1 88 
LIVES OF THE MOGHUL EMPERORS. 
strength of his position, Gualior being situated upon 
an almost inaccessible hill. There happened to be a 
learned sheikh within the fortress, named Mohammed 
Ghows, who, favouring the claim of the Moghuls, wrote 
to the general whom Baber had sent to the relief of 
Gualior to endeavour to introduce himself alone into 
the citadel. Upon receipt of the sheikh’s letter, the 
wily Moghul requested an interview with Tartar 
Khan, and solicited permission to march his troops 
under protection of the fort, as the enemy were in 
the neighbourhood and likely to harass him by fre- 
quent assaults and surprises : he also requested that 
he might be allowed to visit the learned Mohammed 
Ghows, whose wisdom and piety were alike cele- 
brated through the country. This being acceded 
to, he contrived from time to time to obtain admit- 
tance for several of his officers, who finally opened 
the gates when the garrison were enjoying the plea- 
sures of a revel. The governor, perceiving that he 
had been outwitted, made a virtue of necessity, re- 
signed his command, proceeded to Agra, and entered 
into the service of the conqueror. 
In the month of December 1526, an attempt was 
made to poison the emperor, at the instigation of the 
sultana, the late sovereign’s mother ; but only part of 
the poison having been thrown into the dish, of which 
Baber partook sparingly, he was seized with sickness, 
and, ejecting the deleterious mixture, suffered but little 
inconvenience. Two young men who had eaten from 
the same dish became very ill, which led to a detection 
of the attempt upon Baber’s life. The agents were 
discovered, confessed their crime, and declared who 
