I will bring them on slowly and surely. Have
we prevailed against Ulin, and Happuck, and Ollomand, and Tasnar--have
we crushed Ahaback and Desra by our prudent arts--and shall we fear
the contrivance of a poor Vizier, who leads a few rebels among the
rocks of the province of Cassimir? Let us but use prudence with
resolution, and these enemies must soon fade away like the shadow that
flieth from the noontide sun."

The two armies of the Sultan of India and the pretended Sultan of
Cassimir approached each other; and the troops of Misnar were pleased
to hear that their number was treble the number of their enemies. But,
however great their superiority might be, the Sultan Misnar and his
Vizier kept the strictest discipline among them, and acted as if they
were about to engage a superior force.

For some time the armies continued within sight of each other, neither
choosing to engage without some superiority of circumstances, and both
watchful to prevent that superiority. At length the Sultan observing a
weakness in the left wing of Hobaddan's army, caused by sickness, as
they were encamped near a morass, gave orders for a furious attack
upon the front, but directed the main effort to be made against that
wing.

But the Sultan's intentions were defeated; for Hobaddan, commanding
not in the centre, as was expected, but in the left wing (with a
chosen troop he had conveyed there the very morning of the
engagement), totally defeated those who were sent to oppose him. The
troops to the right of the Sultan's army, giving way, put all in
confusion; and the unwieldy number of Misnar's forces, instead of
regularly supporting them, poured toward the right in such tumult as
destroyed the whole disposition of the army.

During this confusion, Hobaddan hewed down on all sides those who
dared oppose his arms; and his chosen troop followed him over heaps of
the slain, every one flying through fear at his presence.

The Sultan and his Vizier Horam, finding it in vain to rally their
troops or oppose the conquerors, sounded a retreat, and, amidst the
general confusion, fled toward the sandy deserts which divide the
realms of Cassimir from the province of Delhi.

But the prudent Sultan, in his flight, endeavoured to restore to his
troops their rank and order; and while Horam reduced the foot under
their proper banners, Misnar regulated the confusion of the horse, and
placed them as a covering to the rest of his forces.

In this man