50 HISTORY OF CASHMIR. 



more than knee deep, but it suddenly rose, and swept away the king and 

 his army : the greater part of the soldiers were drowned. The king, continu- 

 ing to straggle with the waves, was carried down the stream: the cries of 

 one army were echoed by the shouts of the other, and some soldiers of the 

 enemy mounted on inflated skins, rushed into the torrent, and captured the 

 drowning prince : he was dragged to the shore, and confined in a strong 

 castle on the banks of the Gaudiai,* his broken and dismayed army re- 

 treating hastily to Cashmir. 



The return of the troops, carrying the news of "their discomfiture, and of 

 the captivity of the king, spread consternation throughout Cashmir : the mi- 

 nisters immediately assembled to deliberate on what was to be done, when 

 Deva Serma, the son of .the faithful Mitra Sarma, undertook to effect the 

 liberation of the monarch : for this purpose he wrote to Aramuex, holding 

 out promises of securing to him both the kingdom and treasures of Jay a- 

 pira, if admitted to his presence. The terms were readily accepted, and the 

 minister attended by a considerable body offerees, entered Nipal ; his army 

 he led to. the banks of the Gandica, opposite to the fort which held his mas- 

 ter captive, whilst he himself repaired to the court of Aramuri : at a private 

 conference with the king of Nipal, Deva Serma represented to him, that 

 the treasures of Jayapira were with the army, but their amount and dis- 

 tribution were known to Jayapira alone ; that it would be advisable there- 

 fore for him to have an interview with that prince, and learn from him un- 

 der some plausible pretence, these particulars, as otherwise the money 

 might be lost or embezzled, and Aramuri be disappointed of a valuable 

 prize. The Nipalese was deceived : orders were given for Deva Serma to 

 be admitted privately to Jayapira, and the minister thus found himself in 

 his master's presence. 



In the interview that followed, Deva Serma urged the king to let him- 



* Possibly the Gandaci or Ganduch river : if however the fort of Bhimasena should be Bimt near 

 Nagracot, this appellation must be applied to some other river. 



