1879.] W. Irvine — The 'Bang ash Nawdbs of Farrukhibad. 63 



The Sayyads succeeded in repulsing the Pathans, who fled some distance. 

 Ahmad Khan cursed them and cried out — " Have you brought me here 

 " only to see you run away, to-morrow your wives will be dishonoured and 

 " yourselves stripped naked." Then he drew his knife, intending to sacri- 

 fice his life, as he disdained to leave the place alive. Eustam Khan Afrfdi 

 and other leading Pathans dissuaded him. The Nawab replied that, since 

 they had come to fight to the death, they must all dismount and precede him 

 on foot, he should then know that they meant to slay or be slain. The 

 Pathans consented, and they all dismounted. It is well krtown that when a 

 horseman dismounts to fight on foot, the case is desperate and he will then 

 neither give nor receive quarter. The Pathans made themselves ready by 

 tying the skirts of their heavy plaited coats (jamah) round their waists, 

 and taking shield and sword in hand, they advanced to renew the attack. 

 Some of the Sayyads were killed, the rest fled and the battery was cleared. 

 The whole of the Pathans thus made their way into the enemy's camp, and 

 penetrated to Naval Eae's enclosed tents (surdclia) where the troops were 

 few, the main body being distributed from point to point to guard the 

 batteries. A messenger reported to Naval Eae that the Pathans having 

 driven back the Sayyads had entered the camp. Their weapons were now 

 clashing at his own entrance door. As Naval Eae never went out without 

 saying his prayers, after hearing the report he sat down to worship, saying, 

 " It is no matter, I will soon seize the whole of these vegetable sellers in 

 " the corner of my bow." The messenger came and made a second report, 

 shouting out disrespectfully, " O you idiot ! Here you sit while the Pathans 

 " cut down the enclosure to your tent." Thus urged to action Naval Eae 

 armed himself. Then he sent for and mounted one of the two elephants, 

 which stood at his door day and night caparisoned with cloth of gold hoiv- 

 dahs. He had two quivers full of arrows attached to his hoiodah and two 

 bows. Putting two arrows at a time into his bow, he sent them at the 

 Pathans, calling out " Mar more sdre kunjron ho" (kill me all these vege- 

 table sellers.) Fighting was still going on when the day broke on Friday 

 morning, the 10th Eamzan. On this side Ahmad Khan was seated up in 

 his palki, protected by the Pathans with their shields, lest some bullet or 

 arrow should hit him. There were fifty or sixty Kahars to carry the palki 

 and one of them was wounded by a spent ball. 



Eustam Khan and Muhammad Khan Afridi, # with one thousand horse 

 and four thousand foot, had meanwhile come up to the spot where Naval 

 Eae was standing in a group of three or four hundred men, with six or 

 seven elephants. They paid little attention to this small group, and advan- 

 ced in search of Naval Eae. They had gone only a few paces when a 

 * Amad-us-Sa'dat. p. 47, halfway down. 



