196 J. Beames — The Rhapsodies of Ganibhir Itdi. [No. 3, 



in order to march by the Balhawan Pass (ojl^-J) on Nurpur. At the 

 foot of the pass, he came upon Rajrup. Khan Jahan appointed Najabat Khan 

 harawal, who engaged Rajrup. The obstacles which had been set up at the 

 foot of the pass, were forced, and Khan Jahan moved rapidly to Machhi 

 B h a w a n. The enemy had everywhere blockaded the roads ; but a native 

 of the district shewed the Imperialists a path, which from its inaccessibility 

 had not been obstructed. By this way the army arrived on the 14th Rajab 

 [9th October, 1641] at the summit of a hill, half a Icos from Nurpur. The 

 houses outside the Fort were given up to pillage, and the army encamped at 

 the foot of the Fort. The Fort, which was well provided with provisions 

 and material, was garrisoned by about 2000 mountaineers, mostly armed 

 with matchlocks. Khan Jahan opened trenches and commenced the siege. 



Sa'id Khan had in the mean time marched by way of Mount Harah 

 (*)'*), and Raja Jai Singh and Acalat Khan along the valley of the C h a k k i 

 River, and both met at Mau. The army encamped near Raja Basu's villa, 

 which lies on even ground, but it is joined by means of a hill with Mau 

 itself. The roads were everywhere blockaded, and stone barricades with 

 towers had been erected. The army could only slowly advance, and the 

 soldiers had everywhere to cut trenches for protection against the fire of 

 the enemies. 



On the 17th Rajab [12th October], Qulij Khan and Rustam Khan 

 joined the Prince at Pathan, bringing orders from Court that Qulij Khan 

 should march to Mau, and Rustam Khan to Khan Jahan at Nurpur. Re- 

 ports had, in the mean time, been received at Court from loyal zamindars of 

 the district to say that the occupation of R u p a r (Jjj), which overlooks Mau, 

 was necessary for the complete investment of Mau ; and as Prince Murad 

 Bakhsh reported the same, orders were sent to Sa'id Khan to move to Rupar. 

 A portion of the troops at Nurpur under Najabat Khan as harawal, Nazar 

 Bahadur Khweshagi, AkbarQuli Sultan Gakk'har, and Raja Man of Gwaliar, 

 should join Sa'id's corps. On the receipt of these orders, Sa'id Khan, on 

 Tuesday, 15th Sha'ban [9th November, 1641], broke up, marched along 

 the Nurpur Pass, and halted in the neighbourhood of the Mau Mountain 

 on the road to Rupar. He then sent his sons Sa'dullah and 'Abdullah with a 

 detachment of men of his own contingent, and Imperial Rifles under Zulfaqar, 

 from the right and the left, up the mountain to fix upon a site for the camp. 

 On reaching the height, they sent a report to Sa'id that much jungle would 

 have to be cut, if the whole army was to come up. They waited for further 

 orders, when they were suddenly attacked by 4 or 5000 matchlockmen and 

 bowmen from a neighbouring hill. Sa'id sent at once reinforcements under 

 his son Lutfullah, and afterwards more under Shaikh Farid and Sarandaz 

 Khan. Before Lutfullah could join his brothers, he was attacked, and 

 received a sword- wound in the right shoulder and a spear -wound in his left 



