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William Irvine— The Later Mughals . 
f Extra No. 
\ 
ten and in some cases twenty days were occupied in dragging these can¬ 
non the distance, only a mile or two, which separated the camp from 
the fort. The route through the lanes and bazars being very narrow, 
the dwelling-houses and shops were pulled down to allow of the pas¬ 
sage of the artillery. Within] the fort there are said to have been 
thirteen hundred cannon, counting those of every kind. From these 
the garrison artillerymen (the Baksariyah ) kept up an incessant fire, 
not allowing themselves a respite even during the night. Damage was 
done on both sides. Even persons resorting to the river bank to draw 
water were fired on from the fort, and fell victims. The governor’s 
mansion near the fort was destroyed, the mosque known as the Begam 
Sahib’s, standing opposite to the citadel, was injured, the tower and 
marble steps being struck by shot, and the buildings of the Tirpoliya 
or triple gate, suffered equally. The besiegers returned the fire and 
injured the battlements on all four walls, doing also some damage to 
the Moti Masjid. Haidar Quli Khan, who had under his command 
many Europeans, whom he had brought from Surat, drove several saps 
towards the walls. Little effect was, however, produced on the fort; 
nor did the garrison show any enterprize, or try to open a way 
through the investing lines and join their friends outside. The attack¬ 
ing force had succeeded in causing the besieged to withdraw within the 
fort; but beyond this advantage nothing was gained, except that 
Ghairat Khan and Shamsher Khan, after a good deal of fighting, took 
the cabutrah or police office at the fort gate. 1 
The garrison were evidently reserving themselves until they had 
learnt of the advance of their hoped-for allies. Time passed, and of 
these helpers there was no word or sign. After a month provisions 
began to be scarce. Many of those who had joined from the country 
round began to desert, getting over the walls at night, only to be seized 
by the Nawab’s sentries. These fugitives informed Husain ‘All of the 
disheartened and suffering condition of the garrison and the depression 
in Mitr Sen’s mind. All the good grain had been used up; and 
nothing was left but inferior pulses, and these had been stored over seven 
years and smelt so strongly, that even the four-footed beasts would not 
eat them with avidity. Attempts were made to bring in small supplies 
of flour, which were dragged up by ropes let down from the battle¬ 
ment. Even some of the artillery in the besieging force engaged in 
this traffic. After this fact was found out, the strictness of watch 
was redoubled, anything moving in the river at night was shot at, and 
1 S^iiu Das, 29a, Risalah-i-Muhammad Shah, fol. 766, and Muhammad Qasim, 
Lahorl, 280. 
