Manazil al-futuh 1.2.5

1.2.5

Both sides having arrayed their troops in line, stood confronting each other till noon, when * * the ranks of the two armies appeared clearly to each other's sight. Then the gallant youths, entering upon the martial strife, commenced the battle and dealt out lusty blows, whilst the expert gunners of European birth kindled the flames of war by discharging their thunder-voiced ordnance, and the rocketmen of magical skill consumed the thread of life of the heroes of the battle-field by darting their falcon-winged missiles. As for a musket bullet, the heroes cared not what it might do, and in that scene of carnage and slaughter the only dread entertained by the renowned and gallant combatants was for a cannon-ball, or the flight of a rocket. From noon until only three gharis of the day remained, the battle continued to rage, the brave warriors being earnestly engaged in wielding sword and spear, and the wounded in yielding up life with groans and agonizing cries. Bháo and Wiswás Rái, in the early part of the engagement, made such incessant assaults, that Ahmad Sultán was under an apprehension that he would not be able to withstand them, and despatched a person to mount the ladies of his household on fleet steeds swift as the wind, and keep them waiting inside his private pavilion; so that, whenever the infidels should gain the superiority, they might be ready to pursue the path of flight, and betake themselves to the verge of safety and the nook of security.