BABER. 
201 
troops whom he had sent to the eastward against the 
turbulent Afghans had been defeated and compelled to 
fall back upon Canouje. This spread considerable dis- 
may among Baber’s ranks ; but he restored their con- 
fidence by his own,, and the skilful plan of his attack : 
moreover, their spirits were fortunately raised by the 
apparent inactivity of the foe, who had deserted the 
ramparts of the town, upon which were left only 
a few men, and shut themselves within the citadel. 
That very night the town was occupied by the imperial 
forces, after encountering a faint resistance. The few 
soldiers stationed to defend the fortifications took shel- 
ter in the upper fortress, which they were evidently 
determined to defend to the last extremity. Hither 
the wives and families of all the Rajpoots had been 
removed. On the following morning, soon after sun- 
rise, Baber commanded the troops to arm themselves 
and prepare to assault the citadel, which he was de- 
termined to carry at all hazards. The artillery was 
brought to bear upon it, but imperfectly, as the 
guns could not be raised to a sufficient elevation to 
throw the shot over the walls. These moreover were 
of prodigious strength, being built upon the solid rock, 
of which the hill was chiefly composed, with immense 
blocks of stone squared and fitted with such nicety as 
to form an entire mass. On one side of the fortifica- 
tions there was a covered way extending the whole 
distance down the hill, and terminating at a large tank 
or reservoir of water at the bottom. Against the walls 
of this covered way, which were much less substan- 
tial than those beneath the ramparts, the emperor deter- 
mined to direct his main efforts. His bravest troops 
