Next morning I marched from that station, with the intention of offering battle, when Khalífa 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. Khalífa 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.

On Saturday, the 13th of the latter Jumáda, 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 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 Musulmán and Pagan armies, I shall therefore subjoin the official despatch announcing the victory, as composed by Shaikh Zain, without adding or taking away.

[This is a long and elaborate document in the grand style. Bábar gained a complete victory; Hasan Mewáttí and many Hindu chiefs were slain, and great numbers of the enemy's men were killed, wounded, or made prisoners.]

After this victory, I used the epithet of Ghází in the imperial titles. Having defeated the enemy, we pursued them with great slaughter. Their camp might be two kos distant from ours. On reaching it, I sent on Muhammadí and some other officers, with orders to follow them in close pursuit, slaying and cutting them off, so that they should not have time to re-assemble. In this instance I was guilty of neglect; I should myself have gone on, and urged the pursuit, and ought not to have intrusted that business to another. * * * Next day we continued on the same ground. I despatched Muhammad 'Alí Jang-Jang and * * * with a large force against Ilyás Khán, who had made an insur­rection in the Doáb, surprised Koíl, and taken Kachak 'Alí prisoner. On the arrival of my detachment, the enemy, finding that they could not cope with them, fled in all directions in confusion and dismay. Some days after my return to Ágra, Ilyás was taken and brought in; I ordered him to be flayed alive.

The battle was fought within view of a small hill, near our camp. On this hillock I directed a tower of the skulls of the infidels to be constructed. From this encampment the third march brought us to Bayána. Immense numbers of the dead bodies of the Pagans and apostates had fallen in their flight, all the way to Bayána, and even as far as Alwar and Mewát. * *

The country of Mewát lies not far from Dehlí, and yields a revenue of three or four krors. Hasan Khán Mewáttí had received the government of that country from his ancestors, who had governed it, in uninterrupted succession, for nearly 200 years. They had yielded an imperfect kind of submission to the Sultáns of Dehlí. The Sultáns of Hind, whether from the extent of their territories, from want of opportunity, or from obstacles opposed by the mountainous nature of the country, had never subdued Mewát. They had never been able to reduce it to order, and were content to receive such a degree of obedience as was tendered to them. After my conquest of Hind, following the example of former Sultáns, I also had shown Hasan Khán distinguished marks of favour. Yet this ungrateful man, whose affections lay all on the side of the Pagans, this infidel, regard­less of my favours, and without any sense of the kindness and distinction with which he had been treated, was the grand pro­moter and leader of all the commotions and rebellions that ensued, as has been related. The plan for marching into the country of the Pagans having been abandoned, I resolved on the reduction of Mewát. I advanced four marches, and after the fifth, encamped six kos from the fort of Alwár, which was the seat of government, on the banks of the river Manisni. Hasan Khán's ancestors had made their capital at Tajára. * * * A person named Karm Chand, one of Hasan Khán's head men, who had come to visit Hasan Khán's son while he was a prisoner in Ágra, now arrived from the son, commissioned to ask a pardon. I sent him back, accompanied by 'Abdu-l Rahím Shagháwal, with letters to quiet his apprehensions, and promising him personal safety;* and they returned along with Náhir Khán, Hasan Khán's son. I again received him into favour, and bestowed on him a pargana of several lacs for his support. * * * I bestowed on Chín Tímúr Sultán the city of Tajára, which was the capital of Mewát, granting him at the same time a settled provision of fifty lacs. To Tardíka, who in the battle with Ráná Sanka commanded the tulughma (or flanking division) on the right, and had distinguished himself more than any other, I gave an appointment of fifteen* lacs, with the charge of the fort of Alwár. I bestowed the treasure of Alwár, with everything in the fort, on Humáyún.

I marched from this station on Wednesday, the 1st of Rajab, and having come within two kos of Alwár, went and examined the fort, where I stayed all night, and returned back to the camp in the morning.

On Sunday [29th Safar] Ustád 'Alí Kúlí fired a large ball from a cannon; though the ball went far, the cannon burst in pieces, and every piece knocked down several men, of whom eight died. * * *

On Monday the 14th of the first Rabí', I set out, in pursuance of a vow, on a holy war against Chánderí, and marching three kos, halted at Jalesar. * * * On Friday, the 24th [of the second Rabí'], we encamped near Kachwah. * * * Having halted one day, I sent on a number of overseers and pioneers to level the inequalities of the road, and to cut down the jungle, to admit of the guns and carriages* passing without difficulty. * * * * Leaving Kachwah, the second day's march brought us within three kos of Chánderí, where we encamped, having previously crossed the river of Barhánpúr.

The citadel of Chánderí is situated on a hill. The outer fort and town lie in the middle of the slope of the hill. The straight road, by which cannon* can be conveyed, passes right below the fort. After marching from Barhánpúr, we passed a kos lower down than Chánderí, on account of our guns,* and at the end of the march, on Tuesday, the 28th, encamped on the banks of Bahjat Khán's tank, on the top of the mound. Next morning I rode out and distributed the different posts around the fort to the different divisions of my army, to the centre and to the right and left wings. In placing his battery, Ustád 'Alí Kúlí chose a piece of ground that had no slope.* Overseers and pioneers were appointed to construct works on which the guns were to be planted. All the men of the army were directed to prepare túrás and scaling-ladders, and to serve the túrás which are used in attacking forts. Chánderí had formerly belonged to the Sultáns of Mandú. After the death of Sultán Násiru-d dín one of his sons, Sultán Mahmúd, who is now in Mandú, got possession of Mandú and the neighbouring countries; another of his sons, Muhammad Sháh, seized on Chánderí, and applied to Sultán Sikandar for protection. Sultán Sikandar sent several large armies and supported him in his dominions. After Sultán Sikandar's demise, in Sultán Ibráhím's reign, Muhammad Sháh died, leaving a young son of the name of Ahmad Sháh. Sultán Ibráhím carried off Ahmad Sháh, and established one of his own people in his stead. When Sanka advanced with an army against Ibráhím as far as Dhúlpúr, that prince's amírs rose against him, and on that occasion Chánderí fell into Sanka's hands. He bestowed it on one Mediní Ráo, a Pagan of great consequence, who was now in the place with 4000 or 5000 Pagans. * * I sent to him to assure him of my favour and clemency, and offering him Shamsábád in exchange for Chánderí. Two or three considerable people about him were averse to con­ciliation, * * and the treaty broke off without success. On the morning of Tuesday, the 6th of the first Jumáda, I marched from Bahjat Khán's tank, for the purpose of attempting Chánderí by force, and encamped on the banks of the middle tank, which is near the fort. The same morning, just as we reached our ground, Khalífa brought me a letter or two. The tenor of them was, that the army which had been sent to the eastward (púrab), while marching in disorder, had been attacked and defeated; that it had abandoned Lucknow, and fallen back to Kanauj. * * * The enemy had garrisoned every part of the citadel [of Chánderí] strongly, but had placed only a few men, by ones and twos, in the outer fort to defend it. This very night my troops entered the outer fort on every side. There being but few people in the place, the resistance was not obstinate. They fled, and took shelter in the citadel.