BABER. 
219 
being thrown upon the walls from the river,, the 
parapet was successfully scaled by the Afghans, who 
thus obtained possession of the city almost without 
opposition : they were, however, soon expelled by the 
royal forces, who finally drove them from the pro- 
vinces of Oude and Bahar. Upon reaching the Sarjou, 
a branch of the Goggra river, Baber amused himself 
and his army in the evening by a novel mode of 
fishing. Fixing lights to a slight bamboo frame 
with baited hooks beneath, these were suffered to 
float down the stream. The fish, attracted by the 
lights, readily took the bait and were secured. This 
mode of fishing is still practised upon all the large 
rivers in India, and generally with great success. 
During his march, the emperor entertained his 
soldiers by making wrestling-matches, and upon one 
occasion was so delighted with a favourite officer, a 
distinguished wrestler, who threw a Hindoo of great 
reputation among his own people, that he bestowed 
upon him a present equal to three thousand seven 
hundred and fifty pounds sterling, clothed him in a 
dress of honour, and allowed him to quit the army 
for a term, but of this permission the champion does 
not appear to have availed himself. 
On reaching a ford, Baber despatched an officer 
with a small body of troops across the river, to ob- 
tain intelligence of the enemy, who were still scat- 
tered about the country. Next day about noon, 
that officer returned to the imperial camp with a num- 
ber of heads, from a party of Afghans whom he 
had surprised and routed. He had captured an 
Afghan of some note, who accompanied him on his 
