Dalwí, a Hindú, who had been sent on to hold the gates of access to the Bír and Dhúr Samundar, was directed by the Ráí Ráyán to attend on the Musulmán camp, and “he was anxious to see the conquest of the whole of Dhúr Samundar by the fortunate devotees of the Ka'ba of religion.” The Muhammadan army remained for three days, and on the 17th departed “from the Ímanábád Deogír to the Kharábábád of Paras Deo Dalví,* in five stages, in which three large rivers were crossed,” Síní, Godávarí, and Bínhúr,* and other frightful rivers; and “after five days arrived at Bándrí, in the country (ikta') of Paras Deo Dalví, who was obedient to his exalted Majesty, and desired that, by the force of the arms of the victorious Mu­hammadan soldiers, Bír Dhúl and Bír Pándyá* might be re­duced, together with the seas which encircle them, into one cup.”*

Here he stayed to make inquiries respecting the countries in advance, when he was informed that the two Ráís of Ma'bar, the eldest named Bír Pándyá, the youngest Sundar Pándyá,* who had up to that time continued on friendly terms, had advanced against each other with hostile intentions, and that Billál Deo, the Ráí of Dhúr Samundar, on learning this fact, had marched for the purpose of sacking their two empty cities, and plundering the merchants; but that, on hearing of the advance of the Mu­hammadan army, he had returned to his own country.

On Sunday, the 23rd, after holding a council of his chief officers, he took a select body of cavalry with him, and pressed on against Billál Deo, and on the 5th of Shawwál reached the fort of Dhúr Samund,* after a difficult march of twelve days over the hills and valleys, and through thorny forests.

“The fire-worshipping” Ráí, when he learnt that “his idol temple was likely to be converted into a mosque,” despatched Kísú Mal to ascertain the strength and circumstances of the Musulmáns, and he returned with such alarming accounts that the Ráí next morning despatched Bálak Deo Náík to the royal canopy, to represent that “your slave Billál Deo is ready to swear allegiance to the mighty emperor, like Laddar Deo and Rám Deo, and whatever the Sulaimán of the time may order, I am ready to obey. If you desire horses like demons, and elephants like afríts, and valuables like those of Deogír, they are all present. If you wish to destroy the four walls of this fort, they are, as they stand, no obstacle to your advance. The fort is the fort of the king; take it.” The commander replied that he was sent with the object of con-verting him to Muhammadanism, or of making him a Zimmí, and subject to pay tax, or of slaying him, if neither of these terms were assented to. When the Ráí received this reply, he said he was ready to give up all he possessed, except his sacred thread.

On Friday, the 6th of Shawwál, the Ráí sent Bálak Deo Náík, Náráin Deo, and Jít Mal, with some other basíths, to bow before the royal canopy, and they were accompanied by six elephants. Next day some horses followed. On Sunday, “Billál Deo, the sun-worshipper, seeing the splendour of the sword of Islám over his head, bowing down his head, descended from his fortress, and came before the shadow of the shadow of God; and, trembling and heartless, prostrated himself on the earth, and rubbed the forehead of subjection on the ground.” He then returned to fetch his treasures, and was engaged all night in taking them out, and next day brought them before the royal canopy, and made them over to the king's treasurer.

The commander remained twelve days in that city, “which is four month's distance from Dehli,” and sent the captured elephants and horses to that capital.

On Wednesday, the 18th of Shawwál, the Malik “beat his drums, and loaded his camels for his expedition to Ma'bar, and after five days arrived at the mountains which divide Ma'bar from Dhúr Samundar. In this range there are two passes—one Sarmalí, and the other Tábar. After traversing the passes, they arrived at night on the banks of the river Kánobarí, and bivouacked on the sands. Thence they departed for Bírdhúl, and committed massacre and devastation all around it. The Ráí Bír showed an intent of flying for security to his islands in the ocean, but as he was not able to attempt this, his attendants counselled him to fly by land. With a small amount of treasure and property, he deserted the city, and fled to Kandúr, and even there he dare not remain, but again fled to the jungles.

Thither the Malik pursued “the yellow-faced Bír,”* and at Kandúr was joined by some Musulmáns who had been subjects of the Hindús, now no longer able to offer them protection. They were half Hindús, and not strict in their religious obser­vances, but “as they could repeat the kalima, the Malik of Islám spared their lives. Though they were worthy of death, yet, as they were Musulmáns, they were pardoned.”

After returning to Bírdhúl, he again pursued the Rájá to Kandúr, and took one hundred and eight elephants, one of which was laden with jewels. The Ráí again escaped him, and he ordered a general massacre at Kandúr. It was then ascertained that he had fled to Jálkota, “an old city of the ancestors of Bír.” There the Malik closely pursued him, but he had again escaped to the jungles, which the Malik found himself unable to penetrate, and he therefore returned to Kandúr, where he searched for more elephants. Here he heard that in Brahmastpúrí there was a golden idol, round which many elephants were stabled. The Malik started on a night expedition against this place, and in the morning seized no less than two hundred and fifty ele­phants. He then determined on razing the beautiful temple to the ground,—“you might say that it was the Paradise of Shad-dád, which, after being lost, those hellites had found, and that it was the golden Lanka of Rám,”—“the roof was covered with rubies and emeralds,”—“in short, it was the holy place of the Hindús, which the Malik dug up from its foundations with the greatest care,” “and the heads of the Brahmans and idolaters danced from their necks and fell to the ground at their feet,” and blood flowed in torrents. “The stone idols called Ling Mahádeo, which had been a long time established at that place,—quibus, mulieres infidelium pudenda sua affricant,* —these, up to this time, the kick of the horse of Islám had not attempted to break.” The Musulmáns destroyed all the lings, “and Deo Narain fell down, and the other gods who had fixed their seats there raised their feet, and jumped so high, that at one leap they reached the fort of Lanka, and in that affright the lings themselves would have fled had they had any legs to stand on.” Much gold and valuable jewels fell into the hands of the Musulmáns, who re­turned to the royal canopy, after executing their holy project, on the 13th of Zí-l ka'da, 710 H. (April, 1311 A.D.). They destroyed all the temples at Bírdhúl, and placed the plunder in the public treasury.

Capture of Southern Mathra (Madura).

After five days, the royal canopy moved from Bírdhúl on Thursday, the 17th of Zí-l ka'da, and arrived at Kham, and five days afterwards they arrived at the city Mathra (Madura), the dwelling-place of the brother of the Ráí Sundar Pándyá. They found the city empty, for the Ráí had fled with the Ránís, but had left two or three elephants in the temple of Jagnár (Jag-ganáth).” The elephants were captured and the temple burnt.

When the Malik came to take a muster of his captured ele­phants they extended over a length of three parasangs, and amounted to five hundred and twelve, besides five thousand horses, Arabian and Syrian, and five hundred mans of jewels of every description—diamonds, pearls, emeralds, and rubies.

Return to Dehli.

On Sunday, the 4th of Zí-l hijja, 710 H. Malik Káfúr, accom­panied by his army, returned towards Dehli with all the plunder, and arrived in safety on Monday, the 4th of Jumáda-s Sání, 711 H. Sultán 'Aláu-d dín held a public darbár in front of the Golden Palace, and all the nobles and chiefs stood on the right and on the left, according to their rank. Malik Náib Káfúr Hazár-dínárí, with the officers who had accompanied him, were presented to the Sultán, before whom the rich booty was ex­hibited. The Sultán was much gratified, loaded the warriors with honour, and the darbár was dissolved.