DELHI. 
55 
wounds. When his dastardly foes saw this, they 
checked their flight, and, rallying upon an eminence 
at a short distance, began to fire upon their brave 
opponent with bows and match-locks. The proud 
and heroic chief disdained to fly ; and, as the missiles 
fell thickly about him, he bitterly upbraided the 
soldiers with their cowardice, and challenged each of 
the chiefs to combat ; but he spoke in vain, for they 
continued their murderous fire, and he received 
many wounds from each successive discharge. In 
his extremity, when about to renew his attack, a 
ball struck his horse in the forehead, and killed it on 
the spot. Then, beholding the shadow of death upon 
the book of his destiny, the noble Shere Afghan 
turned his face towards Mecca, and taking a handful 
of dust for want of water, poured it upon his head. 
With perfect composure he repeated his last prayer, 
and while his lips yet moved, several balls entered 
his breast, and he fell lifeless before his dastardly 
enemies, who even then were afraid to approach him, 
until satisfied that life was quite extinct. 
When the arrow of death is shot from the bow of fate, 
The shield of circumspection will be thoroughly pierced. 
No sooner was it ascertained that he was in truth 
dead than one of the officers hastened to the residence 
of the slain Shere Afghan, for the purpose of con- 
veying the tidings to Mher-ul-Nissa, fearing that if it 
were incautiously communicated to her, she might, in 
