g24 SKETCH OF THE SIKHS;- 



count, the arrows of the Sikhs were victorious over the sabres ©f the Mu-' 

 hanim^dansJ^ 



His first success appears to have greatly increased the number of 

 Ou'ru' Go'vind's followers, whom he estabhshed at A?ia?idpicr, KhiloYj 

 and the towns in their vicinity; where they remained, till called to aid the 

 Rajd of' JVadoViy-f BHiivrA Chand, who was threatened with an invasion^ 

 hy the Raj d of Jam?nu, excited to hostilities by MIa Khan, a Mogul' 

 chiefs who was at enmity with BhIma Chand', ' ■; "' ■ ' 



/Gu'lVU^QpViND gives an account of this war, which consisted of attack-* 

 ing,,gii^^ 4^feniding the narrow passes of the mountains; he describes Bhi- 

 iwrACjiAi^D and hunself as leading on their warriors, who advanced, he 

 says, to battle,. " like a stream of flame consuming the forest/' They 



F , „ ■ " I ' ' . ' ' ' .» " 



*' The vultures hovered around, screaming for tlicir prey. Hari Chand, (a Hindu chief 

 *^-itit}ie emperor's army) in his wrath, drawing his bow, first struck my steed with an arrow j 

 ^1 aiming ^ s^cojid time,, he discharged his arrow, but the deity preserved me, and it passed 

 *' me, only grazed by my ear. His third arrow struck my breast : it tore open the mail, and 

 *' pierced the skin, leaving a slight sear ; but the God whom 1 adore,^ saved me. When I 

 *' felt this hurt, my anger was kindled ; I drew my bow and discharged an arrow; all my 

 '^^ champions did the same, nishing onwards to the battle. Then 1 aimed at the young hero, 

 *^ and struck him. Hari Chand perished, and many of his host; death devoured himf, 

 ^^ who was called a Rdjd among a hundred thousand Rajas. Then all the host, struck with 

 '^^consternation, fled, deserting the field of combat. I obtained the victory through tbes 

 *^ favor of the most high ; and, victorious in the field, we raised aloud the song of triumph. 

 "Riches fell on us like rain, and all our warriors were glad." 



* Hya't Khan and Neja'bet Kha'n are mentioned, as two of the principal chiefs of the 

 emperor's army, that fell in this first action. Go'vind, speaking of the fall of the latter, says, 

 ^^ When Neja'bet Kha'n fell, the world exclaimed, alas! but the region of Sj^aro^a (the- 

 '"' heavens) shouted victory." 



+ A mountainous tract of country, that borders on the PewyVJ 6. It lies to the N. W. of 

 iSrinagar, and the S. E, of Jammu. The present i?4;fi, Sansa'r Chand, is a chief of great ' 

 respectability. His country has lately been oyer-run by the Mdjd of Nepal and Gore' ha. 



