HISTORIANS OF SIND.
allegiance. Chach gave him some prohibitions and admonitions, so that he continued faithful in obedience and never disobeyed his orders.
Chach marches towards Sikka and Multán.
Having completed the expedition to Askalanda, Chach proceeded towards Sikka and Multán. In Multan there was a chief (malik) whose name was Bajhrá. He was a relation of Sáhasí. When he received the news of the arrival of Chach, he came to the banks of the Ráví. He had large dominions and possessed great abilities. Suhewal, his nephew, governed the fort of Sikka opposite Multán, towards the east, and along with Ajín, the cousin of Bajhrá came with a large force to meet him[1] (Chach), and he[1] (Chach) encamped at a ford on the Biás[2] for three months. When the water decreased, they selected a place at a village a little above the encampment, where the water did not prevent a passage, and he (Chach) crossed over. He came to Sikka, and fought a battle with Suhewal. He besieged the fort for some days, and the enemy was much pressed. Some men were slain on Chach’s side, and on the side of the infidels many were despatched to hell. Suhewal then fled, and went to the fort of Multán. They entered the fort, and stood on the banks of the Ráví[3] prepared with all the implements of war. Chach then took possession of the fort of Sikka, and killed five thousand soldiers, and made the inhabitants slaves and prisoners of war. Chach placed Amír ’Alíu-d Daula in the fort of Sikka, and himself passed over to Multán. Both armies confronted each other. Malik Bajhrá, with a formidable army, fighting elephants, and men of war, came out and opposed Chach. Sharp encounters ensued, with great slaughter on both sides. Bajhrá took refuge in the fort, and wrote letters to the ruler of Kashmír stating that Chach, son of Siláíj, a Brahman, had become chief of Alor, the capital. He had come with
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 [The text is ambiguous; and the appropriation of the personal pronoun is a matter of inference.]
- ↑ [
“Biás” may possibly here be the name of the ford, but the old bed of the Biás is still traceable between Multán and the Ghárá. to where it joined the Chináb thirty miles S.W. of Multán.]
- ↑ [“The Ráví formerly surrounded the fortress of Multán, and its bed is still traceable. In seasons of heavy rain the waters flow to Multán. This agrees with the statement that Alexander circumnavigated the fortress.”—Cunningham.]
