130 
W. Irvine —Guru Gobind Sipgh and JBandah. 
[No. 3, 
town of Jamarhi. 1 The Labor Muhammadans a second time took the 
field. On the march, their undisciplined force plundered the villages 
near the road. When the Muhammadans reached the small fort, the 
Sikhs came out boldly and met them in the open. Treachery was at 
work among the Muhammadans. The Afghans of Sauri village, who were 
secretly disaffected owing to the governor’s exactions, are said to have 
come to an understanding with the Sikh leaders, who were their neigh¬ 
bours. While the fortune of the day was doubtful, and the result still 
hung in the balance, these Af gh ans turned their bridle-reins and made 
for their homes. The remaining Muhammadans were unable to hold their 
own, and some of their leaders fell, among others Sayyad ‘Tnayat, of 
Bhatdyan village, the Muhammad Taqqi already mentioned, and Muham¬ 
mad Zaman, a Ranghar Rajput. By a great effort the Sikhs were 
driven back to the walls of the fort, and thus many Muhammadans were 
enabled to escape from the battle. High wind and heavy rain were 
obstacles in the way of both combatants, and night fell before a decisive 
victory had been gained by either side. As the daylight disappeared 
the fighting died down, and during the night the Muhammadan force 
melted away into nothing. 2 
The Emperor marches against the Sikhs. 
The first news of the Sikh outbreak was brought to Bahadur Shah 
on the 2nd Rabi‘ II, 1122 (30th May, 1710), when he was approaching 
Ajmer on his return march from the Dakhin. A peace was forthwith 
patched up with the Rajputs and attention was turned to the new trouble. 
Some difference of opinion seems to have arisen between Bahadur Shah 
and Munlm Khan, his wazir. The Emperor wished to make a rapid 
march with such troops as could keep up with him. Mun‘im Khan, 
arguing that it would be derogatory to the Emperor’s dignity thus to 
rush in haste to suppress an enemy that had never been heard of 
before, preferred a more deliberate advance. If it were thought that 
delay would enable the rebel Guru either to make his position im¬ 
pregnable or to escape, Munlm Khan would bind himself by solemn 
oaths to be answerable for the capture of the rebel. Some state that 
Bahadur Shah’s unwonted eagerness arose from the chance of conduct¬ 
ing what he looked on as a jahad, or holy war against the infidel, such 
as had not been the good fortune for many years of any Emperor in 
Hindustan. 8 
The plundered inhabitants of Sirhind and Thanesar, with the 
1 In Sirkar Batala, “ Im,” II, 110, 318. 
2 Qasim, fo. 97. 
3 Kamwar Khan, 68, Warid, 119 a. 
