BABER. 
187 
Futteh Khan, the late king’s minister, joined Hu- 
maioon with a large body of forces. The Afghan was 
immediately sent to Agra, where he was received by 
the sovereign with great kindness, and through his in- 
fluence most of the rebellious chiefs were induced to 
submit to the imperial clemency. Being thus strength- 
ened by the submission of so many refractory nobles 
and by several new alliances, Baber turned his atten- 
tion to the improvement of his capital. He made an 
artificial pleasure-ground near Agra, in which he 
sank wells to supply the baths of his palace, cut a 
canal which he kept constantly filled from those 
wells by means of an hydraulic apparatus, and laid 
out an extensive and beautiful garden, enclosing a 
large tank, supplied with water from the same source 
and by the same means as the canal. Within the 
garden he constructed convenient baths, adjoining 
which were splendid private apartments. He likewise 
erected a magnificent palace and other public works, 
which added much to the splendour of that city, where 
from this time he usually held his court. 
Though Biana and several considerable fortresses 
commanded by the Afghan amyrs had capitulated, the 
strong citadel of Gualior still held out. It was, how- 
ever, taken by stratagem, without bloodshed. The go- 
vernor, Tartar Khan, being besieged by a neighbouring- 
rajah, solicited the aid of Baber, promising to resign the 
fort into his hands when released from his present peril. 
The emperor immediately sent an army to his relief and 
obliged the rajah to raise the siege- Tartar Khan, 
relieved from apprehension by the retreat of his 
foes, refused to fulfil his engagements, trusting to the 
