1838.] from the Muhammadan historians. 307 



Bin Kassim marching from that place arrived at Alor and laid seige to 

 it. Dahir was thus surrounded in his own city. Bin Kassim erected 

 a catapult, and threw fireworks (which he had seen in use amongst the 

 people of Persia and Rum), into the city. Both armies, the besieged 

 and besiegers, fought desperately, so much so that in ten days, seven 

 battles or engagements took place, in every one of which the Muham- 

 madans were victorious ; and on the day of Thursday the 10th of the happy 

 month of Ramzan, in the year 93 Hejirct, the king Dahir, instigated 

 by rage and revenge, prepared his war elephants, and with a large force 

 came out from the city of Alor, to do battle for his crown and kingdom. 

 They say he had 1000 men with armour, and 30,000 infantry in line, in 

 advance of his army. Dahir himself, seated in the howdah of an elephant, 

 the cover of which was highly ornamented, went to the right and left ani- 

 mating and encouraging his troops. On that day two beautiful female 

 slaves were seated in the raja's howdah, one administered wine, and the 

 other paun to him. The armies fought from morn until night ; Bin Kassim 

 with a division of his army, fought himself as a common soldier on the 

 plain, overthrowing all to whom he was opposed, whilst others of the faith- 

 ful threw fireworks into that part of the enemy's army occupied by the 

 elephants. In this way the howdahs took fire, and the beasts becoming 

 infuriated, rushed through the ranks of their own troops, and fled to the 

 water, into which they plunged themselves. The banks of the river 

 were muddy, and Dahir's elephant sank in the mud, at the same 

 time, an arrow from the Muhammadan army struck the raja Da'hir 

 in the throat, and killed him : this occurred at the time of the setting 

 of the sun, and the brahmins who were seated behind Da'hir's howdah, 

 took his dead body, and burying it in the mud, went towards the city. 

 Da'hir reigned 33 years. 



Now the Muhammadans had so cautiously guarded all the approaches 

 to Alor, that a bird could not have flown past, and these brahmins be- 

 came prisoners in the hands of a general named Keiss, Keiss was 

 about to kill them, but they asked for quarter, relating to him the cir- 

 cumstances of the raja Da'hir's death: on this Keiss spared their lives. 

 In the meantime, some soldiers having captured the two female slaves 

 who were with Da hi it, and brought them to Bin Kassim ; these last 

 also reported the death of the raja. On learning this, Bin Kassim pro- 

 claimed to his troops, a The death of Da'hir is reported, but as yet it is 

 not certain, let not the faithful therefore withdraw their hands from 

 battle, for the sake of plunder, lest some unexpected enemy come upon 

 them." When Keiss heard this proclamation, he brought the brahmins 

 whom he had captured to Bin Kassim, who when he heard their report 



