Page:Historic Landmarks of the Deccan.djvu/88

 was asked how he had dared to appropriate horses reserved for the Bahmani King. Ignorant of the fact that Muhammad Shah was inclined to be merciful, and deeming that death would in any case be his meed, he gave rein to his tongue, and indulged himself after the fashion of the Deccan, with foul and scathing abuse of his conqueror. His offence met with its fitting reward. His tongue was torn out by the roots, and a large pyre of wood just without the city wall having been made ready for his reception he was projected into it from a balista. Muhammad Shah remained for a fortnight in Vailampallam, enjoying his conquest, and from time to time detachments from the army at Bidar joined him, but were not allowed to participate in the revels of the conquering force. He then set out on his homeward way, but by this time the Hindus had recovered somewhat from their surprise and beset the retreating Musalmans, who were obliged to abandon the heavier articles of plunder and to content themselves with the gold and jewels which had fallen into their hands. The troops had to leave even their tents behind them and collected supplies day by day from the villages through which they passed. At night they could not venture to unsaddle their horses, and the Hindus hung on their flanks and rear until the frontier of the Bahmani dominions was reached, occasionally even venturing to attack the retreating army. In these combats the Musalmans were invariably victorious, but were unable to shake off their pursuers, and in one of them the Sultan himself was wounded. The Muhammadan troops at Vailampallam had been reinforced, before the Sultan's departure, by 3,000 horse, and numbered 4,000 when the retreat began, but of these no more than 1,500 reached their homes. After crossing the frontier Muhammad Shah halted at Kaulas, and the minister at Gulbarga, on hearing of his losses, sent a fresh force from the capital. Muhammad Shah despatched these troops into the territories of Warangal, where they laid waste village after village and slaughtered the inhabitants. When they returned, glutted with carnage, Muhammad Shah took them back with him to Gulbarga.

The insignificant successes of the Hindu troops during Muhammad Shah's retreat did not console the Raja of Warangal for the loss of his son and the sufferings inflicted on his people by the Musalmans, and in 1363 he sent a petition to Firuz Shah of Delhi beseeching him to order