Shivaji and His Times c8.s2.4

c8.s2.4

His escape was soon detected and a strong Bijapuri force under Fazl Khan and Siddi Halal set out in pursuit. The day broke while the fugitives were still at Gajapur, eight miles short of their destination, and it was discovered that the pursuers had kept up with them by marching all night with the aid of Bengal lights (*mahtabs*.) Shivaji was hopelessly outnumbered and his escort was worn out. Happily, the road here led through a narrow ravine which a few desperate men could hold against odds. Baji Prabhu, the *deshpande* of Hirdas Maval, agreed to defend the mouth of the pass with half the troops till Shivaji should reach Vishalgarh with the other half and signal his safe arrival by gun-fire. The Bijapuris delivered three bloody assaults on the heroic rear-guard, all of which were beaten off. For five hours after dawn, the obstinate struggle was maintained, with a loss of 700 men. Then the signal gun was heard, announcing Shivaji's safe arrival in his asylum. But Baji Prabhu was lying down mortally wounded. The faithful servant had carried out his task, at the cost of his life, and the knowledge cheered his last moments. Karnataki musketeers are said to have at last cleared the pass with their fire, and the remnant of the defending Mavles fled to the hills with the body of their chief. The Bijapuris pushed on to Vishalgarh, but wisely gave up the thought of undertaking a siege in that terrible region. They fell back on Panhala and thence on Bijapur.*