Page:History of India Vol 5.djvu/217

THE DEFENCES OF HINDUSTAN 177 The first defence consists of five large rivers, which flow from the mountains of Kashmir, after which they unite in their course, pass through the country of Sind, and flow into the Arabian Sea, nor is it possible to cross them without boats and bridges. The second defence consists of woods and forests and trees, which, interweaving stem with stem and branch with branch, render it extremely difficult to penetrate into the coun- try. The third defence is the soldiery, and landholders, and princes, and rajas of that country, who inhabit fastnesses in those forests and dwell there like wild beasts. The fourth defence consists of the elephants, for in the day of battle the rulers of that country equip elephants in mail, put them in the van of their army, and place great confidence in them; and they have trained them to such a degree that with their trunks they lift a horse with his rider, and whirling him in the air, they dash him to the ground. Some of the nobles replied that Sultan Mahmud Sabuktagin had conquered the country of Hindustan with thirty thousand horse and had established his own servants as rulers of that region, after which he had carried off many thousand loads of gold and silver and jewels from that country, besides subjecting it to a regular tribute. " Is then/' they cried, " our lord inferior to Sultan Mahmud? No! thanks to Almighty God! To-day one hundred thousand valiant Tartar horsemen wait at the stirrup of our prince; and, if he determines upon this expedition, God on high will give him victory, and he will become a conqueror and a