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About this time, I called a council of my chiefs, and represented to them, that Amyr Hussyn's force being now separated from us, and as we have neither water nor provisions on the hill, if we remain here, we must be annihilated; let us draw out the troops in four divisions, and before the day breaks, attack the enemy; if we succeed in putting them to flight, we shall gain an easy victory, but if not, we shall open a way to escape from their clutches, and go where we like."

As my advice was approved of by all the chiefs, I put on my armour, and ordered that no noise should be made. At break of day, we marched in silence against four parts of the enemy's camp; as we took them compleatly by surprise, the division which had been ordered against the body commanded by Alyas in person, dispersed his guard, and might have taken him prisoner, but as I approached, I called out, and saluted him, (Yul Bulshen)* and then forbade his being seized. At this time, as numbers of people had been killed or wounded on both sides, the warriors mutually desisted from fighting.

When Alyas Khuajē heard my voice, he called out to his troops, on which several of his warriors returned and renewed the fight, which was continued with great fury till after sun-rise, without either party gaining any superiority; at length our quivers being empty, my soldiers drew their swords, and charged the enemy, who being much fatigued by the long contest, and many of them wounded, said, "let us flee;" they then set off, and did not halt till they had reached their camp at the distance of four Fersukh.

As I did not think proper to pursue them, I remained where I was. When intelligence of my victory reached Amyr Hussyn, he joined and congratulated me

on my success.

When the Jete army saw themselves defeated and subdued by such an inferior number, they were much ashamed, they threw their caps on the ground, and said,

curse on our turbans, that with such a force, we should have run away from an inferior number." Alyas Khuaje being also ashamed, swore he would never cease fighting till he had taken me prisoner. He then drew up his army, and having marched towards Kesh, encamped at the distance of four Fersukh from that city.

At this time, I distributed sums of money to all the wounded, to pay for their cure, and gave (Yurem) an allowance to the heirs of the killed. I then put on my armour, and having drawn out my army, Amyr Hussyn and I went and took post, in order of battle, opposite the Jete army. When Alyas Khuaje had reconnoitered my army, he forgot his former futile attempts, and having again placed his foot in the stirrup, he advanced a short distance towards us.

* See Institutes, page 83.

At this moment, Alugh Timur and Amyr Jemshyd arrived express from the Desht Kipchak, with the intelligence that Tugleck Timur Khān had ceased to exist, and that he had appointed Alyas Khuajē his heir and successor; the two chiefs having delivered their message, bent their knees, and congratulated the Prince on the event; they then took hold of his reins, and led him back to his camp; soon after which, he marched with all his forces towards the Desht, leaving me to pursue my own plans. I then consulted with Amyr Hussyn, whether we should pursue the Jetes, and drive them out of the country, but he gave it as his opinion, that it was not policy to pursue a defeated enemy; I said, “they are not a defeated army, for they have not afforded us an opportunity of punishing them, but I fear they will murder the inhabitants, and plunder the country they pass through;" and as all the other chiefs were convinced by my arguments, Hussyn gave up his opinion.

At this time, a report was brought that the Jete army was returning in order to give us battle, after which, they would leave a force to support their governors and other officers in Maveralnaher, and then proceed to the Desht; but the fact was only this, that, Alyas Khuaje had sent orders to all his governors to strengthen their posts and remain on the defensive, as he would shortly return. In consequence of my determination in the council, I drew out my army and marched after the Jetes; having arrived at Kehulkeh, I there halted, and reviewed the army; I found that including Amyr Hussyn's division, we had only between seven and eight thousand men, many of whom were wounded; I therefore gave leave of absence to all the wounded, to go away till they were cured; I then new modelled our force, with the resolution of attacking the Jetes; Hussyn's division was commanded by himself, and I retained charge of all my own followers.

Having marched from Kehulkeh, we arrived in the night at Herar, the principal inhabitants of the town came out to meet me, and a great number of people belonging to Kesh, who had served in Alyas Khuaje's army, deserted him and joined me; these people brought me intelligence, that the day before, Alyas Khuaje had sent a force into Kesh, and that he had sent governors and troops into all the strong places of Maveralnaher.

On receiving this information, I detached Amyr Soleyman and Syf Addeen, with a force to drive the Jetes from Kesh, and I commanded these officers, when they should arrive near Kesh, to divide their troops, and to gallop their horses about, so as to raise a great dust. In order to effect this purpose, the aforementioned officers ordered their men to cut down branches of trees, these they fastened to their horses, but dragging on the ground, and as they moved at a

quick pace, they raised an immense cloud of dust: this was seen from the town, the Jete governor of which, supposing that a very great force was advancing against him, was much alarmed, preferred flight to remaining, and having assembled his troops, marched away.

The other Jete soldiers, who were dispersed through the district, extended the hands of slaughter and plunder over the unfortunate inhabitants, and made a shew of opposing me; but as soon as my army approached them, they lost their courage and took to flight, my light troops pursued them, and recovered a great deal of the plunder.

After six or seven days, Amyr Soleyman, and the other officers that I had detached, rejoined me, and all the soldiers of Kesh came and joined my standard.

At this time, Shyr Behram, who had left me in the plains of Kulek, and had joined the forces of Khutelan, having been absent forty and three days, came and rejoined me; also Shykh Muhammed, the son of Byan Selduz, came and joined me with seven regiments, (Kushūns) and all the soldiers of Kehulkeh followed their example.

As at this time, I was not satisfied with the conduct of Amyr Hussyn, I therefore carried him to the tomb of the celebrated Saint Khuajë Shums Addeen, where we took the oaths of mutual support and friendship, and I made him add that in case he should break his promise, he wished that I might seize and punish him, which finally occurred.

After taking this precaution for my self-defence, I followed the Jete army, when I approached them, Alyas Khuajē drew out his forces; he gave the command of his right wing to Amyr Jemshyd, the left wing to Tuck Timur, the advanced line was under charge of Beg Chuck; he had also two flanking parties of horse, commanded by Iskunder and Yusuf; when I found that the Jetes were thus prepared for battle, I sought in the Korān for an omen, and this verse opened, " verily we have given you a decisive victory;" I immediately repeated aloud the prayer for victory, and ordered the troops to advance.

When we reached Tash Arighi, I reviewed our army, and directed Amyr Hussyn to halt with his troops, where we then were, and to form the (Kul) second line, and in the event of my being worsted, to support me. I then formed my own troops into seven divisions, and took charge of the (Heravul) first line; when we reached the village of Kupy, the first line of the enemy, commanded by Beg Chuck, came in sight; as I found that the Jete army was very numerous, and were united in solid column, looking formidable as a mountain, I again sought advice from the Koran, and this verse opened, " and we guard them

M

from every devil driven away with stones :"* on this I became strong of heart, and ordered my first line to advance against the division of Beg Chuck; that chief at the same time directed a part of his troops to meet mine; as we approached each other, I commanded the Chepavul of the right to charge, then the Shekavult of the left; after these two squadrons had made their attack, I ordered the trumpets to sound, and advanced with the line; when we came near, the right wing (Juangār) charged their left wing, (Berangār) when the flame of slaughter was thus raging, and the waves of the sea of battle were thus rolling, I saw that my people were worsted, I therefore unfurled my standard, and having caused the royal music to strike up, I made in person, a desperate charge with the centre of my line; all the heroes in every part of the line also behaved most manfully, and made the enemy feel the effects of their sharp swords.

As my opponent Beg Chuck began to recoil, his lieutenants Iskunder, Tuck Timur, &c. advanced to his support. At this time the horse of Beg Chuck was killed, and I took him prisoner; the Amyrs Jemshyd and Yusuf seeing this, made a violent attack in order to release him, but when Jemshyd came close to me, my groom Aadil, who was on foot, hamstrung his horse; in consequence of which, the general fell to the ground, and was seized: on this Amyr Yusuf spurred his horse with an intention of getting out of the crowd, but losing his stirrup, he fell from his horse, and was also made prisoner.

Immediately after this event, Iskunder with his division, came against me, but being well supported by my body guard, I charged them vigorously, and compelled them to retire, and join their Commander in Chief.

Having thus defeated the enemy's first line, I ordered the trumpets to sound, and halted in the plain; I then commanded that my standard should be held up till all my soldiers who were dispersed over the field of battle, might see and rejoin it.

At this time, Alyas Khuajē roared out to his reserve, to advance; when I saw that he was confounded, I said, (Allah Yar) "God befriend us," and with three hundred and sixteen horse, which were all that were collected near me, I made a furious attack on the enemy's centre, and overturned his standard; when the army of Alyas Khuajē missed the royal standard, they took to flight; at this moment I was very near Alyas Khuajē, but Iskunder Aghlān threw himself between us, he was seized, but his master made his escape.

As soon as the Jete army had turned its face to flight, I ordered several divisions of my troops to pursue them, in consequence of which, they gained much

* See Sale's Translation of the Koran, page 68.

† See Plan of the Army, last page of the Institutes.

plunder of horses and arms; they also killed and wounded a number of the runaways; I then sent off two other divisions to keep in the rear of the enemy, to prevent them encamping or halting, to these I gave orders, not to kill any more of the Jetes, but to seize and bring them into my presence, in order that I might treat them according to circumstances.

I then encamped in the plain of Kupy, and gave orders for a grand entertainment, to be prepared in commemoration of our having defeated the Prince Alyas Khuajē, and thirty thousand Jetes, with only six thousand horse, by which the country of Maveralnaher was purified from the defilement of the tribe of Jete.*

Having halted in the plain of Kupy, which might be called the seat of victory, I commanded that my tents of every description should be pitched, and that a great quantity of soup and meat should be prepared, and invited the chief officers of all the hordes and regiments; the generals having arrived, Amyr Hussyn also came and joined the banquet; during the feast, I ordered all the principal Jete prisoners to be brought forward, I then addressed Beg Chuck, who was the Commander in Chief of the Jetes, and who had made several cuts at me, and said to him, "you have proved yourself grateful for the salt of Alyas Khuajē, in having rejected my overtures, and by standing by him to the last;" I also praised Amyr Hamyd, who was a very brave young man, and I said to Sekunder Aghlan," you risked your own life to save that of your master, and have therefore behaved in a praise-worthy manner." I then asked them, "how it had happened that I, with so small a force, had defeated their numerous army;" they replied," your good fortune overwhelmed us, and dispersed the Jete forces the union of your army was also such, that one thousand swords struck together as one sword; whilst the discord that prevailed amongst us, disunited us, and made us an easy prey to your victorious arms."

I afterwards said to them, "what do you suppose I shall do with you?" They replied, "if you kill us, you will not much decrease the Jete army, but you will thereby raise up thousands of enemies, and all our hordes and clans will seek retaliation for our blood, but if you pardon and let us go, you will thereby confer a great favour on us; our tribes will praise you, and will consider themselves under an obligation to you, and will be your friends; your Highness is the best judge, whether our friendship or our enmity is preferable; with regard to ourselves, we are indifferent whether you kill us or not, for on the day that we bound up our loins, and braced on our swords, we considered our blood as shed, and our bodies decapitated." I was so pleased with their speech, that I endeavoured to prevail on them to enter into my service; but although I made them great offers, they would not consent to remain with me, I therefore conferred on

This description of the battle differs much from that given by Petis de la Croix, p. 71, and sequel.