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take place. There was such a thronging of elephants, horses, chariots, and men that there was scarcely room for one to thrust a grain of lilu amidst the crowd. With this mighty concourse, the two brothers, Nusrat Khan and Ulugh Khan, started for ¡the Ranathambor country.
Alauddin with a small retinue stayed behind with the object of inspiring the Râjputs with a dread of the reserves that must have necessarily remained with him, their king.
The numbers in the army were so great that they drank up all the water of the rivers on the line of march. It was therefore found necessary not to halt the army longer than a few hours, in any one place. By forced marches, the two generals soon reached the borders of the Ranthambhor territory-an event which gave rise to conflicting sentiments in the minds of the invaders. Those that had taken no part in the late war said victory was now certain, as it was impossible the Rájputs should be able to withstand such troops as they were. The veterans of the last canpaign, however, took a different view of the matter, and asked their more hopeful comrades to remember that they were about to encounter Hammira's army, and that, therefore, they should reserve their vaunting until the end of the campaign.
When the pass was gained which was the scene of Ulugh Khan's 1 discomfiture and disgrace, he advised his brother not to place too mudh confidence in their power alone, but, as the place was a difficult one, and Hammira's army both strong and efficient, to try stratagem by sending some one on to the oourt of Hammira , there to try to while away some days in negotiations about peace, while the Army should safely cross the mountains and take up a strategical position. Nusrat Khån yielded to the superior experience of his brother, and Šri Molhana Deva was sent to propose the terms on which the Muhammadans would oonclude a peace with Hammira. Pending negotiations,
