reserve. For convenience in this I took up quarters in the middle of the town, in tents pitched on the roof of Aulfigh Beg Mlrza's College. To other begs and braves posts were assigned in the Gates or on the ramparts of the walled-town.
Two or three days later, Shaibaq Khan dismounted at some distance from the fort. On this, the town-rabble came out of lanes and wards, in crowds, to the College gate, shouted good wishes for me and went out to fight in mob-fashion. Shaibaq Khan had got to horse but could not so much as approach the town. Several days went by in this fashion. The mob and rabble, knowing nothing of sword and arrow-wounds, never witnesses of the press and carnage of a stricken field, through these incidents, became bold and began to sally further and further out. If warned by the braves against going out so incautiously, they broke into reproach.
One day when Shaibaq Khan had directed his attack towards the Iron 'Gate, the mob, grown bold, went out, as usual, daringly and far. To cover their retreat, we sent several braves towards the Camel's-neck,1 foster-brethren and some of the close household-circle, such as Nuyan Kukulddsh, Qul-nazar (son of Sherim ?) Taghal Beg, and Mazld. An Aiizbeg or two put their horses at them and with Qul-nazar swords were crossed. The rest of the Auzbegs dismounted and brought their strength to bear on the rabble, hustled them off and rammed them in through the Iron Gate. Quch Beg and Mir Shah Quchln had dismounted at the side of Khwaja Khizr's Mosque and were making a stand there. While the townsmen were being moved off by those on foot, a party of mounted Aiizbegs rode towards the Mosque. Quch Beg came out when they drew near and exchanged good blows with them. He did distinguished work; all stood to watch. Our fugitives below were occupied only with their own escape; for them the time to shoot arrows and make a stand had gone by. I was shooting with a slur-bow2 from above the Gate and some of my circle
1 This subterranean water-course, issuing in a flowing well (Erskine) gave its name to a bastion (U.S. ii, 300).
* n&wah, a diminutive of nao, a tube. It is described, in a MS. of Babur's time, by Muli. Budha'i, and, in a second of later date, by Aminu'd-din (AQR 1911, H.B.'s Oriental Cross-bows).
