Manazil al-futuh 1.2.1

1.2.1

The two vast armies, having fixed their standing camps at a distance from each other of twice the range of a cannon-ball, maintained their respective positions; and the skirmishers on either side used daily to engage one another. On one occasion during this interval a thousand horsemen, each one carrying 2000 rupees with him on his horse, were proceeding from Shah-Jahanabad to their own camp, and as they stood in fear of the Abdali army, they used to march during the night. One of the horsemen belonging to the party, having become oppressed with drowsiness towards morning, missed his road, and moved towards the Abdali camp. Having thus come face to face with the hostile picquets, he got caught in the grasp of calamity, and prepared for the road of ruin. From his own mouth it was discovered that they were conveying treasure to the Mahratta army; so a number of the boldest spirits out of every band set out for the Mahratta camp without any order from Ahmad Sultan, and during that short period of dawn until the rising of the great luminary pillaged three or four hundred of the horsemen. Among the number of those out in quest of booty was 'Aka Sandal Habshi, chief eunuch to Shah Kuli Khan the Wazir, who put one Mahratta horseman to death himself, and carried off his 2000 rupees. The remnant of the Mahratta party gained their own camp by a precipitate flight, and so escaped from the grasp of death till their predestined day.