Page:History of India Vol 4.djvu/294

 246 APPENDIX II manzai, brother to Shah Wall Khan, the prime minister of the Durrani Shah; who, in spite of the multitude of his enemies, would not succumb, and spared no exertions to protect the fort with the few martial spirits that he had with him. Bhao, conjecturing that the fort of Delhi would be devoid of protection of any garrison, and would therefore, immediately on being besieged, fall under his subjection, went and took up a position near Sad- allah Khan's mansion, with a multitude of troops. Ibrahim Khan Gardi, who was a confederate of Bhao and had the superintendence of the European artillery , planted his thundering cannon, with their skilful gun- ners, opposite the fort on the side of the sandy plain, and having made the battlements of the Octagon Tower and the Asad Burj a mark for his lightning-darting guns, overturned many of the royal edifices. Every day the tumultuous noise of attack on all sides of the fort filled the minds of the garrison with alarm and apprehension. The overflowing of the Jumna pre- sented an insurmountable obstacle to the crossing of the Durrani Shah's army, and hindered it from afford- ing any succour to the besieged. The provisions in the fort were very nearly expended, and Yakub Ali Khan was forced to enter into negotiations for peace. Ho first removed, with his female relatives and prop- erty, from the fort to the domicile of Ali Mardan Khan, and then, having crossed the river Jumna from thonrc on board a boat, betook himself to the Shah's ramp. On the 19th of the aforesaid month and year,