1892. j H. G. Raverty —The Mihran of Sind and its Tributaries. 
165 
my’s hands, intimating, in somewhat exaggerated terms, the advance, 
and near approach, of a vast army with numerous elephants: and, in 
truth, it was said to have been the most formidable army that had been 
assembled for a very long period. Malik Ghiyas-ud-Dm, Balban, im¬ 
mediately after the army had passed the Biali on the route to Labor, 
had also pushed forward a considerable body of cavalry towards the 
frontier of Sind, and this force, at least, went by the right or west bank 
of the Biali, through the Bari Do-abah, between it and the Rawi. On 
the couriers reaching Uchchh, the drums and other so-called musical 
instruments announced to the Mughals that the defenders were aware 
that succour was at hand, and that they would speedily be relieved; and 
what with their own recent, unsuccessful assault, and the loss of one of 
their famous leaders, it became clear to the Mu gh als that Uchchh was 
not to be taken as easily as they had expected. 
Another important point to be considered is, that this match from 
Dihli towards Labor and the Rawi was a flank movement, to cover, and 
succour Multan 29 if necessary, and threaten the line of the Mughals’ 
retreat towards the Jud Hills—the Namak-Sar or Salt Range—the route 
by which they had come against Uchchh. 30 
It will also be noticed that the Nii-in Mangutah was quite alive to 
this flank movement, when, on hearing of the route taken by the 
Musalman forces, he said it was “time to retire,” and the author adds, 
“ lest, if they remained longer, their line of retreat should be cut off.” 
Another reason for the advance of the Dihli army towards Lahor, 
instead of going direct from Dihli to Uchchh through the now desert 
waste, was, that the Biah and Rawi, which, did not flow then as they do 
now, were more easily crossed higher up at the season in question—the 
months of December and January 31 —when these operations took place, 
29 Multan and Uchchh, as before mentioned (see note 8, page 157, and note 12, 
page 159) were then situated in the same Do-abah, no great river intervening between 
them, but a cutting from the river Chin-ab, called the Loll Wa’-han, flowed past 
the fortifications of Multan, and filled its ditch, or formed a wet ditch around it, 
which, in the cold season, could be filled at pleasure. There were likewise several 
canals about, at lesser or greater distances. 
The Ab-i-Sind or Indus, at this period united with the Biah and its tributaries 
near Uchchh on the west, as confirmed by tradition mentioned in note farther on, 
and continued so to do down to modern times. 
30 The Ranah, Jas-Pal, Sihra or Sehra, and his Khokhar tribes, acted as the 
Mughal guides, for which they were severely chastised in the following year, 644 II., 
the first of the reign of Sultan Nasir-ud-Din, Mahmud Shah. See pages 678 and 815 
of my “ Translation.” 
31 The Mughals raised the investment of Uchchh on the 25th of the month 
Sha’ban, about the end of January, 1246 A. D. 
V 
