[THE following is the account which the author himself gives of his work in the Preface: “This work was composed at the instance of His Majesty, Abú-l Fath Sultán Muhammad Sháh Bahádur,* by his faithful servant, Muhammad Ja'far Shámlú, who passed his early youth in the service of the illustrious monarch, Sháh Rukh Sháh Safaví, and towards the close of his career repaired to Hindústán, and waited on Muhammad Beg Khán Hamadání. During the prime of life, however, for the space of five-and-twenty years, he was constantly with Ahmad Sultán Abdálí, more commonly styled Durrání, and having accompanied him several times to Hindústán, became well ac­quainted with the whole series of royal marches from the city of Kandahár to the metropolis of Sháh-Jahánábád. At the battle, which was fought at Pánípat with Wiswás Ráí and his deputy Bháo, the author was himself present on the field, and witnessed the circumstances with his own eyes. Other particulars too he learnt from persons of credit and sagacity, and having written them all down without any alteration, he designated the work by the title of Manázilu-l Futúh, or Victorious Marches.”

The work is a short one, and the whole of it was translated for Sir H. M. Elliot by the late Major Fuller. The greater part of this translation is here printed.]