64 THE HOLY WARS OF ISLAM he was met by Brahmanpal, the son of Andpal, at the head of a valiant army, with white swords, blue spears, yellow coats of mail, and ash-coloured elephants. Battle opened its crooked teeth, attacks like flaming meteors were frequent, arrows fell like rain from bows, and the grinding-stone of slaughter revolved, crushing the bold and the powerful. The battle lasted from morn- ing till evening, and the infidels had well-nigh gained the victory, when God brought aid by sending the slaves of the household to attack the enemy in the rear and to put them to flight. The victors obtained thirty large elephants and slew the vanquished wher- ever they were found in jungles, passes, plains, and hills. The Sultan himself joined in the pursuit and went after them as far as the fort called Bhimnagar, which is very strong, being situated on the promon- tory of a lofty hill and in the midst of impassable waters. He brought his army under the fort and surrounded it, and prepared to attack the garrison vigorously, boldly, and wisely. When the defenders saw the hills covered with the armies of plunderers and perceived the arrows ascending toward them like flaming sparks of fire, great fear came upon them and they opened the gates, entreating mercy, and fell on the earth like spar- rows before a hawk or rain before lightning. The Sultan entered the fort with Abu Nasr Ahmad ibn Mohammad Farghuni, the ruler of Juzjan, and all his private attendants, and appointed his two chief cham-
