The Memoirs of Bābur 933.3.7

933.3.7

Foot upon foot news came that the foe had come near and nearer. We put on our armour and our horses' mail, took our arms and, ordering the carts to be dragged after us, rode out at the gallop. We advanced one _kuroh_. The foe must have turned aside. (_p. Bābur fortifies his camp._) For the sake of water, we dismounted with a large lake (_kūl_) on one side of us. Our front was defended by carts chained together*, the space between each two, across which the chains stretched, being 7 or 8 _qārī_ (_circa_ yards). Musṯafa _Rūmī_ had [Sidenote: Fol. 311.] had the carts made in the Rūmī way, excellent carts, very strong and suitable.[2010] As Ustād `Alī-qulī was jealous of him, Musṯafa was posted to the right, in front of Humāyūn. Where the carts did not reach to, Khurāsānī and Hindūstānī spadesmen and miners were made to dig a ditch. Owing to the Pagan's rapid advance, to the fighting-work in Bīāna and to the praise and laud of the pagans made by Shāh Manṣūr, Qismatī and the rest from Bīāna, people in the army shewed sign of want of heart. On the top of all this came the defeat of `Abdu'l-`azīz. In order to hearten our men, and give a look of strength to the army, the camp was defended and shut in where there were no carts, by stretching ropes of raw hide on wooden tripods, set 7 or 8 _qārī_ apart. Time had drawn out to 20 or 25 days before these appliances and materials were fully ready.[2011]