The Akbarī Generations 80.6

80.6

A few days later Hakim Abu-l Fath was sent after them with additional forces. After these reinforcements had joined, Zain Khan began to plunder and ravage the Afghans, and great spoil fell into his hands. When they reached the pass of Karagar, a person observed to Raja Bírbal that the Afghans meditated a night attack on that night, that the extent of the mountain and of the pass was only three or four kos, and that if they got through the pass, they would be safe from the attack designed. Raja Birbal, without making any communication to Zain Khan, pushed on to get through the pass, and all his army followed. At close of day, when the sun was about to set, they reached a defile, the heights of which on every side were covered with Afghans. Arrows and stones were showered down upon the troops in the narrow pass, and in the darkness and in the narrow defile men lost their path, and perished in recesses of the mountain. A terrible defeat and slaughter followed. Nearly eight thousand men were killed, and Raja Birbal, who fled for his life, was slain. Raja Dharm Singh, Khwaja 'Arab, bakhshi of the army, and * * * were all killed. On the 5th Rabi'u-l awwal Zain Khan Koka and Hakim Abu-l Fath were defeated, and reached the fort of Atak with difficulty.