74 
SCENES IN INDIA. 
■ — The King answered, “ I will make your name 
as celebrated as that of Nizam -addeen-Aulia,* and 
you shall sit on my throne.” On reaching his capital, 
Humayoon did not forget his promise. He ordered 
the water-carrier to he conducted into his presence, 
and having seated him on the musnud at his right 
hand, allowed him, during six hours, to enjoy the 
dignity of a prince, and to distribute presents to his 
relatives to an unlimited extent. The man took care 
during this short period of his enviable distinction 
to make provision for himself and family for the rest 
of his and their days. 
Humayoon suffered a second defeat by the Afghan 
chief. In this memorable engagement his army, 
amounting to ninety thousand cavalry, were almost 
wholly destroyed, and he was eventually obliged to 
fly the country, which his father had so gloriously 
subdued, leaving his crown to the conqueror. Having 
retreated to different places, which he was compelled 
by the victorious troops of the Afghan conqueror to 
evacuate, he retired to Amurkote, a strong fortress in 
the desert of Sinde, where the Prince Akbar, after- 
wards so renowned in history as the Emperor of 
Hindostan, was born. 
“ The country through which they fled,” says Fe- 
rishta,+ “ being an entire desert of sand, the Moghuls 
were in the utmost distress for water : some ran mad, 
others fell down dead. Nothing was heard but dread- 
ful screams and lamentations ; while, to add to their 
misery, news arrived of the enemy’s approach. Hu- 
* A celebrated saint. 
t Life of Humayoon, vol. ii. pp. 93 — 4 — 5. 
