The History of Shēr Shāh (Tārīkh-i Shērshāhī) 3.14.1

3.14.1

Muyid Beg, son of Sultan Mahmud, and Jahangir Kuli, son of Ibrahim Bayazid, Mir Nurka, Tardi Beg, Barri Birlas, Mubarak Farmuli, and other chiefs, with a force of 30,000 horse, were ordered to march seven kos in advance of the Imperial army. Sher Khan, on hearing that Humayun had set off towards Bengal, departed himself secretly with only a few horsemen. When the Emperor reached Patna, the division which was seven kos in advance had not reached their ground, when their vedettes came to a village where what should they see but some cavalry in a garden. They asked of one of the villagers whose those horsemen were? He said, "It is Sher Khan himself." The vedettes, when they heard the name of Sher Khan, were so alarmed, that they never examined what amount of force Sher Khan had with him, but returned and told to Muyid Beg that "Sher Khan was encamped at such and such a village." Muyid Beg was of opinion that Sher Khan was there to oppose them, and sent to the Emperor to ask for orders; and encamped where he was, sending out a reconnoitring party to bring intelligence. When the persons sent to reconnoitre came near the place, they could not discover a single horseman there; on which the Mughals entered the village, and inquired of the head-man (mukaddam), who said, that Sher Khan had halted there with a few horsemen; but on seeing the advance of their cavalry had gone off with all speed on the road to Mungir.