1866.] Notes on the Topography &c. of Delhi, 209 



first of these must even then have been a swamp, and 20 years later 

 was converted into a lake by Toghluck Shah ; the presumption is 

 therefore in favour of the latter site ; and this presumption is 

 strengthened by the fact of the suburbs having grown in this direc- 

 tion, (they would naturally creep along the principal road leading 

 from the city :) whilst the old lines of road across the river seem to 

 have led towards this part of its course. I conclude therefore that 

 Ala-u-din would naturally entrench himself at this point, covering 

 not only the fords of the Jumna, but also the towns and palaces of 

 G-haiaspoor and Kilukheree; whilst he would throw a strong body 

 of troops into the old walled city and its citadel, so as to render them 

 safe against a sudden attack. 



If such were his position, we can understand the otherwise un- 

 accountable apathy of the Moguls who, for two months, lay encamped 

 opposite to his entrenchment without ventering to attack it, or to 

 besiege the city. Had they attempted either course, they would have 

 exposed themselves to an attack in the rear ; and so they could effect 

 nothing save a few marauding expeditions into the district about and 

 against the unwalled suburbs, until the approach of succour and 

 (as is conjectured) the sudden assassination of their leaders by tho 

 emissaries of Nizam-u-din Alalia forced them to decamp. If Ala- 

 u-din had entrenched himself, as Cunningham supposes, at Shahpoor, 

 he would have been shut up as in a trap, cut off from all succour and 

 unable to prevent the enemy from besieging both the city and his 

 own position ; although he could easily have saved Jahanpanah 

 from being plundered by them ; and as we leam from Ferishta that 

 he was not able to check their foray, we must presume that it was_ 

 because his position was some distance away : — in fact at Grhaiaspoor. 

 I conclude therefore that in the Lall Mahal we have the remains of 

 flie palace built to commemorate the repulse* of the Moguls in 

 A. D. 1303. 



Let us now endeavour to ascertain to what place the name of 

 J3iri must be assigned. We must bear in mind that Shahpoor was 



* May this not be the reason why Nizam-ud-din Aulia lies buried close to 

 this palace ? The flight of the Moguls was universally ascribed to the exercise 

 of his supernatural powers, and what more likely than that the buried hiui 

 here as being the scene of his supposed victory ? 



