1879.] or a History of Hamir, prince of Ranthambor. 195 
besieged eighty-four forts and captured them. In the course of taking 
a certain fort, a devil was made a captive by four warriors, and a bastion 
was, by the command of the emperor, raised over his head. In the dead 
of the night, while all was still, a sound came: “ Ald-uddin, Ala-uddin, 
mighty monarch, dost thou presume to keep me buried for ever under these 
walls? huge pillars are but as hairs on my head. Jelease me, or this very 
moment I am free and thy bastion broken.’ 
Ald-uddin.— Rest, unquiet spirit, I give thee the entire right over 
the throne of Suleman.” 
Cuaprer III. 
Once the emperor Ala-uddin intended to go out for a hunt. Haudis 
were mounted upon elephants, and many noble steeds saddled. All the 
vassals, then present in the imperial court, with all their retainers and 
acquaintances, marched, each wearing his hunting dress. Numerous heroes 
strutted along with an important air, some restless in pride, others advanc- 
ing in solemn gait. Trumpets, drums and other musical instruments 
were sounded. Ald-uddin took with him a queen, who in beauty and fascina- 
tion could well be compared with the fairy Urvasi of heaven. She charm- 
ed him, as the white moon-beams charm the eager chakor, and the pretty 
lotus binds the bee in love. Packs of dogs, leopards, hawks and other 
beasts and birds of prey followed the hunters. Thick columns of dust rose 
high up in the air and hid the sun. The loud sound of the drums seemed, 
_asif peals of thunder were heard from the dark clouds of the rainy season. 
_ Numbers of horses ran briskly and passed off like meteors. The imperial 
veterans clad in mail, began to play at arms, wrestle, bend their bows, adjust 
arrows and display their skill in various kinds of heroic feats. 
: At last the hunters entered a forest. They saw that it was very deep, 
and that profound darkness reigned over it, and heard the murmuring of 
rivulets and the rushing of springs. 
7 [Here follows a description of an intrigue between Chimnd Begam 
and one Muhammad Shah, which we omit.] 
_____ The queen confessed her guilt, but the emperor doted upon her and, 
fearing lest the execution of the Sheik should be followed by suicide on 
her part, exiled him, saying, “ Be gone, Sheik, be gone for ever from the 
confines of my dominions. I will kill the man who may chance to give 
- thee refuge. Thou art deserving of the gallows. Muhammad Shah, there 
is no one on earth who is so bold as to shelter thee from my anger, thee 
who hast wronged me. I will circulate what thou hast done to the four 
sania 
