The Rashīdī History 243.7

243.7

Among the equipments which were in the train of the Emperor were 700 carriages (gardun), each drawn by four pairs of bullocks, and carrying a swivel (zarb-zan), which discharged a ball (khola) of 500 mithkals weight. I, myself, saw several times that from the top of an eminence they unfailingly (bi-khata) struck horsemen who slightly and unsuspectingly exposed themselves. And there were twenty-one carriages, each drawn by eight pairs of bullocks. Stone balls were of no use in these, but the shots were of molten brass weighing 5000 mithkals, and the cost of each was 200 mithkals of silver. They would strike anything that was visible at the distance of a parasang. As the army had taken to desert, it was judged better to risk a battle, than to see it go to ruin without fighting. If the result were unfavourable, we could not, at least, be accused of having abandoned an empire like Hindustan, without striking a blow. Another consideration was, that if we passed the river, desertion would no longer be possible. We therefore crossed over. Both armies entrenched themselves. Everyday skirmishes occurred between the adventurous, swaggering spirits of both sides. These proceedings were put an end to by the monsoon rains, which came on and flooded the ground, rendering it unfit for a camp. To move was indispensable.