Ram Dew, seeing that he must soon be obliged to yield, and apprehending that the King of Dehly intended to make an entire conquest of the Dec-can, was anxious to secure peace before any other forces arrived. He, therefore, addressed the fol­lowing letter to Alla-ood-Deen: “Your invasion “of this country was imprudent and rash; but “fortunately for you, you found the city unguarded, “and you have been permitted to range at large. “It is, however, possible, that the rajas of the “Deccan, who command innumerable armies, may “yet surround you, and not permit one of your “people to return from our dominions alive. Sup-“posing, even, that you should be able to retreat “from hence undisturbed, are not the princes of “Malwa, Kandeish, and Gondwara, in your route, “who have each armies of 40,000 or 50,000 men? “Can you hope they will permit you to escape “unmolested? “It is advisable, therefore, for you “to retire in time, by accepting a moderate sum, “which, with the spoil you have already got, will “indemnify you for the expense of your expe-“dition.”

Alla-ood-Deen, according to these proposals, accepted of 50 maunds of gold, * and a large quan­tity of pearls and jewels, and retained the ele­phants which he had taken in the Raja's stables. He released his prisoners, and promised to quit the town on the morning of the fifteenth day from his first entrance. But while he was preparing to retreat, Ram Dew's eldest son, Shunkul Dew, who had retired with his mother on the first appearance of the Mahomedan troops, to collect succours, ad­vanced with a numerous army within a few miles of the city. Ram Dew sent a message to his son, informing him, that peace was concluded; and enjoined him to allow what had been settled to be quietly carried into effect, and required him to abstain from molesting the Mahomedans, whom he declared to be an enterprising and war­like race, with whom peace was better than war. The young prince, however, aware that his army amounted to thrice the number of the enemy, and hourly expecting to be joined by other princes, neglected the commands of his father, and wrote to Alla-ood-Deen in these terms:—“If you have “any love for life, and desire safety, restore what “you have plundered, and proceed quietly home-“ward, rejoicing at your happy escape.” Alla-ood-Deen, on perusal of this letter, fired with indignation, ordered, that the messengers should have their faces blackened with soot, and be hooted out of his camp. He left Mullik Noosrut to invest the fort with a thousand horse, in order to prevent a sally, and marched with the rest of his army to attack the Raja's son.

The Hindoos by no means declined the contest; and an action ensued, in which the Mahomedan troops, overpowered by numbers, fell back on all sides. Meanwhile, Mullik Noosrut, on learning the situation of affairs, left his post without orders, and galloping up to the field of battle with his thousand horse, changed the fortune of the day. The dust preventing the enemy from discovering the amount of Mullik Noosrut's force, it was sup­posed, by the Hindoos, that the King's army, of which they had heard, was arrived. In an instant a panic spread through their ranks, and they broke and fled in every direction. Alla-ood-Deen did not think it prudent to pursue them, but immedi­ately returned, and having again encamped around the fort, exhibited to the garrison several of the Raja's kindred, in chains, who had been taken prisoners in the action.

Ram Dew, now in a state of the utmost per­plexity, sent expresses to hasten the succours which he expected from the rajas of Koolburga, Tulin-gana, Malwa, and Kandeish. But the greatest cause of distress (of which till then he was un­aware) was his want of provisions; for it was only now discovered, that the bags formerly brought into the fort, and supposed to contain grain, were filled with salt. Ram Dew, with much presence of mind, commanded the circumstance to be kept secret from the troops, and opened a second ne­gotiation with Alla-ood-Deen. “It must be known to you,” said the Prince, “that I had no hand in “the late quarrel. If my son, owing to the folly “and petulance of youth, has broken the conditions “between us, that event ought not to render me “responsible for his rashness.” Ram Dew, more­over, authorised his ambassador privately to accede to any terms rather than protract the siege.

Alla-ood-Deen, from the conduct of Ram Dew, suspected the true cause of his anxiety, and, there­fore, proposed every day some new difficulty to retard the treaty. The garrison, being in the very last stage of distress, another treaty was concluded by the Raja upon the following terms:—viz. “That Alla-ood-Deen should receive, on eva-“cuating the country, 600 maunds of pearls, * two “maunds of diamonds, rubies, emeralds, and sap-“phires, 1000 maunds of silver, 4000 pieces of “silk,” besides a long list of other precious com­modities to which reason forbids us to give credit. This ransom was not the only one required, but the cession of Elichpoor, and its dependencies, was also demanded, where Alla-ood-Deen might leave a garrison, which should remain there unmo­lested, for the collection of the revenues to be remitted to him at Kurra Manukpoor.

Alla-ood-Deen having released all his prisoners, marched in triumph out of the city with his plunder, and proceeded on his return, on the 25th day from his first arrival before Dewgur. He con­ducted his retreat with such address, that he opened his way through extensive and powerful kingdoms; viz. Malwa, Gondwara, and Kandeish. In this retreat, though surrounded by hostile armies, yet owing to the great order and regu­larity, as well as courage, displayed by his troops, they made little impression; and these attacks served only to add to the splendour of his enter­prise. We may here justly remark, that, in the long volumes of history, there is scarcely any thing to be compared with this exploit, whether we regard the resolution in forming the plan, the boldness of its execution, or the great good fortune which attended its accomplishment.

When Alla-ood-Deen marched to Dewgur, all communication with Kurra was stopt, and no news heard of him for some months. The person whom he left as his deputy had orders to write to court, that he was engaged in the conquest of Chundery; but as the King, for the space of six months, had received no letters from under his own hand, he began to suspect treason. In the year

A. H. 695.
A. D. 1295.

695, under the pretence of hunting, the King ordered out his retinue, and pro­ceeded towards Gualiar, where he en­camped, and built a large and lofty dome, with a verse to this purpose inscribed over the door:— “What fame can I, whose footsteps press the “throne of empire, acquire from raising this rude “mass of masonry? No! I have united these “broken stones together, in order that, under “their shade, the weary traveller, or broken-“hearted pilgrim, may find repose, and offer up “his blessing.”

In the mean time, private intelligence arrived, that Alla-ood-Deen, having conquered Dewgur, had acquired such wealth as was never before pos­sessed, even by a king of Dehly, with which he was now on his return towards Kurra. The King, delighted with this news, reckoned upon the spoil as if already in his own treasury; but men of more reflection thought otherwise, and justly concluded, that it was not to fill the royal coffers, that Alla-ood-Deen, without the King's authority, had un­dertaken so bold and hazardous an expedition. They, however, waited to see the issue, without communicating their suspicions.

The King having one day assembled his council, told them, that Alla-ood-Deen was now on his return to Kurra with immense booty, and requested their advice, whether it would be most prudent for him to remain where he was, and command Alla-ood-Deen to the presence, or to march towards him, or to return to Dehly? Mullik Ahmud Hu-beeb, at once sagacious and remarkable for his open and candid mode of addressing the King on all occasions, ventured to express his suspicions of the ultimate designs of his nephew. He advised the King to advance with his army towards Chun-dery, and encamp on the road along which lay Alla-ood-Deen's route to Kurra. “This,” said he, “will enable you to discover the Prince's inten-“tions before he has time to augment his army.” He added, further, that, upon the appearance of the imperial army, it was highly probable that the troops of Alla-ood-Deen, laden with spoil, and within their own country, would not hazard the loss of it by an action; but would rather endeavour to secure their wealth, and disperse among the mountains. That by these means, Alla-ood-Deen, if he meditated revolt, would be deserted by the greatest part of his small army, which would oblige him to abandon whatever plans he might have formed for establishing his independence, and induce him to lay his wealth at the foot of the throne. He proceeded to observe, that the King in this case might take the gold, jewels, and ele­phants, which, according to custom, appertained to the crown, and permit Alla-ood-Deen to retain the remainder for himself. It would then be a point for consideration, whether he should be allowed to continue in his government, or be directed to accompany the court to Dehly.