at first used their staves, till they all gradually supplied themselves with arms from the dolies; and having easily mastered the garrison, totally unprepared for such an occurrence, they ad­mitted Sheer Khan, who was encamped at a small distance. Hurry Krishn Ray himself escaped with a few followers out of the fort, by a private passage.

Thus fell one of the most impregnable fortresses in the world into the hands of Sheer Kkan, toge­ther with much treasure, which had been accu­mulated for ages. The merit of the invention of the stratagem, however, is not due to Sheer Khan; the fort of Asseer, in the Deccan, having been long before surprised in the same manner by Nuseer Khan Farooky, ruler of Kandeish.

Although the author (Mahomed Kasim Ferishta) has seen many hill forts in India, he has seen none to compare with that of Rohtas. It is situated on a table land on the top of a mountain, more than five coss (seven miles) square. It has only one entrance by a very narrow road, along a steep ascent of two miles from the foot of the hill to the gates; and water is found every where in abund­ance, by digging a few feet below the surface.