Storia do Mogor 171.4

171.4

Ibrahim Khan managed to find out that the people of the town nearest the mountains were under the necessity of coming for a pilgrimage to another town [184]. Through the medium of some traders in that second town he arranged that the ladders should be left hanging on the mountains. On the appointed day he sent out his soldiers, who sacked the aforesaid city, carrying off much wealth, including some gilt images of great size. Upon the return of the soldiers, Ibrahim Khan ordered the said images to be sent on to Agrah for presentation to the king. He wrote to His Majesty that he had taken the figures from the territories of China. Owing to their country being protected by inaccessible cliffs and rocks, he could not make war, but he had found a method of sending some infantry to plunder a town on a fitting opportunity. It was quite impossible to get horses over places where men had to climb by ropes. The figures arrived at Agrah, and Aurangzeb was flattered at having viceroys zealous of his honour and eager to augment his glory. Then he had an attack of envy that his vassals were able to seize idols and destroy temples, while he, at the head of his great forces and professing such bigoted Mahomedanism, was unable to carry anything out against the head of the Hindus — that is, the King Rana — though this potentate lived in the very midst of his dominions.