The Book of Akbar 225: CHAPTER XXXVIII.

225

and submitted. They were received with unbounded favours. After that, Musahib Beg, son of Khwaja Kalan Beg, came with many men and enjoyed the fortune of service, and was exalted by princely favours. Meanwhile Babus represented that it was no time for dallying and that his Majesty should mount his horse as all the men were coming over. His Majesty Jahanbani mounted the swift steed of fortune. On this occasion he sent for 'Ali Quli Safarci and Bahadur the sons of Haidar Sultan who were in mourning for their father and loaded them with favours and kindnesses. After a time Qaraca Khan came and did homage. M. Kamran read his own downfall in the pages of the royal fortunes and sent Khwaja Khawand Mahmud and Khwaja 'Abdu-l-Khaliq to apologise for his offences. He made sundry requests through the Khwajas, who arrived when the two armies were less than a mile apart. His Majesty accepted his homage and postponed decision on his petitions. He promised further favours to the Khwajas and dismissed them with honour. Out of humanity and kindness he ordered a suspension of hostilities. The object of the Mirza in sending the Khwajas was to cause delay and make the king's soldiers slacken their march and to get time for himself, and he was waiting for the darkness of night so that he might by making a long night-march remove himself to a distance. When then the veil of nocturnal gloom had darkened the earth he from an obscured understanding and a benighted soul could not resolve upon experiencing the pleasure of doing homage and withdrew in all haste into the citadel. Then he took his son M. Ibrahim and his wives and went off to Ghaznin by Bini Hisar. When his Majesty Jahanbani heard of his flight he sent Babus with a number of trusty men to Kabul to prevent any molestation of the inhabitants or sepoys, and to make them all hopeful of the royal favour. He appointed M. Hindal and a body of troops to pursue the Mirza and proceeded himself to Kabul with victory at his foot and fortune as his stirrup-companion. In an auspicious moment the drummers of dominion beat high the great drum (kūrāka) of prestige and the standard-bearers of victory advanced the stelliform standards of glory to the starry sphere. On the night of the 13th of the Jalali month of Azar corresponding to the night of Wednesday, 12th Ramazan, 952 (18th November, 1545), the conquest of Kabul, the beginning of countless victories, was accomplished by heavenly aid, and the gates of joy and success opened to the hearts of mankind. Two