36 
LIVES OF THE MOGHUL EMPERORS, 
CHAPTER IV. 
a.d. 1362 — 1366 . 
Shortly after Timur had taken quiet possession of 
Gurmsyr, in a conflict with a neighbouring chieftain, 
he was wounded in the arm and in the foot, by 
two arrows. This obliged him to suspend all further 
warlike operations for the moment. He was at this 
time threatened by a formidable army of Jetes; 
but as great numbers of soldiers were daily flocking to 
his standard, he soon found himself in a condition to 
meet his enemies. Great, however, was the disparity 
of numbers between him and his foes, his army chiefly 
consisting of one thousand cavalry, in which lay his 
main strength, and that of the Jetes amounting to 
upwards of twenty thousand men. Happily, during 
his march, he was joined by a reinforcement of a 
thousand troopers, who had deserted from the foe. 
Timur being now encamped on the banks of the 
Oxus, the Jete general sent a detachment of six thou- 
sand of his choicest troops to dispute his passage. The 
enemy having crossed the river at a ford, the prince did 
not think it prudent to attack them with so small an 
army, his available force at this moment amounting 
only to fifteen hundred men ; these were, however, 
all experienced and well-disciplined soldiers. Early 
