The Akbarī Generations 1.5.7

1.5.7

Humayun accordingly marched towards Mal Deo's country by way of Jesalmir. The ruler of Jesalmir shamefully took an unmanly course. He sent a force to attack the small party of the Emperor on the march, but it was defeated and driven back with loss. Humayun had a great many men wounded. He marched with all possible speed till he reached the country of Mal Deo. Then he sent on [Shamsu-d din Muhammad] Atka Khan to Mal Deo at Joudhpur, while he himself halted for a few days. [Proceedings of Mirzas Hindal, Kamran, and 'Askari at Kandahar, Ghazni, and Kabul.] Humayun remained on the borders of Mal Deo's territories awaiting the return of Atka Khan. When Mal Deo was informed of the Emperor's weakness, he was much alarmed, for he knew that he had not sufficient forces of his own to withstand Sher Khan. For Sher Khan had sent an ambassador to Mal Deo, holding out great expectations; and the latter, in the extreme of perfidy, had promised to make Humayun a prisoner if possible, and to give him over into the hands of his enemy. Nagor, and its dependencies, had fallen into the power of Sher Khan, and consequently he was afraid lest Sher Khan should be annoyed and send a large army to his territory against Humayun. To keep the Emperor in ignorance, Mal Deo detained the envoy Atka Khan, and did not give him permission to return. But Atka Khan contrived to ascertain what was passing through the mind of Mal Deo, and went off without any formal dismissal.