Page:History of India Vol 4.djvu/42

 22 AKBAR THE GREAT and the royal army was half blinded by the dust and smoke and by the hail of stones and bodies that de- scended upon them. The first approach had failed, and Akbar now or- dered the other sabat to be pushed forward. He was more resolved than ever to take the fort by storm " so that in future no other fortress should dare to with- stand him." He took up his position in the gallery on the top of the sabat, as before, armed with his musket, " deadly as the darts of fate, with which he killed every moving thing that caught his eye." At last the walls were breached, and the assault was ordered. Jai Mai, the commandant, " an infidel, yet valiant," strug- gled bravely in every part and all day long, encourag- ing his men to beat off the enemy. At the hour of evening prayer he came in front of the royal battery, where Akbar sat discharging his gun " Sangram " as often as light flashed forth in the bastion. Jai Mai happened to be standing in the tower encouraging his men just when a blafce of light revealed his face to Akbar, who fired and killed him on the spot. Then the garrison gave up hope, and after burning the body of their leader, they performed their dismal rite of jauhar, burning all their families and goods in huge bonfires, and then rushing on to death. The besiegers saw the flare of the pyres, and poured through the breaches, while Akbar looked on from the top of the sabat. Three elephants he sent into the castle to aid in the general massacre of the devoted garrison. The "Rajputs fought every step; each lane and street and