1845.] a History of Sindh. 95 



At first the army of Islam became confused ; Mahamed Bin Cassim 



became alarmed, and offered up prayers to the Most High, who favored 



him, and gave him at length the victory. They relate, that Bin Dahir 



had at all times during the battle an iron mace in his hand, with 



which he cleft the head of every horseman against whom he launched 



it ; but at length on the approach of the Arabs, when he wished to leave 



the battle, the war elephants became frightened at the rockets of the 



Moslem troops, and fell amongst their own soldiers, who were thus 



destroyed. A party of the Infidels demanded quarter, and said " The 



army of Dahir is now confident and careless ; give us troops and we 



a ♦ e *u t « will take them in the rear, and break their pride and 

 A party ot the Inn- r 



dels desert. strength." In this way the ground was cleared and 



the enemy broken. 



By the power of the Almighty an arrow struck Dahir in the neck 



Death of Dahir. an d killed him ; they drew his elephant to the rear, 

 but by chance the elephant stuck in the mud of the river, and they all 

 tried to conceal the King's position. The army of the Infidels being de- 

 feated, the Moslems so guarded all the approaches that a bird could not 

 have flown past. The Brahmins fell into the hands of Keiss, and to 

 preserve their own lives reported the death of Dahir. At this time 



c ♦ " B h " the two daughters of Dahir were captured by the Mos- 

 reported the death of l e m troops. Mahamed Bin Cassim fearing lest 

 Dahir should escape, caused a proclamation to be 

 issued, that they should close to the rear to prevent the concealment of 

 the enemy. Keiss hearing the proclamation called aloud on the Most High 

 after the Mahomedan fashion, and the whole army taking it up, Bin 

 Cassim became aware of the death of Dahir. He came with some of his 

 warriors to the edge of the mud, and on the testimony of the Brahmins 

 took the polluted body out ; he cut off the head and stuck it on a spear, 



Th b d of D h r snew i n g lt to tne daughters for their confirmation 

 discovered. ( f \ x \ s death). He then directed, that the army 



should occupy itself all night in prayer and thanksgiving for the 

 Divine favour, and in the morning of Friday he sent Dahir s head with 

 his two daughters to the gate of the Fort. The defenders of the gar- 

 rison declared it was false. Sadi the wife of Dahir, having from the top 

 of the palace seen the head of her husband, became insensible, and ut- 

 tering a loud cry, threw herself off' (the palace:) in short, the people in the 



