168 
LIVES OF THE MOGHUL EMPERORS. 
together with seven elephants, fell into the victor’s 
hands. 
Baber, having reached the field of battle with his 
main army, halted there for six days ; and, to inspire 
the enemy with terror, commanded several prisoners 
to be put to death. Here he ordered his park of 
artillery to be linked together with straps cut from 
raw ox-hides, and twisted. Between every two 
gun-carriages he raised breast- works, behind which 
the matchlock-men were appointed to stand and dis- 
charge their matchlocks, protected from the enemy’s 
fire. When he had made the necessary arrange- 
ments, he called a council of his officers, in which 
it was decided that the town of Paniput * should cover 
one flank of his army, while the front should be pro- 
tected by roofed defences and cannon, and the match- 
lock-men placed in rear of the guns. This being settled, 
the squadron marched, and halted towards evening 
before Paniput. Accordingly, the disposition was made 
which had already been determined upon. His troops 
being thus strongly entrenched, he waited securely 
behind his defences for a favourable moment of 
attack. 
The Indian army, notwithstanding its loss in the 
late encounter, was nearly a hundred thousand strong, 
while that of the invader did not exceed twelve thou- 
sand. The troops of Ibrahim, moreover, were accom- 
panied by above nine hundred elephants, which were 
held in great dread by the invading troops, who had 
hitherto been little accustomed to encounter them. 
About fifty miles north-west from Delhi. 
