The Nāṣirī Generations 140.4

140.4

“The Amir now despatched an intelligent person to this chief, and two men of Ghūr of the followers of Bū-l-Hasan-i-Khalaf and Sher-wān were sent along with him to act as interpreters, with a message combining threats and hopes, as is usual on such occasions. The agent departed, and the Amir followed in his steps. The former, and the others with him, reached the place in question, and he delivered his message to those arrogant fellows [sic], who manifested great fierceness and defiance, and said that the Amir had made a great mistake in imagining that either the people of that part or that district were similar to those he had met with and had passed through; that he had better come there, and he would find sword, spear, and stone [rock] ready for him. This insolent message roused the ire of Mas’ūd. He halted his troops for the night at the foot of the mountain, arms were distributed, and, at dawn, the force moved forward. The drums and trumpets sounded, and the soldiers began to ascend the heights, on which the Ghūrīs showed themselves like so many ants or locusts on the tracts above them, horse and foot, all well armed, and occupying all the paths and defiles leading to it, who raised shouts and yells, and began casting stones with their slings, at Mas’ūd’s force. “The best of it was, that that mountain was somewhat depressed, and partly composed of earth [not very rocky?] and accessible in every direction.