136 
LIVES OF THE MOGHUL EMPERORS. 
their natural mildness, would defend fiercely their 
possessions against the irruption of their assailants. 
Sometimes the besieged quitted their retreat and gave 
battle in the open air. The monarch encouraged them 
by his voice and gestures, fluttering the standard to in- 
spire them with greater rage and induce them to come 
to a closer engagement. One day when Omer Sheikh 
was enjoying this diversion, having his attention fixed 
upon a flock of pigeons which he was animating to the 
combat, and consequently not observing a place where 
the parapet of the terrace had given way, he fell from a 
considerable height to the ground, and died two days 
afterwards from the injuries he received. This prince 
had nothing of the impetuosity which characterised 
the Tartars. He was reproached with showing too 
great an indolence of temper ; which appeared in him 
the more particular, as he was surrounded on all sides 
by princes of a warlike character/’ — Such was the 
father of the renowned Zeheer-ood-Deen Mohammed, 
surnamed Baber or the Tiger. 
