CHAP. VII.] LOSSES IN THE SIEGE. 149 This victory cast a dying gleam on the Mughal Casualties dur- ing the siege. arms, and Shah Jahan celebrated it with great pomp and pride: the Imperial band played for three days, the Court went into rejoicing, and honours and promotions were bestowed on the generals. But the siege of Qandahar was already hopeless, and ten days after this victory it was abandoned. Aurangzib had lost two to three thousand men and double that number of horses, camels and oxen in the siege, and his army had been severely tried by scarcity of grain and fodder.* Mihrab Khan, the Persian com- mandant of Qandahar, died on the day the Imperialists began their retreat; but he had held his trust inviolate. wind was very hot and their horses not yet watered and baited, the Persians retired and found next day that "the Indian troops in awe of the Persians had retreated and joined Aurangzib!"
- Khafi Khan, i. 695-700.
Digitized by Microsoft Ⓡ
