Page:History of India Vol 3.djvu/204

 166 PROVINCIAL DYNASTIES which he placed the women, stores, and cattle, as well as " the good and learned men of the army " who, on being consulted where they would wish to be stationed during the battle, modestly expressed a wish to be " placed with the ladies. " The immense number of Hindu prisoners, reckoned at one hundred thousand, could not safely be left in the camp, and Timur ordered them all to be slain in cold blood. Then taking an augury from the Koran, and scouting the warnings of the astrologers, he set out his forces for battle. The Indian army under Ikbal Khan and the Sultan Mahmud did not refuse the challenge. They mustered ten thousand horse and forty thousand foot, with 125 elephants in mail, with poisoned blades fastened to their tusks and howdahs fitted with hand-grenades and fire- works to frighten the horses. The battle was ordered on each side in the usual manner: vaward, rearward, centre, right and left wings. Timur rode to a neigh- bouring knoll and reconnoitred them as they ap- proached, then bowed himself on the earth and prayed to God for victory. He mounted in full assurance that his prayer was heard. Completing his arrangements, he strengthened his vaward and right wing, and the signal for the battle was given by the roll of drums. A well-concealed flanking movement took the Indian advance-guard in the rear and scattered them. The right wing under Pir Mohammad drove in the Indian left by a steady discharge of arrows, and followed it up with the sword. The left, equally successful, pur- sued the enemy's right as far as the gates of Delhi.