Siyar al-mutaʾakhkhirin 16.5.7

16.5.7

At every stream, and at every crossing, numbers of men and beasts were constantly lost, as it is expressly mentioned in those memoirs left us by Yssuf-aaly-qhan, son to Gholam-aaly-qhan. He mentions himself his having been in this manner stopped short by the little river of Termahan, which although low, ran with such fury, that for want of boats, they were obliged to cross it upon rafts made of pieces of trees and timber supported underneath by whole skins filled with wind. It is upon such frail machines that both men and tents and merchandise were obliged to pass. But the horses and other animals being obliged to swim over, hundreds of them were lost at a time. He adds that at a little stream, where he had the inspection of the passage, he lost no less than seventeen horses. From this specimen may be guessed what must have been the loss of the whole army, before they could reach the Cassai which runs by Midnipoor; and what they must have suffered in crossing that river, where no more than four boats could be procured, and where the water was deep and violent. In short, there would be no end to this narrative; nor would it answer any purpose to mention that infinity of pains which every such little passage did cost infallibly. But the main evil arose from the slipperiness and miriness of the ground, which had rendered the roads so very bad, that had the army tarried a few days more at Catec, it would have been impossible to reach Moorshood-abad.