Sher Khán left Ghází Súr and Buláki,* who was the com­mandant of Chunár, in that fortress, and removed his family and those of his Afghán followers to the fortress of Bahrkunda; but as he had many families with him, that fort could not hold them all. There existed a friendly connexion between Sher Khán and the Rájá of the fort of Rohtás, and Chúráman, the Rájá's náíb, was on particular terms of intimate friendship and alliance with Sher Khán. This Chúráman was a Bráhman, and was a person of the highest rank, and had formerly shown kindness to the family of Míán Nizám, own brother to Sher Khán, and procured them shelter in the fort of Rohtás; and when all danger had gone by, the family again quitted the fort, and made it over to the Rájá. On the present occasion, Sher Khán wrote that he was in great straits, and that if the Rájá would give him the loan of the fort for a short time, he would be obliged to him all his days, and that when all danger was past, he would again restore the fort. Chúráman replied, “Be of good cheer, I will manage it, so that the Rájá shall lend you the fort.” When Chúráman went to the Rájá, he said, “Sher Khán has asked for the loan of Rohtás for his family. He is your neighbour. This is my advice, it is an opportunity to show kindness; you should admit his family.” The Rájá agreed.

When Sher Khán sent his family from Bahrkunda, the Rájá retracted his promise, and said, “When I admitted Míán Nizám into the fort, they had but a small force. I was the stronger. Now they have the larger force, and I a small one. If I admit them into the fort, and they will not restore it, I cannot take it from them by force.” Chúráman wrote to Sher Khán, saying: “Certain persons, my enemies, have given very evil counsel to the Rájá, and persuaded him to violate his promise, and to decline giving you the fort.” Sher Khán, on receiving this news, was much grieved and anxious, and he wrote to the Rájá, and said: “On the faith of your promise, I have brought my family from Bahrkunda. If the Emperor Humáyún hears this news, he will send his army, and all the families of the Afgháns will be taken and enslaved. This misfortune will rest on your head.” Sher Khán also gave to Chúráman a bribe of six mans of gold, and said: “Persuade in any way you can the Rájá to give me the loan of this fort for a few days, for my family; but if he will not give it, then I will go and make my peace with the Emperor Humáyún, and will revenge myself on everything belonging to the Rájá.” Chúráman said, “Be of good heart, I will procure admittance for your women and children.” So Chúráman then went to the Rájá, and said: “It is not becoming your dignity to break your promise. Sher Khán, on the strength of it, has brought his family from the fort of Bahrkunda. If the Emperor hears that his family is not in safety, he will attack and destroy them, and the blame will rest on my shoulders. Moreover, if Sher Khán be in extremities, he will make peace with the Emperor, and will attack you, and you are not strong enough to oppose him. Why do you thus heedlessly provoke his hostility, and throw your kingdom into confusion? I am a Bráhman, and since Sher Khán came here relying on my word, if his family be slain, the blame will rest on me. If you do not admit him into the fort, I will take poison and die at your door.” When the Rájá saw Chúráman thus determined, he agreed to admit the family of Sher Khán into the fort. Sher Khán had not heard of the permission, when he received intelli­gence that Khawás Khán senior had been drowned in the ditch of the fort of Gaur, and that the fort of Chunár had surrendered to the Emperor Humáyún.* He became very depressed and anxious, and bestowing on the younger brother of Khawás Khán, whose name was Musáhib Khán, the sur­name of Khawás Khán, detached him with urgent instructions, that since Chunár had fallen, and that the Emperor Humáyún would in a few days march towards Bengal, he was to press the siege of Gaur with all possible despatch.

Khawás Khán arrived at Gaur, and said to Jalál Khán, “My orders from the king* are to take the fort of Gaur without delay, as the Emperor is coming up in our rear.” Jalál Khán said: “Wait yet to-day.” But Khawás Khán replied, “I cannot disobey my orders; we must at once make the attack.” Jalál Khán said: “Be it so! go to your post.” Khawás Khán, taking his leave of Jalál Khán, came to his brother's post, and encouraged his brother's force, saying, “My orders are these: The instant I arrive to use every endeavour to take the fort and not in any way to delay.” He directed the heralds to command the army to prepare themselves with all haste, as there was no time to lose; and arming himself, he sent to Jalál Khán to say, “I am ready with my whole force in obedience to the orders of Sher Khán, and only wait for you. Do you array yourselves also; it is not good to delay. By God's grace we will be victorious.” Jalál Khán, Shujá'at Khán, and the rest were displeased, but, nevertheless, got ready. Khawás Khán personally displayed such energy and gallantry, that he succeeded in mastering the fortress even before Jalál Khán arrived. From that day his valour became celebrated, and after that he conquered wherever he went, so that in all Sher Khán's army there was none like him for intrepidity as well as liberality.

Gaur having fallen, Jalál Khán sent an account of the victory to his father, and attributed it to Khawás Khán. On hearing the news, Sher Khán was exceedingly delighted; and Chúráman also came to him, and said that the Rájá had consented to give him the fort of Rohtás, into which he might bring his women and children. Sher Khán brought his women and children near to the fort, and expressed his devoted friendship for and obliga­tion to the Rájá, and gave him much money and goods of various kinds, saying: “If ever I am again prosperous, I will not consider myself absolved from my obligations to you.” The Rájá was much delighted, and said, “The fort of Rohtás is yours, order in your family.” Sher Khán had given orders to his men that none should go out who once went in; after this, Sher Khán himself went in and examined the fort. He thanked God, and said: “The fort of Chunár is no fort in comparison with this; as that has gone out of my possession, this has come into it. I was not so pleased at the conquest of Gaur as (I am) at getting possession of Rohtás.” And he said to the guards of the fort, “You had best go to the Rájá, and say, ‘You cannot remain in the same place with the Afgháns, or it will be the worse for you.’” And he ordered his own men, if the guards did not obey the order to leave the fort, to eject them by force. Sher Khán's men were all prepared, as, when they told the guards what Sher Khán had said, and these refused, they turned them out by force of arms. So Sher Khán placed his own guards and sentries in every part of the fort, and took the greatest precau­tion for its safe custody, and drove the Rájá away from the fort. In the manner thus described he got possession of the fort of Rohtás.