TIMUR BEG. 
59 
and ordered the gates to be secured. The young 
warrior, in spite of his suffering, rode up to the gate 
of the fort, struck it with an axe, shouted defiance at 
the foe, and returned to his father’s camp, where his 
foot was dressed, the surgeons drawing a red-hot iron 
through the wound to stanch the effusion of blood, 
the agony of which he bore with unflinching reso- 
lution. 
On the following morning a fresh sally was made 
from the city. The garrison fought with a despera- 
tion which gave Hussyn some hopes of defeating the 
enemy. He beheld this terrible encounter from the 
ramparts of the citadel; and his troops, encouraged by 
the consciousness that they were fighting under the 
eye of their sovereign, made prodigious exertions to 
compel their foes to raise the siege. It was fruitless, 
however : the besieged were soon repulsed on all 
sides, and forced to retreat within their walls. 
Hussyn now saw that his affairs were in a despe- 
rate condition. Timur sent a messenger to inform 
him, that if he had any hopes of preserving his life, he 
must immediately deliver up the fortress uncondi- 
tionally into the victor’s hands. Hussyn, perceiving 
that submission was his wisest policy, resolved at 
once to trust to the conqueror’s clemency, and there- 
fore sent his two sons to the hostile camp, accom- 
panied by the governor of Balkh, offering to resign his 
crown, and stipulating for nothing but that he might 
be permitted to make a pilgrimage to Mecca. This 
request being acceded to, he declared his intention of 
quitting Balkh on the following day. Distrusting, how- 
ever, Timur’s promise that his life should be spared, 
