2845.] a History of Sindh. 89 



himself to Bin Cassim, and said, "I learn from my books that this 



country will be conquered by the Moslems, and the time has arrived, 



and you are the man. I am come to shew you the way : those before 



our times have constructed this temple as a talisman ; until it is broken 



your road will not be opened ; order some stratagem, so that the banner 



on the dome may be thrown down." Mahamed Bin Cassim bethought 



him how he should accomplish this ; the engineer with the Catapulta 



said, " If you give me 10,000 dirhems I will agree by some means or 



another to bring down the banner and dome in three blows, if not I 



will have my hand cut off." Mahamed Bin Cassim having obtained 



D f th t permission from Hijjaj, ordered the Catapulta to be 



pie thrown down. used, and by the help and power of the Almighty, 



in three blows the work was accomplished, when the army of Islam 



getting into ranks and order attacked the fort, and the infidels being 



confounded were powerless and begged for quarter. Mahamed Cassim 



directed, that none should be given, but to deliver up the place. The 



* t^- i governor threw himself from the breastwork, and 

 Capture of Diwal D 



and massacre of the fled, and the people of the fort being helpless 

 infidels. 



opened the gates : for three days there was a mas- 

 sacre ; they then brought out the Moslem prisoners, and captured im- 

 mense treasures and property ; they destroyed the temple of idols, which 

 was called Diwal after the place, and built a musjid. A man named 

 Kihilah, one of the infidels, was the keeper of the Moslem prisoners ; 

 when these were brought out it was discovered that he had exerted 

 himself greatly in their behalf, and was overjoyed at their release as 

 well as the victory of the army of Islam : Mahamed Cassim called 

 him and pressed him to embrace the true faith, and he became a Moslem. 

 After many honours and favours, he shared with Ahmed Bin Darah 

 Nijdi the governorship of that place. At length, having satisfactorily 

 arranged the affairs of that quarter, and placed his battering rams in boats, 

 he started them by the river Sakurah to Neirun, and he himself proceeded 



Bin Cassim proceeds b y land in the same direction. They say that the 

 to Neirun. son f Dafar^ Jaisisih, was formerly at Neirun, but 



after hearing of the victory at Diwal, Dahir called him to Brahamana- 

 bad, and Samani the former governor of Neirun, who had procured 

 a certificate of pardon from Hijjaj, as before mentioned in the account 

 of the death of Bazil, was with Dahir. Now when Mahamed Cassim 



