Padshah-namah 7.4

7.4

'Azam Khan left a detachment in charge of his camp at Machhli-ganw to follow him quietly while he marched off after night-fall to attack the rebels. Four gharis of night remained when he reached Pipalnir, six kos from Bir, when he directed Saf-shikan Khan to make a demonstration with his force on Khan-Jahan's flank, so that he might think this small force to be the whole of the royal army, and refrain from moving away. Saf-shikan Khan accordingly drew out his force upon a ridge about a kos in front of the rebel army, which had taken post at the foot of the hills about four kos from Bir. 'Aziz, son of Khan-Jahan, advanced to attack Saf-shikan with a body of his father's troops, and at this juncture 'Azam Khan came up with the main body of the royal array, and 'Aziz was compelled to fall back in disorder to his father, whom he informed that the force which had first shown itself was Saf-shikan Khan's division, and that the whole of the royal army was coming up with all possible haste. Khan-Jahan, when he found that his retreat was cut off, determined to fight it out. * * But the royal troops forced their way to the top of the hill. Khan-Jahan sent away the elephant litter with his women to Siu-ganw, and then rallied his troops for a struggle. He sent his nephew Bahadur, in whose courage and daring he had great confidence, against Bahadur Khan and some others of the royal army, who, being few in number, were very hard pressed.