When the water had sufficiently subsided, the Sultán ordered his army to cross over, and first at night two Kushoons of the Jysh, and two thousand horse with the artillery, the wind being favourable were ferried over in boats and immediately fell upon the Mahratta horse who were entirely unpre­pared for their arrival, and with sword and musket drove the dust of existence out of their bodies, and seven hundred horses with the flag elephant, and a number of camel drums* were taken on this occa­sion. Those of the Mahrattas who escaped, leav­ing their horses, arms, and property behind them, fled towards the main body of their own army, and informed their chief of the passage of the river by the Sultán’s troops. The next day, therefore, the Sultán himself with his army of heroes crossed over the river and pitched his tents on the opposite bank, where he covered the front of his army with redoubts, and halted there for the space of a month;— during this period, the provision, treasure, artillery and indeed all the departments with the followers, &c. had crossed over, and the enemy also, with the design to attack the Sultán, advanced with their troops and artillery, and encamped four fursungs distant.

In a few days, therefore, the Sultán (the destroyer of his enemies) with the whole of his horse, four Kushoons and his guns and stores, left his encampment, intending to try the strength of his enemies, and advancing towards them two fursungs, formed in order on the plain. The Mahrattas being informed of this movement turned out in good order, and also formed in order of battle. The Sipahdárs of the Sultán’s cavalry according to his orders on seeing the approach of the enemy, posted a body of infantry in the low grounds, the guns attached to them being loaded with grape, were kept in readiness, while the household cavalry accompanied by the horse of the Paigahs, and the body guard, with great shew paraded over the higher ground. The Surkheils or com­manding officers of the Bede, or irregular horse; that is to say, Gházi Khán, Wuli Muhammad, Ibrahim Khán, &c. agreeably to the Sultán’s orders, formed their lines to the front and advanced to attack the Mahrattas, when, however, the Mahrattas charged them in turn and they were within arms length of each other, the Kuzzaks very bravely after their mode, wheeled off from the flank, and retired towards their own army. The infidels fully armed and equipped, now, therefore, pursued them with­out any consideration or apprehension, and sud­denly presented themselves to the muzzles of the guns.* The infantry in ambush, therefore, now immediately rose and advanced, and with the fire of their guns and musketry, soon took off the edge of their enemies valour; and the horse charging them from the rear raised the clamour of the day of judgement, until the troops of Islám and the infidels were mixed and confounded among each other like light and darkness. What­ever of manhood and courage, therefore, existed in them was now brought forth, and in the heat and press of the battle, the rocketeers having lighted their rockets, threw confusion and disper­sion into the masses of the Mahrattas, and the artillery men from the flank of the line by a con­tinual fire from their guns, scattered their ranks like as the leaves of trees are scattered by the cold blasts of autumn. The officers of the Mahrattas, seeing the signs of defeat and the indications of flight and dispersion on the foreheads of their dispirited soldiery, immediately fled, and the vic­torious army pursued them to the distance of two fursungs (about seven miles), and crowds of these dark minded infidels were slain and taken prisoners.

The Sultán after this victory, marched on and encamped his victorious army at the distance of four measured fursungs, in an open and extensive plain. The plan of the encampment of the con­quering army on that day was as follows.— The Kushoons with their guns were drawn up as a fort, or in square, (on the flanks, front and rear), and in the centre were the Sultán’s tents and those of the Durbar, (this I think shews that even after his victory, the Sultán was afraid of the Mahrattas), on the right were posted the regiments and Dus­tahs of cavalry, and on the left the Sillahdár and Kuzzak horse; surrounding the Sultán’s tents and Durbar, the infantry called Assud Ilahi, and Ahmudi were stationed. The rear guard was com­posed of the Ahshám and Gundehchar* infantry, also the pioneers, Komatties, (Palankin and Dooli bearers,) and the contingent troops of the Poligars &c. The horse of the advanced posts, or the grand guards, were stationed one fursung distant to furnish videttes.

The enemy likewise with their troops, now got themselves ready, and advanced to the river of the town of Kudduk, with the intention to give battle. The Sultán, therefore, after the lapse of four or five days, one night formed his Kushoons under Shaikh Imám, Shaikh Omur, and Imám Khán, Sipahdárs, with the guns and rocketeers, and Gházi Khán, with two thousand horse under the command of Hussein Alí Khán, Bukhshi, and Maha Mirza Khán, with an intention to make a night attack on the Mahrattas, and they were marched off towards the Mahratta camp, while the Sultán himself, remained in the centre of his camp with the Paigah horse, and the rest of the cavalry.

The Sipahdárs and Bukhshees, therefore, pro­ceeding by the road pointed out by the guides, marched on, and at about four o’clock in the morn­ing, arrived near the Mahratta camp. They had, however, mistaken the road, and now fell in with the pickets of the enemy, who had lighted fires here and there about their posts, and Shaikh Omur who was with the leading division, seeing these, and fancying also he saw before him the lines of the Mahratta army, without informing the other offi­cers of his intention, opened a fire from his guns and rockets. The report of the guns, rockets &c., soon awakened the Mahrattas, and some sought the road of safety, and some of the Mahratta chiefs attacked the assailants. The Bukhshees of the Sultán’s troops, however, being experienced men, now quickly wheeled about, and under the cover of the hills and jungles, avoided their enemies and returned to the presence, and reported to the Sultán the whole of the circumstances. The Sul­tán exceedingly angry at the failure of the expe­dition, immediately dismissed from his service Shaikh Omur, and gave his Kushoon to a man named Fazil Khán, a Risaldár. The Sultán next day marched and encamped on the river Bola, and the Mahrattas also at the same time changed ground, and encamped at the distance of about nine miles, with their rear resting on a thick jungle. Two days after the Sipahdárs or commandants of regiments or brigades, Imám Khán, Fazil Khán, and Mír Mahmood, with two thousand Kuzzak horse, and one thousand rocketeers, under the command of Kudr Khán, the son of Gházi Khán, were again despatched at night to surprise and plunder the camp of the Mahrattas. The able and experienced Sipahdárs having clothed all their men in Kumlees (a kind of blanket mostly of a black colour) they wound their devious way, like a black snake through the turnings and windings of the hilly road.

After undergoing the labours and fatigues of a long march, they at length arrived in the rear of the Mahratta camp, and when the pickets of the Mahrattas aware of their arrival prepared to oppose them, they in the Mahratta language gave themselves out to be a detachment from the Moghul (Hydurabád) army sent to their aid from Rai­chore, and without stopping, marched direct into the midst of their camp, where they raised a ter­rible storm with their musketry, rockets and keen swords, and the bands of the order and discipline of the Mahrattas were broken asunder, and on all sides the field of battle was straightened on these infidels. The chiefs of their army, however, with the cavalry, jumping on the backs of their horses without saddles or clothes, fled towards their park of artillery, which was at a considerable dis­tance.

The able Sipahdárs,* victorious, with much plun­der, both in money, valuables, arms, and fifteen hundred mares, having also taken prisoners many women and children belonging to the Mahratta chiefs, returned to the presence, and in reward for their labours were honoured with presents of jewelled gorgets, strings of pearl, and gold and silver armlets. The Sultán, however, the emblem of mercy, despatched the women taken prisoners with presents of honorary dresses and robes, in palankins, and under charge of a party of rocketeers to the Mahratta camp. The Sultán also secretly despatched four elephants, and eight beautiful horses, with a sum of money to Hurri Punt, Rastia and Madhooba Bini, through the medium of these ladies, and thereby made them the slaves of his commands and munificence.

But to return;— the Mahrattas left their ground where they then were and marched to Sirhutti, where they encamped.