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HISTORIANS OF SIND.

Musnlmáns glutted themselves with massacre. According to Al Madáiní, the slayer of Dáhir was a man of the tribe of Kaláb, who composed some verses upon the occasion.Various authors concur in saying that Mxihammad took the village of Ráwar[1] by assault, in which city there was a wife of Dahír, who, afraid of being captured, burned herself along with her handmaids and all that she possessed.
Then Muhammad, son of Kasím, went to old Brahmanábád, two parasangs from Mansúra, which town indeed did not then exist, its site being a forest. The remnant of the army of Dahír rallied at Brahmanábád and resistance being made, Muhammad was obliged to resort to force, when eight, or as some say, twenty-six thousand men were put to the sword. He left a prefect there. The place is now in ruins.
Muhammad then marched towards Alrúr[2] and Baghrúr. The people of Sáwandarí came out to meet him and sued for peace, which was granted them, on the condition that they should entertain the Muhammadans and furnish guides. At this time they profess the Muhammadan creed. After that he went to Basmad, where the inhabitants obtained peace on the same terms as those accorded to the Sáwandaríans. At last he reached Alrúr, one of the cities of Sind. It is situated on a hill. Muhammad besieged it for several months, and compelled it to surrender promising to spare the lives of the inhabitants and not touch the temples (budd). “The temples,” he said, “shall be unto us, like as the churches of the Christians, the synagogues of the Jews, and the fire temples of the Magians.” He imposed, however, the tribute upon the inhabitants, and built a mosque in the city.
Muhammad advanced to Alsaka,[3] a town on this side of the Biyás, which was captured by him, and is now in ruins. He then crossed the Biyás, and went towards Multán, where, in the action which ensued, Záida, the son of ’Umur, of the tribe of Táí, covered himself with glory. The infidels retreated in disorder into the town, and Muhammad commenced the siege, but the provisions being exhausted, the Musulmáns were reduced to eat asses. Then came there

  1. [See Elphinstone, I. p. 506.]
  2. [Alrúd in one MS. Alor is the place intended.]
  3. [ .]