270 H. G. Raverty —The Mihran of Sind and its Tributaries. [No. 4, 
notLing whatever is mentioned, or even hinted at, on this subject, under 
the events of his reign, although we find, as related in detail farther on, 
that he followed the route from Debal-pur, Ajuddhan, and across to 
Fath-abad and Hansi on more than one occasion, and which same route 
was followed by Amir Timur, the Gurgan, some forty-three years 
after. 231 
Having arranged the affairs of his kingdom, in the year 763 H. 
(1361-62 A. D.), Sultan Firuz Shah turned his attention to Sind, the 
expedition against Thathah having had to be abandoned on the death of 
Sultan Muhammad Shah, his predecessor, on the banks of the Sind, in 
the vicinity of that town, about eleven years before. His forces on this 
occasion amounted to 90,000 cavalry, and 480 war elephants; and yet, 
strange to say, although it has been stated before, that water was scarce 
in the neighbourhood of his new town and fortress of Firuzah in the hot 
season, he marched across that very part: because it is plainly stated 
by the historians of his reign, that he again went across to Ajuddhan, 
and offered up his prayers at the tomb of Shaikh Farid-i-Shakar-Ganj, 
and that, after that, he reached “ the confines of Bakhar and Siw-istan. 
Boats were collected from Debal-pur, and other places lower down, to 
the number of 5,000; and part of the troops, the baggage, and heavy 
equipments were embarked on them; while the Sultan, with the rest 
of his army, accompanied the fleet of boats, marching along near the 
river’s bank. The father of Shams-i-Saraj, the author of the Tarikh-i- 
Firuz-Shah-i, had charge of one division of boats containing troops, on 
this occasion. 
The Sultan was unsuccessful in his operations; for a disease broke 
out among the horses in lower Sind, and three-fourths of them died. 
The hot season being near at hand, he determined to retire into Guzarat, 
obtain reinforcements, and return as soon as the season opened, having 
first beaten off the forces of the Jam of Lower Sind, who had become so 
emboldened from the Sultan’s losses, as to venture out and attack him. 
£31 The author of another Tarikh-i-Firuz-Shah-f. Ziya-ud-Din, Barani, states, 
that, on one occasion, when he, the author, “was within the fortress of Bhatnir, in 
the cold season, some little disorder arose, and the people from the tal-wandts 
[villages] round about the neighbourhood came flocking in to the shelter of the 
fortress; and from the excess of dust raised by the horses and cattle, the broad light 
of day became so darkened therefrom, that people could not distinguish each others 
faces. Out of a thousandth part of the people and their animals, it was possible for 
one 'part to find a place within the walls. I entered the stable of the Hajjam, 
Ikhtiyar-ud-Din, Madhu, and counted therein thirteen horses of 1,000 and 2,000 
tangahs each in value ; and the rest of the other property who shall calculate.” All 
this does not indicate any scarcity of water; for horses and other animals cannot 
exist without water any more than human beings. 
