Siyar al-mutaʾakhkhirin 22.7.2

22.7.2

The servants having immediately raised an outcry, which brought General Marcar, another Armenian, the latter, on descrying the troopers beyond the reach of a musket-ball, fired at them with two or three pieces of cannon that were at hand, loaded with grape; and the report of the cannon being heard by Mir-cassem's army, which was at a small distance, every one concluded that the English were arrived, and already engaged with Gurghin-qhan. Instantly Mir-cassem had the same thought; instantly he got upon his elephant, and took to the fields. At the same time, a general scream, and now and then some confused cries, coming from Gurghin-qhan's quarters, struck such a terror into Mir-cassem's camp, and especially amongst the sutlers and other market-men, that the whole of them, without making the least inquiry, fled on all sides, most of them towards the bridge on the Rehva. The multitude, which was encamped with me on the other side of the river, surprised to see crowds of runaways endlessly pouring upon them, catched their fears and trepidation; and, night coming on, nothing was heard but cries and screams. But as every one was involved in the general confusion, and saw the mob running to and fro, like so many mad men, whilst the great ones were advancing in haste with burning tapers; such a sight thunderstruck Yusuf-aaly-qhan, one of our company, who, being as well as Mirza-bakyr, full as much frightened as any other, resolved at any rate to inquire into the cause;