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 Chap. V.]

FORTUNES OF IIOOMAYOON.

115

resistance as miglit suffice to protract the advance. Hooniayoon ought now to have become perfectly aware of the trap which was laid for him, and been satisfied to select some strong ])osition, at least till the rainy season was over. Instead of this, he found himself in the lower basin of the Ganges when its whole delta was Hooded, and every brook had swollen into an impassjible torrent. Meanwhile Sheer Khan, by a dexterous movement, i)laced himself in his rear, and cut off his retreat. The King of Delhi was at last alive to his ])erilous condition, and endeavoui'ed to elude his enemy by ])re paring boats to cross over to the other side of the Ganges. While thus occupied, he allowed himself to be completely surprised, and had barely time to momit his horse and make for the river. He immediately plunged in, but his steed, after bearing him nobly for a while, sunk exhausted His fate would have been the same, had not a water-carrier, who was crossing, by the aid of the water-skin, which he had inflated for that purpose, seized him before he sunk, and carried him to the opposite bank. He reached Agra in the end of June, 1539, but his whole army had jierished, and his queen Wfxs Sheer Khan's captive.

Hoomayoon made the best use of his escape; and, by the aid of his brothers, Kamran and Hindal, who, after taking very suspicious measures, had become cor- dially imited with him. kept the enemy at bay. By the spring of 15-tO he thought himself strong enough for a new campaign. The armies came in sight of each other, and continued for some time manoeuvring, till Hoomayoon, alarmed at some symptoms of desertion, determined to risk a general

engagement. It proved disastrous; and in the flight which ensued, his escape was as extraordinary as before. His hoi-se wsis wounded, and he was on the point of being Icilled or taken, when he found an ele})hant, mounted it, and htistened to the Ganges. The driver hesitated to swim the river, and gave place to an eunuch who undertook the task. He reached the opposite bank in siifety, but, on account of its height, could not land, till two soldiers who hajipened to be present joined their turbans, and throwing one end to him, drew him up His

AD 1540.

XaiTow escape of HooniayooH

BmiSTEE OH Water-carrier ' —From Luard's

Views iti liidta.

His sticoud ■ lefeitt and

' The bag whioli the Hiliistee carries on his back, i.* called a luushk of p.inee, or skin full of water. It is a goat -skin carefully sewed up, and made perfectly tight; a valve being left open at one end, which he holds in his hand to enalde him to guide the water into porous earthenware bottles, in which it is placed

to cool. Some Bihistees go about leading a bullock with two large skins of water for sale, slung acros.s the animal's back, and nearly reaching to the ground. In tiie baik-ground to our engraving, men are re- presented filling skius so slung. BihisUc means Itca- venly.