With fame, even if I die, I am contented;
Let fame be mine, since my body is Death’s.*

The Most High God has been propitious to us, and has now placed us in such a crisis,* that if we fall in the field, we die the death of martyrs; if we survive, we rise victorious, the avengers of the cause of God.* Let us, then, with one accord, swear on God’s holy word, that none of us will even think of turning his face from this warfare, nor desert from the battle and slaughter that ensues, till his soul is separated from his body.’

Its power
ful effects

Master and servant, small and great, all with emulation, seizing the blessed Korān in their hands, swore in the form that I had given. My plan succeeded to admiration, and its effects were instantly visible, far and near, on friend and foe.

Bābur’s
danger.

The danger and confusion on all sides were particularly alarming at this very moment. Hussain Khan Lohāni had advanced and taken Rāberi.* Kutb Khan’s people had taken Chāndwār.* A man* of the name of Rustam Khan having assembled a body of Doāb bowmen, had come and taken Koel,* and made Kīchek Ali prisoner. He loses
many dis-
tricts. Zāhid had been compelled to evacuate Sambal and had rejoined me. Sultan Muhammed Duldāi had retired from Kanauj, and joined my army. The pagans of the surround­ing country came and blockaded Gwāliār. Ālim Khan, who had been sent to the succour of Gwāliār, instead of proceeding to that place, had marched off to his own country. Every day some unpleasant news reached us from one place or another. Many Hindustānis began to desert from the army. Haibet Khan Gurg-andāz* * fled to Sambal. Hassan Khan Bāriwāl fled and joined the pagans. Without minding the fugitives, we continued to regard only our own force. March 12.
He advan-
ces against
the enemy. On Tuesday, the 9th of the latter Jumāda, on the day of the Nouroz, I advanced my guns, and tripods that moved on wheels, with all the apparatus and machines which I had prepared, and marched forward with my army, regularly drawn up and divided into right and left wing and centre in battle order. I sent forward in front the guns and tripods placed on wheel-carriages. Behind them was stationed Ustād Ali Kuli, with a body of his matchlock-men, to prevent the communication between the artillery and infantry, who were behind, from being cut off, and to enable them to advance and form into line. After the ranks were formed, and every man stationed in his place, I galloped along the line, animating the Begs and troops of the centre, right and left, giving each division special instructions how they were to act, and to every man orders how to conduct himself, and in what manner he was to engage*; and, having made these arrangements, I ordered the army to move on in Encamps. order of battle for about a kos, when we halted to encamp. The pagans on getting notice of our motions, were on the alert, and several parties drew out to face us, and advanced close up to our guns and ditch.* After our army had en­camped, and when we had strengthened and fortified our position in front,* as I did not intend fighting that day, I pushed on a few of our troops to skirmish with a party of the enemy, by way of taking an omen. They took a number of pagans and cut off their heads, which they brought away. Malik Kāsim also cut off and brought in some heads. He behaved extremely well. This incident raised the spirits of our army excessively, and had a wonderful effect in giving them confidence in themselves.

March 13.

Next morning, I marched from that station, with the intention of offering battle; when Khalīfeh and some of my advisers represented to me, that as the ground on which we had fixed for halting was near at hand, it would be proper, in the first place, to throw up a ditch and to fortify it, after which we might march forward and occupy the position. Khalīfeh accordingly mounted to give directions about the ditch, and rejoined us, after having set pioneers to work on the different parts of it,* and appointed proper persons to superintend their progress.

March 16.
Again
advances.

On Saturday, the 13th of the latter Jumāda, having dragged forward our guns, and advanced our right, left, and centre in battle array, for nearly a kos, we reached the ground that had been prepared for us. Many tents were already pitched, and they were engaged in pitching others, when news was brought that the enemy’s army was in sight. I immediately mounted, and gave orders that every And en-
gages the
enemy. man should, without delay, repair to his post, and that the guns and lines should be properly strengthened.* As the letter announcing my subsequent victory contains a clear detailed account of the circumstances of the Army of the Faith, the number of the pagan bands, the order of battle and arrangements of both the Musulman and pagan armies,* I shall therefore subjoin the official dispatch* announcing the victory, as composed by Sheikh Zein, without adding or taking away.