The Mahratta chiefs then sent Káká Pandit,* a renowned leader, who had 12,000 horsemen under his command, towards Gházíu-d dín Nagar, for the purpose of pillaging the banjáras who were in the habit of bringing grain to the camp of Ahmad Sultán and the chiefs of Hindústán, so as to prevent their receiving supplies. Accordingly, in the course of three days, the price of grain rose to a rupee a sír in the Sultán's camp. As soon as the soldiery became downcast and dispirited on account of the dearth of provisions, Ahmad Sultán mounted on horseback, under pretence of enjoying field-sports; but in the very midst of his sport, he directed Hájí Nawáb Alkúzai* ('Atáí Khán) to go after some game in a certain direction at the head of 2000 dauntless horsemen. The latter had been privately instructed, however, to go and chastise Káká Pandit, and drive him off the road. Hájí Nawáb Khán, therefore, having crossed the river Jumna, reached Gházíu-d dín Nagar by forced marches in a day, and at once attacked them. The contest was carried on vigorously for two hours on both sides, but the Mahratta party were eventually defeated, and a large number of them fell a prey to the keen swords of the Abdálí warriors. Káká* Pandit himself met with his death, and the surviving remnant of the force fled away, and betook themselves to a place of security. Hájí Nawáb then rejoined the army, victorious and successful, bringing the banjáras along with him; whereupon grain became plentiful and cheap in the camp markets, and the fears of the soldiery being removed, they engaged in their military duties with zeal and cheerfulness.

The two vast armies, having fixed their standing camps at a distance from each other of twice the range of a cannon-ball, maintained their respective positions; and the skirmishers on either side used daily to engage one another. On one occasion during this interval a thousand horsemen, each one carrying 2000 rupees with him on his horse, were proceeding from Sháh-Jahánábád to their own camp, and as they stood in fear of the Abdálí army, they used to march during the night. One of the horsemen belonging to the party, having become oppressed with drowsiness towards morning, missed his road, and moved towards the Abdálí camp. Having thus come face to face with the hostile picquets, he got caught in the grasp of calamity, and prepared for the road of ruin. From his own mouth it was discovered that they were conveying treasure to the Mahratta army; so a number of the boldest spirits out of every band set out for the Mahratta camp without any order from Ahmad Sultán, and during that short period of dawn until the rising of the great luminary pillaged three or four hundred of the horse­men. Among the number of those out in quest of booty was 'Aká Sandal Habshí, chief eunuch to Sháh Kulí Khán the Wazír, who put one Mahratta horseman to death himself, and carried off his 2000 rupees. The remnant of the Mahratta party gained their own camp by a precipitate flight, and so escaped from the grasp of death till their predestined day.

In like manner, as often as one or two thousand of the Mahratta horse went out for grass and forage, the Abdálí and Hindústání heroes used to pillage them on their way; till at length affairs reached such a pass that none would stir out fruitlessly from their position, which they had surrounded with a strong intrenchment, except wretched naked labourers who, going by stealth into the open country, used to dig up grass from the ground with their kharpas, and offer it for sale. As soon as Ahmad Sultán became cognizant of these matters, he directed Khánján Khán, the head of the Fúfalzai chiefs, who is generally known as Jahán Khán, along with three or four thousand Kazalbáshís who were under his command; as well as Hájí Nawáb Khán Alkúzai; to mount every day and patrol round the Mahratta camp at a distance of two kos from their intrenchments, one from the northern side, and the other from the southern; and whenever any forager with grass should approach the enemy's camp, to put him to death. The chiefs in question accordingly continued for a period of two months to patrol round the intrenched camp, slaying and pillaging every forager they came across, who attempted to convey grain, fodder, or grass to the enemy; afterwards they used to separate from each other on the east and west.

The Mahratta army being reduced to great extremities for want of grass, fodder, and grain, marched out with intent to give battle;* and at the time of their moving off from their position, such clouds of dust ascended up to heaven from beneath their horses' hoofs, that the bright day appeared to all eyes darker and gloomier than the murky shades of a pitch-black night; in so much that two persons seated side by side could not distinguish each other. Ahmad Sultán then commissioned Sháh Pasand Khán,—who was both a great chieftain and charkhí-báshí, as well as commander of the vanguard, and dárogha of the stable, —the harkáras and the paiks, to go and procure information as to the state and strength of the Mahratta army. The chief in question, taking the author of this work, and ten other daunt­less cavaliers from amongst his relatives and dependents along with him, pursued the road to their camp in the intense obscurity with perfect certainty, as there had been daily skirmishes with them on the plains, and a thorough knowledge of all the paths had been acquired. In the course of four hours we had advanced half a kos, when at that moment the noise of artillery wheels struck on the sensitive ears of the author and his comrades, while the tramp of our horses' hoofs also reached the ears of the enemy's gunners. They immediately suspected that a force from the Abdálí army was advancing under cover of the dense clouds of dust to make an assault, and fired several rounds, the shot of which passed close by our horsemen. The horsemen in question having thus happily escaped the destructive effects of those cannon-balls, we turned back, and reported the news to Ahmad Sultán, that their army was steadily advancing with the resolute determination of giving battle. The Sultán then set about dis­posing his troops in order, and marshalling their ranks. ^{* *} Ahmad Sultán took his stand in the centre of the army, and planted 2000 camel swivels well in advance of his position. In rear of the camel swivels came 20,000 infantry jazailchís, backed by the domestics of the royal darbár. Behind these again was the band of music, and in rear of that Ahmad Sultán took up his position, supported behind by the Kazalbásh cavalry, counting over 10,000 sabres, and lastly by the force composed of Durránís, Ghiljáís, etc. In rear of the line on the right-hand side was stationed Hájí Jamál Khán Bárakzai, who stood alert and ready for action at the distance of half a kos; so that when­ever the enemy should make a desperate assault upon any one of the divisions that were drawn up in front, he might render it assistance. On the left Shujá'u-d daula and others stood ready to furnish succour, and to do his utmost to repel the enemy, whenever any reverse should happen to one of those divisions in the front line.

Both sides having arrayed their troops in line, stood confront­ing each other till noon, when ^{* *} the ranks of the two armies appeared clearly to each other's sight.* Then the gallant youths, entering upon the martial strife, commenced the battle and dealt out lusty blows, whilst the expert gunners of European birth kindled the flames of war by discharging their thunder-voiced ordnance, and the rocketmen of magical skill consumed the thread of life of the heroes of the battle-field by darting their falcon-winged missiles. As for a musket bullet, the heroes cared not what it might do, and in that scene of carnage and slaughter the only dread entertained by the renowned and gallant com­batants was for a cannon-ball, or the flight of a rocket.