Later Mughals v1.c7.s1.16

v1.c7.s1.16

At early dawn spies brought in word that Prince Muhammad Karim, son of Azim-ush-shan, had started for the encampment of Mahabat Khan and Khan Zaman, sons of the late Munim Khan, Bahadur Shah's Wazir. The real objects of this movement had not been discovered by the other side. Naturally, it was supposed that Azim-ush-shan, having more treasure, men, elephants, and cannon than the other three Princes put together, and all the great nobles, with the exception of Zulfiqar Khan, having joined him, had taken the field at once, without allowing his opponents time to collect more troops. Zulfiqar Khan, as soon as he heard of this movement on Azim-ush-shan's part, revived the courage of his troops, who wished to retreat, by quoting the proverb, 'Never take off your stockings, till you see the ford.' Then he rode off with a small escort to Jahan Shah, who was near the tomb of Shah Mir,† and thence to the position of Prince Rafi-ush-shan near the Ravi. Azim-ush-shan had made overtures to Rafi-ush-shan, who had at first held back from taking one side or the other, then by the persuasion of Zulfiqar Khan had joined Jahandar Shah. But Zulfiqar Khan was still a little suspicious of him and therefore proposed that, as his force was small, he should take up his position as the rearguard. To this Rafi-ush-shan consented, and as soon as he knew that Muhammad Karim had marched, he drew up on the bank of the Ravi, at the head of 5,000 to 6,000 horsemen, about a bow-shot from his camp, and awaited the other side's approach. In like manner, Jahandar Shah, accompanied by Zulfiqar Khan, left his camp between the city and the Shalimar gardens, where he had been ever since arriving at Lahor; and Jahan Shah, mounting a swift gray horse, issued from his quarters near the tomb of Miyan Mir in readiness to give battle. [Kamwar 106, Nur. 23.]