rously, the Rajputs defended themselves with
equal courage and obstinacy. Never had Akbar met such sturdy
warriors. As their pertinacity increased, so likewise did his pride
and resolution. At length the breach was reported practicable, and on
a night in the month of March, Akbar ordered the assault. He had a
stand erected for himself, whence he could watch and direct the
operations. As he sat there, his gun in his hand, he observed the
gallant Rajputs assembling in the breach, led by their capable
commander, prepared to give his troops a warm reception. The distance
between his stand and the breach was, as the crow flies, but short,
for the river alone ran between the two.

By the light of the torches, Akbar easily recognised the Rajput
general, and believing him to be within distance, he fired and killed
him on the spot. This fortunate shot, despatched whilst the hostile
parties were approaching one another, so discouraged the Rajputs,
that at the critical moment they made but a poor defence. They
rallied indeed subsequently, but it was too late, and though they
then exerted themselves to the utmost, they could not regain the lost
advantage. When the day dawned, Chitor was in the possession of
Akbar. In gratitude for its victory Akbar, in pursuance of a vow he
had made before he began the siege, made a pilgrimage on {106} foot
to the mausoleum of the first Muhammadan saint of India, Ma'inu-i-din
Chisti of Sijistan, on the summit of the hill of Ajmere. He had not
then emancipated himself from his early training. He remained ten
days at Ajmere, and returned thence to Agra by way of Mewat.

Akbar spent the spring and rainy season at Agra. He then designed the
conquest of the strong fortress of Ranthambor in Jaipur, but whilst
the army he had raised for this purpose was on its march,
disturbances in Gujarat, followed by an invasion of Central India
from that side, compelled Akbar to divert his troops to meet that
danger. He then decided to march in person with another army against
Ranthambor. This he did early in the following year (1569). As soon
as he had compelled the surrender of the fortress, he returned to
Agra, stopping on the way a week at Ajmere, to visit once again the
mausoleum of the saint.

This year he founded Fatehpur-Sikri, the magnificent ruins of which
compel, in the present day, the admiration of the traveller. The
story is thus told by the author of the Tabakat. After stating that
Akbar had had two