MO 



A sf Account of 



the army. Thefe troops were inftructed to march privately; by night 

 .and by unfrequented roads, and each man to have a bag of two thoufand rupees 

 given him to carry, as far as the fum they fhould receive would go. They 

 executed their orders completely, as far as to the lafr. march on their return 

 to camp, but unluckily for them, the night being dark, they miflook their 

 road, and went ftrait to the Durrany camp inftead of their own, On com- 

 ing to the outpofts, thinking them thofe of their own camp, they began to 

 call out in the Mahratta language, which immediately difcovering them t© 

 the Durranies, they unrounded the Mahratias % cut them to pieces and plun- 

 dered the treafures. 



"From the day of their arrival in their prefcnt camp, Ahmed Shah 

 Dukrany caufed a fmall red tent to be pitched for him a cofs in front 

 of his camp, and he came to it every morning before fun-rife 5 at which 

 time, after performing his morning prayer, he mounted his horfe and vifited 

 ■every polr. of the army, accompanied by his fon Timour Shah 

 and forty or fifty horfemen. He alfo reconnoitred the camp of the 

 enemy, and in a word faw every thing with his own eyes, riding ufually 

 fortv or fifty cofs every day. After noon he returned to the fmall tent, 

 and fometimes dined there, fometimes at his own tents in the lines ^ and 

 this was his daily pra&ife. 



At night there was a body of five thoufand horfe advanced as near as con- 

 veniently might be, towards the enemy's camp, where they remained all 

 night under arms : other bodies went the rounds of the whole encamp- 

 ment ; and Ahmed Shah ufed to fay to the Windoflany chiefs, " do you 

 " fleep, I will take care that no harm befalls you: '* and to fay the truth 

 his orders were obeyed like deftiny, no man daring to hefitate or delay ©us 

 moment in .executing them. 



