Page:History of India Vol 5.djvu/240

198 TIMUK'S ACCOUNT OF HIS INVASION the Jumna and the Halin, the latter being a large canal which had been cut from the river Kalini and brought to Firozabad, and there connected with the Jumna by Sultan Firoz Shah. Many of the Rajputs placed their wives and children in their houses and burned them, after which they rushed into battle and were killed. Others of the garrison fought and were slain, and a vast number were taken prisoners. Next day I gave orders that the Mussulman prisoners should be sepa- rated and saved, but that the infidels should all be put to death with the proselyting sword. I also commanded that the homes of the sayyids (or lineal descendants of the Prophet), shaikhs, and learned Mussulmans should be preserved, but that all the other houses should be plundered and the fort destroyed. It was done as I directed, and great booty was obtained. When my heart was satisfied with the conquest of Loni, I rode away from thence on the first of Rabi'- al-akhir (Dec. 11) to examine the fords of the Jumna, and when I came opposite the palace Jahan-numa, I found some places where the river might be crossed. At the time of midday prayer I returned to the camp and gave orders to the princes and amirs, after which I held a council about the attack upon Delhi and the operations against Sultan Mahmud. After much discussion in the Council of War, where every one had something to say and an opinion to offer, it appeared that the soldiers of my army had heard strange tales about the strength and prowess and ap- pearance of the elephants of Hindustan. They had