152 
LIVES OF THE MOGHUL EMPERORS. 
in the citadel of Hissar, whither he had retired after 
his late defeat. So desperate had his affairs become, 
that he was unable to resent the insult. 
The power of the Uzbecks daily increasing, they 
soon regained possession of all Bukhara, including the 
country of Hissar. Famine and pestilence were add- 
ed to the calamities of w r ar, and Baber was thus re- 
duced to the lowest extremity of bereavement. Seeing 
no longer any hopes of regaining Samerkund, the un- 
happy monarch quitted Hissar, and returned to Cabul 
attended only by a few faithful companions. From 
this time he seems to have relinquished all thoughts 
of regaining his paternal inheritance, and was “ led 
by Divine inspiration,” says the courtly Abulfazel, 
writing in the reign of his grandson, the renowned 
Akbar, to turn his mind to the conquest of Hin- 
dostan.” It is related by Father Catrou, from the 
Moghul Chronicle, translated into Portuguese by Ma- 
nouchi, a Venetian, that Baber, before he under- 
took the conquest of Hindostan, entered that fruit- 
ful country in the disguise of a religious mendi- 
cant, in order to make himself acquainted with the 
habits and resources of the people whom he hoped to 
subdue. In this sacred character, he visited all the 
fortresses occupied by Tartars, and obtained such in- 
formation as greatly assisted him in accomplishing 
his future conquests. The beauty of the country de- 
lighted him, and at once determined his ambition. 
He was anxious to become sovereign of so productive 
a land. Its wealth, its cultivated plains watered by 
magnificent rivers, its populous cities studded with 
pagodas in which the treasure of ages was deposited. 
