purpose. The unfortunate people were compelled to obey, and thousands
-- including women, children, and aged persons -- died by the way. Ibn
Batuta, who was an eye-witness of the scenes of horror to which this
gave rise, has left us the following description: --

"The Sultan ordered all the inhabitants to quit the place (Delhi),
and upon some delay being evinced he made a proclamation stating that
what person soever, being an inhabitant of that city, should be found
in any of its houses or streets should receive condign punishment. Upon
this they all went out; but his servants finding a blind man in one
of the houses and a bedridden one in the other, the Emperor commanded
the bedridden man to be projected from a balista, and the blind one to
be dragged by his feet to Daulatabad, which is at the distance of ten
days, and he was so dragged; but his limbs dropping off by the way,
only one of his legs was brought to the place intended, and was then
thrown into it; for the order had been that they should go to this
place. When I entered Delhi it was almost a desert."[20]

It is characteristic of Muhammad's whimsical despotism that shortly
afterwards he ordered the inhabitants of different districts to
go and repeople Delhi, which they attempted to do, but with little
success. Batuta relates that during the interval of desolation the
king mounted on the roof of his palace, and seeing the city empty
and without fire or smoke said, "Now my heart is satisfied and my
feelings are appeased."

Ibn Batuta was a member of this king's court, and had every opportunity
of forming a just conclusion. He sums up his qualities thus: --

"Muhammad more than all men loves to bestow gifts and to shed