Page:Historic Landmarks of the Deccan.djvu/59

47 in with a small force which had been sent to the assistance of the Khan-i-Zaman, on seeing which they concluded that the whole of the Khan-i-Khanan's army was scattered and that its camp might be des- troyed. They therefore turned towards Daulatabad, only to be met by the force which they had seen near Khirki and which had withdrawn to- wards tlie main body. The Bijapuris then retired discomfited to Khirki and the Khan-i-Zaman escorted the Zafarnagar convoy to the Khan-i- Khanan's camp. After the failure of this attempt to cut off the besiegers' supplies, the Bijapuris made another determined effort to convey grain to the defenders, but the grain, as well as a quantity of other booty, was captured by the Khan-i-Zaman, who then fell upon and plundered the camp of the Bijapuris. During his absence Fath Khan made a sortie from the fort, but was repulsed. The imperial army now suffered from want of grass and firewood, and the Khan-i-Zaman was sent out with a force to collect supplies of both. During his absence the Bijapuris attacked the camp at Nizampur, but were repulsed with loss, and the Khan-i-Zaman returned with the grass and fuel.

The next episode of the siege was the explosion of a mine which destroyed 28 yards of the curtain and 12 yards of the bastion in the enceinte of Ambarkot, the outer fort, beneath which it was exploded. The explosion was mistimed by some hours, and when it occurred the storming party was not ready. The Bijapuris attacked the besiegers and fully occupied the attention of the Khan-i-Zaman's flying column, so adding to the confusion that before the storming party could assemble the breach was partly repaired, and the defenders, who rapidly concen- trated at the vulnerable point in their defences, were able to pour upon the storming party, when it at length advanced to the assault, a fire so galling that the assailants fled to their trenches and steadfastly refused to move from them. The Khan-i-Khanan, smarting with chagrin, was with difficulty dissuaded by Nasiri Khan from leading a second assault in person, a duty which was ultimately assigned to Nasiri Khan himself at his urgent request. The Deccanis at first offered a most stubborn resistance and the carnage was great, but gradually the determination of the picked men led by Nasiri Khan prevailed, and the Deccanis withdrew behind the walls of Mahakot, their second line of defence, leaving Ambarkot in the hands of the besiegers. Meanwhile, the Khan-i-Zaman