Equal steadiness was exhibited on the opposite side. Mah­med-shah, mounted on his favourite elephant, called Shah-pesend,* was gracing by his person all that host of officers, commanders, and illustrious volunteers that surrounded his throne. It was remarked that he had remained sitting the whole night as well as the whole preceding day. At day-break the enemy was already in motion; and Nedjmeddin-aaly-qhan, at the head of a body of Sëids of Barr, and another body of trusty soldiers, advanced again to the charge with the resolution of one resolved to carry the day, or to perish in the attempt. Setting at nought the thundering of that destructive artillery that had done so much havoc the whole night, he made a furious attack, that gave an image of the Day of Judgment, being resolved to recover that important post. He was opposed by Haïder-c8ly-khan and Qhandö8ran, who, sensible of the importance of example in such circumstances, came out of their breast-work to encounter the enemy; and they were supported by valorous troops and valiant commanders, amongst which last was Nusret-yar-qhan, a Sëid of Barr, who although priding himself in his being related to both Nedjmeddin-aaly-qhan and Abdollah-qhan, wished to signalise himself against them. And here again the contest became bloody and obstinate. The valorous commanders on both sides, having made so many targets of their breasts, exerted themselves heroically, as if emulous only of washing away with the waves,* flowing from their sabres, the doubts which might have remained in their minds about each other’s bravery. Both sides were rush­ing forward like so many crocodiles emerging from out of an inundation, or like famished lions from out a howling wilderness; and such screams and such an uproar rose everywhere as would have drowned those at the Day of Judgment. From the repeated conflict of so many steely sabres against the flinty firmness of so many intrepid commanders, a fire was struck out which, blazing like lightning, consumed those brave men by shoals, and ruined their forlorn families by thousands.

Saadet-qhan, who saw this dangerous conflict, and wished to acquire honour, advanced several times like an elephant in rut, to the assistance of those that were shedding their blood in the Emperor’s cause, and he made several vigorous charges; and Shir-eken-qhan, who marched to their assistance by the Emperor’s express commands, threw himself on the enemy’s pointed spears and threatening lances, like a famished tiger that sets the hunters at nought. Nevertheless, the Imperialists seemed to lose ground; and Dervish-aaly-qhan, commander of Qhandö8ran’s artillery, Abdol-ghani-qhan, who commanded that of Haïder-c8li-qhan’s, with Meïaram, his secretary, and Mahmed-djaafer, nephew to Hossëin-qhan, with an infinity of others, were already slain, and lay stretched on the ground. Nusret-yar-qhan had two arrows fixed in his body; and Dost-aaly-qhan, with a multitude of others, was wounded and disabled. On the part of Abdollah-qhan, Shahamet-qhan, a commander of great renown, with one of his sons, was slain, together with Abdol-cadyr-qhan, brother to the Cazi, Mir Bahadyr-shahi, and his brother Fateh-yar-qhan, and Tahover-aaly-qhan; and this was the fate of Abdol-ghani-qhan, son to Abdol-rahim-qhan Aoreng-zebi,* and Gholam-muhi-eddin-qhan, and Sabqhat-ollah-qhan, surnamed Sheika, and Gholam-aaly-qhan, the illustrious warrior, all three brothers and all three commanders of importance in Abdollah-qhan’s army, as well as Shudjah-qhan, son to Beloli. They were all slain in that trying occasion, where none but the bravest could shew their faces. All of them, after exhibiting feats of prowess and attach­ment that astonished the beholders, submitted cheerfully to their fate, and without hesitation drank to the dregs the bitter potion presented them by death, after they had exerted themselves to their last breath in wrenching out the souls of their enemies. Vast numbers of their men, who had gamed away the capital of their lives in that scene of slaughter and blood-drinking match, quitted the world in haste, and like so many bankrupts that had lost their all, they plunged at one dip into the abyss of eternity. The valorous Nedjmeddin-aaly-qhan, who had hitherto been the highest bidder in that market of death and slaughter, after having received several wounds by hand-blows, was at last hitted by an arrow, which sticking into his eye, deprived him of the delight­ful garment of sight, to the unspeakable sorrow of his brother, Abdollah-qhan; who observing how matters went, marched up to his assistance with all the braves of Barr that remained about his person. At this very time, and whilst every one’s attention was taken up with the critical situation of things, Churamon the Djatt, who was the best partisan in Abdollah-qhan’s service, wheeled round and fell upon the Emperor’s rear which he filled with confusion and screams. He seized on a thousand spare bullocks belonging to the Imperial artillery, with a number of camels laden with the chancellery and kitchen offices, all which were grazing on the banks of the Djumna, and pushing his point, he went as far as the Imperial camp, where he found at last people ready to receive him. The Emperor himself shot an arrow at him; and Mahmed-aamin-qhan and Haddi-qhan marched against him with the infantry which was round the Imperial elephant. Abdollah-qhan occupied only with what was passing on his front, was marching to the assistance of his people, when his flank was attacked by Saadet-qhan, Haïder-c8li-qhan, and Mahmed-qhan-bangash; and this motion being observed by Abdollah-qhan, he wheeled round and marched up to them. But his people were exceedingly galled by Haïder-c8li-qhan who had always his bow in action, and by that body of expert mus­queteers whom he had trained himself. Abdollah-qhan lost two officers of merit by this attack—Sheh-habilah, commander of his artillery, and Sëid-aaly-qhan, brother to his Paymaster-General, Abol-mohsen-qhan. This attack having somewhat disordered the ranks of Haïder-c8li-qhan’s men, he formed them again, and being joined by a good body brought by Qhandö8ran, he renewed his attack with so much vigour, that Abdollah-qhan lost his usual presence of mind. It had been a standing rule with him in the many battles which he had seen, and in which he had often been reduced to extremities, never to be guilty of the thoughtlessness of the Hindostany Generals, who on a moment of danger, used to quit their elephant, and to combat on feet, mixed with the crowd. Abdollah-qhan, on the contrary, had always conserved his presence of mind on such occasions, and had made it a point to oppose firmness and steadiness to forwardness and impetuosity. Like a lion lying in wait for the moment of falling on his prey, he kept displayed the standard of ascendant and superiority, (which, after all, ought to be the intent of prowess) and looked upon firmness and perseverance as more instrumental in the gain of a battle than ardour and impetuosity. Nevertheless, his store of good luck being now spent by this time, and fortune having turned her back upon him, he forgot his own maxims, and jumping without any necessity down his elephant, he took to his sabre and bucler, and mixed with the crowd, without once minding that he had stillt hree thousand Sëids of Barr about his person, who seemed likely to stand by him to the very last. But as fortune, after having quitted his party, seemed now bent on counteracting all his schemes, he was hardly down, when most of his officers and men, taking it for granted that he was slain or disabled, or that he had despaired of victory, abandoned their posts, far and near, and betook themselves to flight. Some other accounts say that Sëif-eddin-aaly-qhan, his very nephew, and one Abdollah-qhan totally defeated and then taken prisoner. of his best Generals, had already quitted his station, before Abdollah-qhan had thought of jumping down; and that his example had been followed by all the others. Be it as it will, Abdollah-qhan, although astonished at his desertion, kept his footing vigorously; but being now surrounded on all sides, and the weight of his armour obstructing his activity, he received an arrow in his forehead, and then two successive cuts on his neck and hand; and being pressed close and overcome with fatigue, he was seized on by the claws of fate, and made a prisoner. It was at the very moment his younger brother, Nedjmeddin-aaly-qhan, was closing with him, resolved to share his fate; and they were both going to be slain, when Abdollah-qhan was recollected by Haïder-c8li-qhan, who rescued them both from the hands of the soldiery. The destiny of those two noble persons affected the feelings of an infinity of men, and people thought they saw them designed in these verses which were then handed about:—

“I am he who in an attack could run the point of my spear through a golden ring,

But being now forsaken by my good star and rejected by fortune,

I have been in my turn surrounded by a ring and taken.

Of what avail could be my helmet and my cuirass,

After my good fortune had already turned her back upon me?

When the key of Victory ceases to be in a hand,

To no purpose will the arm attempt to break open the door of success.”