98 
LIVES OF THE MOGHUL EMPERORS. 
great slaughter was made of the besieged, who were 
pursued from street to street until the whole place 
was a scene of carnage. 
The fortress being still in the enemy’s hands, 
Timur ordered it to be undermined. The governor, 
fearing that resistance would only draw down upon 
him the implacable vengeance of the Tartar, proposed 
to capitulate. The conqueror received him with cour- 
tesy and loaded him with presents ; but, while thus 
entertaining the unsuspecting noble, he despatched 
two officers to take possession of the citadel, with 
orders to slay all who had taken refuge there, and 
had been active in occasioning the distresses of his 
grandson. In consequence of this command, an in- 
human massacre commenced; which so terrified the 
Hindoos, that, having first killed their wives and 
children in despair, they set fire to the place, and 
rushed upon their foes with the desperation of men 
resolved to die in the accomplishment of their re- 
venge. Several thousands of the Moghuls were slain 
by those frantic idolaters; who, however, were at 
length cut off to a man. The emperor was so in- 
censed at this outrage, as he was pleased to term 
it, that he caused every soul in the town and for- 
tress of Bhutneer to he massacred, and reduced the 
city to ashes. He exerqised a similar cruelty upon 
several of the neighbouring towns. His forces being 
divided, spread devastation through the provinces of 
Moultan and Lahore. At length he ordered a place 
of general rendezvous, joined his army and commenced 
his march towards Delhi. Upon reaching Paniput, 
he crossed the Jumna into the Dooab, and having 
