History of Aurangzib, Based on Original Sources v4.c64.s16.15

v4.c64.s16.15

His difficulties only thickened. In the narrow Ramghat pass, the air bred a pestilence of such virulence that in a week one-third of his men died, none escaping who was attacked. The horses, elephants and camels perished in an even larger proportion and their carcases poisoned the air. This failure of transport led to a second famine, and "the soldiers had more than enough to undergo." The troopers had to trudge on foot on the death of their remounts, and many of the officers (amirs) even had no horse left to ride on. "Many died of the great heat and thirst they underwent." (Storia, ii. 287, K. K. ii. 292.)