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 Mandal," built by Sher Shah, for an unknown purpose, but used by Humayun as a library; here the latter met his death, by accidentally falling down the inconveniently steep stairs.

Outside the gate of the fort, near a large tree, is a platform, close to the old road, and on this Hodson is said—probably quite erroneously —to have made the three princes stand when he shot them; it is said that a number of armed men emerged from the fort, and that their threatening attitude caused him to take the decision to do so.

Kotila of Firoze Shah (p. 123).—To the left of the road, after it leaves the "Purana Kila," lie the ruins of the city of Firozabad, built by Firoze Shah. The Kotila, or citadel, of that monarch is opposite the modern jail, near which is the Cabul Gate of Sher Shah's city. On the top of a much-ruined three-storied building, now stripped of its facing walls, stands a most interesting object: one of the Pillars of Asoka, nearly twenty-two centuries old. This was brought here by Firoze Shah, in 1357, from its first site, near the Sewalik Hills, and was set up on this specially erected building; a ball and crescent of gold were fitted to the top of the pillar, the inscriptions on which are still quite plain.