History of Aurangzib, Based on Original Sources v2.c27.25

v2.c27.25

The experience had been most terrible: the army had marched 80 miles without halting, and that march had consisted of wading through sand over a roadless wilderness with no water to slake their thirst. The horses and camels were so worn out by their long journey and scantiness of fodder and water that, after crossing the Rann as the sun grew hotter and they were urged to travel eight more waterless miles before reaching a suitable place for camping, they fell down dead in large numbers along the road. At every halting-place, many transport-cattle lay down, never to rise again. So disastrous was the march to them that out of Jai Singh’s personal contingent of 4,000 troopers, less than a fourth had horses left for riding on. The loss was equally great in Bahadur Khan’s division. Afterwards the Emperor made some amends by presenting 200 horses to the former and 100 to the latter general.