9^ HISTORY OF AURANGZIB. [CHAP. V.
Bahadur Khan and Asalat Khan were left in Balkh as joint viceroys, and Oalich Khan in Badakhshan. After 22 days of hard toil, the great wazir finished his task and returned to Kabul by a rapid ride of four days only (6 September).* The Prince, who had preceded him, was disgraced, deprived of his rank and government, and forbidden the Court. f
The Mughal outposts were exposed to attack from the Uzbaks, and many of them lived in a state of siege, fighting frequent but indecisive skirmishes with the enemy. All waited for the arrival of a supreme commander and reinforce- ments at the end of winter.;|l
During the recess the Emperor made grand
preparations for opening the Preparations for . . . ,
renewing the war. campaign m the spring of 1647.
His sons Shuja and Aurangzib
were called up from their provinces, large sums
of money were conveyed to Afghanistan, and
troops were massed at convenient stations from
Peshawar to Kabul, in readiness to move at the
first order.§
- Abdul Hamid, ii. 560 — 565, 584.
t Ibid, 579.
X Ibid, 566 — 571, 614—618, 620—624, 626, 642 — 657.
§ Ibid, 603, 633, 641-642.
