er boldly opposed
himself to the enemy, and singling out Afrasiyab, the two heroes fought
with great bravery till night again put an end to the engagement. The
Persian army had suffered most, and Nauder retired to his tent
disappointed, fatigued, and sorrowful. He then called to mind the words
of Minuchihr, and called for his two sons, Tus and Gustahem. With
melancholy forebodings he directed them to return to Iran, with his
shubistan, or domestic establishment, and take refuge on the mountain
Alberz, in the hope that some one of the race of Feridun might survive
the general ruin which seemed to be approaching.

The armies rested two days. On the third the reverberating noise of
drums and trumpets announced the recommencement of the battle. On the
Persian side Shahpur had been appointed in the room of Kobad, and Barman
and Shiwaz led the right and left of the Turanians under Afrasiyab.

From dawn to sunset, mountain, plain, and stream,
Were hid from view; the earth, beneath the tread
Of myriads, groaned; and when the javelins cast
Long shadows on the plain at even-tide,
The Tartar host had won the victory;
And many a Persian chief fell on that day:--
Shahpur himself was slain.

When Nauder and Karun saw the unfortunate result of the battle, they
again fell back upon Dehstan, and secured themselves in the fort.
Afrasiyab in the meantime despatched Karukhan to Iran, through the
desert, with a body of horsemen, for the purpose of intercepting and
capturing the shubistan of Nauder. As soon as Karun heard of this
expedition he was all on fire, and proposed to pursue the squadron under
Karukhan, and frustrate at once the object which the enemy had in view;
and though Nauder was unfavorable to this movement, Karun, supported by
several of the chiefs and a strong volunteer force, set off at midnight,
without permission, on this important enterprise. It was not long before
they reached the Duz-i-Suped, or white fort, of which Gustahem was the
governor, and falling in with Barman, who was also pushing forward to
Persia, Karun, in revenge for his brother Kobad, sought him out, and
dared him to single combat. He threw his javelin with such might, that
his antagonist was driven furiously from his horse; and then,
dismounting, he cut off his head, and hung it at his saddle-bow. After
this he attacked and defeated the Tartar troops, and continued his march
towards Iran.

Nauder having found that Karun had departed,