Page:History of India Vol 4.djvu/30

12 customary struggle arose between two sects of fanatics for the possession of the bathing-place. They came to the emperor and begged to be allowed to fight it out according to their habit. He consented, and allowed some of his soldiers to smear their bodies with ashes and go in to support the weaker side. There was a splendid fight; many were killed, we are told; and "the emperor greatly enjoyed the sight."

On a campaign Akbar was indefatigable. In one of his pursuits of Ali Kuli Khan-zaman, an Uzbeg officer who repeatedly revolted in the name of Akbar's jealous brother, Hakim, and was as often pardoned by his too forgiving sovereign, he pushed on so rapidly that of his army only five hundred men and elephants succeeded in being in at the finish. In spite of his reduced force, Akbar rode straight for the enemy, and took his own share of the fighting. "As the battle grew hot, the emperor alighted from his elephant, Balsundar, and mounted a horse. Then he gave orders for the elephants to be driven against the lines of Ali Kuli Khan. Among them there was an elephant named Hiranand, and when he approached the ranks of the enemy, they let loose against him an elephant called Diyana; but Hiranand gave him such a butt that he fell upon the spot. Ali Kuli received a wound from an arrow, and while he was drawing it out another struck his horse. The animal became restive, and Ali Kuli was thrown. An elephant named Narsing now came up and was about to crush him, when Ali Kuli cried out to the driver, 'I am a great man; if you