Siyar al-mutaʾakhkhirin 16.5.2

16.5.2

But such was his good fortune, and such the prevalence of his destiny, that the garrison, although very numerous, had lost their wits; and thinking they were surrounded by a mighty army, they proposed to surrender. By this time the sun being in its meridian blazed with such intolerable fury, that people dropped down on all sides, not one tent being arrived; so that the plain became as burning as that of the Day of Judgment. In the afternoon two principal officers of the garrison, to wit, Seyd-nur and Derhem-dass, came out of the gates, paid their respects, were dismissed with honour, and then came back with promises to bring Ser-endaz-qhan the next morning at day-break, by which time they were to leave their gates open, and to surrender the fortress. But as the words of the two Deputies were not altogether to be trusted, he gave order to his guards to put them to the sword, should they fail to fulfil their promise; and he appointed Seradj-ed-doula to see the order punctually executed. Accordingly he took his post behind a small tent that was just arrived for his grandfather; and with a number of guards he waited the dawn of that day, which was to be the last of those two unfortunate men. At day-break the two officers made him a profound bow; and then going in, they paid their respects to the Viceroy, who entertained them with kindness. A moment after, appeared Ser-endaz-qhan himself with some more officers of the garrison, and he alighted from his horse;