put out his eyes with the point of a dagger, and, after performing on him an operation similar to the African mode of scalping, placed him in confinement. His family, friends and relations, on hearing this, fled. Azeem Khan was struck with dread at these accounts, and seeing no way to escape from the Prince's ire, resolved to apply to us. Accordingly he sent a fawning petition, informing us that he had collected all Futteh Khan's relations, comprehending the whole of the Baruk Zae tribe, and swearing, by every thing sacred, that he and the other chiefs had taken an oath of fidelity to us, their lawful King, entreated that we would march immediately to Peshawur, where he would join the Royal standard with all his troops and the treasury of Cashmere. We sent for Mr. Murray, and ordered him to make the Resident of Dehlee acquainted with this, and inform us of their opinion. This opinion he gave us some days after, viz., "That for political reasons, no assistance could be given, but that we were at liberty, either to depart or remain in the asylum allotted to us." Two years had been passed in ease, and we now determined to make an attempt to re-ascend our throne. We borrowed the necessary sums from bankers, and after writing to Azeem Khan to meet us in Peshawur, we marched from Lodianah. Lieutenant Murray waited upon us in camp, where he took leave, having ordered a chuprassee to accompany us to the Bhawulpoor frontier. We hired camels at Kolleh, and reached the Boottea territory, and proceeded thence to the Bhawulpore boundary, on reaching which, Sadik Mahommed Khan, sent his chiefs, &c. to attend us to the capital. Sadik Mahommed Khan met us at Amed pore, and presented nuzzurs of ten bags of rupees,* 101 gold mohurs, one elephant, four horses with golden saddles, fifty camels, several falcons, kinkhobs, &c., &c., accompanying them with proffers of friendship and assistance. We required from him assistance in troops, and he supplied us with 2,000 horse and foot. After giving him a dress of honor, and presenting him with our favorite horse, Puhlian, we crossed the river. Sadik Mahommed Khan, sent Yakoob Khan to command the subsidiary force and wait upon us. The Nazim of Derah, by name Mahommed Zuman Khan, being a relation of Futteh Khan's, Shah Mahmood had sent Soomindar Khan to eject the Nazim and take his place, which he had done. As soon as we reached the river and were crossing the troops, Soomindar Khan drew up his force in battle array to oppose us. We had not encamped, when he commenced a smart fire on our troops. We immediately mounted and proceeded to the field. Two cannons were discharged by the enemy and Sadik Mahommed's Sikh troops gave way, but Yakoob Khan, with his Daood Potreh soldiers, and our own attendants, still moved on. The second discharge killed many of the Daood Potrehs, when we ordered our foot soldiers and Juzaerees to charge the artillery. They rushed on, and the guns were soon in our possession. Soomindar Khan pressed on. Our force, with Yakoob Khan's subsidiary, only amounted then to seventy horsemen, yet we charged and completely routed the enemy, several

The bag contains 1,000 rupees.-Translator,

of whom were killed, and Soomindar Khan fled towards Leech, to join Hajee Ahmud Khan. In taking the guns, many of our foot soldiers were wounded; we accordingly collected then, and sent them into the town. We halted several days at Derah, whence we sent a rich khillaut to Sadik Mahommed Khan. We had now 3 pieces of artillery and 3 or 4,000 fighting men, and numbers were daily joining our standard. We learnt that Soomindar Khan was approaching Derah by the Dajul road. Since our arrival at Derah, we had collected 800 men, and three more guns. We marched out to meet Soomindar Khan in the field of battle. He charged with impetuosity from the jungles, but we received him with a well directed fire from matchlocks, and grape from the guns. Many fell, and Soomindar Khan giving way, fled towards Dajul. We pursued and entered Dajul on the third day. Soomindar Khan fled towards Candahar, and his troops threw down their arms and filed before us. They swore allegiance, and with this new force we returned to Derah. Numbers joined us daily. Mudud Khan and Goordil Khan, brother of Azeem Khan, joined from Candahar with 700 men, accompanied by Seer Boolund Khan, son of Futteh Khan. A petition arrived from Azeem Khan, mentioning that he had left Cashmere, and was proceeding, by forced marches, to Peshawur, where he expected to enter the presence. Leaving Mahommed Zuman Khan in charge of Derah, we determined to march to Peshawur immediately.

When on the point of setting out, we received petitions from the Ameers of Hyderabad, and Meer Sohrab Khan, if Talpoor, requesting that we would send a force to subdue the town of Shikarpoor. We appointed our eldest son, Prince Mahommed Timour, to conduct this duty, and gave him the command of 200 men. We then proceeded to Peshawur. On our arrival at Derah Ismael Khan, Hafiz Ahmud Khan, sent wuqueels with valuable presents. Then we entered Peshawur, when we learnt that Azeem had reached the Chuch and Phiklee boundary. Prince Aykoob had been raised to the dignity of King of Peshawur, but fled on our approach, and took refuge among the Eusof Zaes. When Azeem Khan reached his place of concealment, he gave him comfort, and hopes, and brought him along with him towards Peshawur. When Azeem Khan reached Shahabad, which is five miles distant from Peshawur, he sent several confidential persons to the presence, requesting that we would remove our attendants to a distance and give him a private audience. We suspected there was some treachery in this, but after the sacred oaths which he had sworn, we resolved to give him a trial, and leaving the fortress of the Bala Hissar, we proceeded to Tihkal, and Azeem Khan followed, sending his Master-of-horse ahead, with a few attendants. We were near the garden of Allee Murdun Khan, half way between Tihkal and Peshawur, when Azeem Khan's sowars, coming up, began to lay violent hands on our foot soldiers. Our attendants amounted only to 300, with two guns, but they had taken up an advantageous position on a bridge near the garden. The Meer Akhoor,

now in

charged us with his horse, but the first fire from the cannon made him bite the dust, when an unfortunate accident happened. A large quantity of powder had been brought to be divided among the matchlock men ; this caught fire, by which 50 men were blown up, and others wounded. Resistance was vain, and we escaped with difficulty to the Kheibur hills. 300 of our faithful Hindoostanees joined us a few days afterwards, almost naked. By trusting to a man, who had once deceived us, we experienced this reverse. Azeem Khan again wrote, offering to punish his troops, who, he said, had acted against his orders. This was not worthy a reply. We remained two months in Kheibur, when supplies began to fail. About this time we heard from our son Prince Mahommed Timour, who had been sent against Shikarpoor, and determined, in spite of the intense heat, to march. We reached Kohat in three days, their halted at Nubkush and Doorbanoo, and at last we arrived at Derah Ismael Khan, where we were waited upon by the wuqueels of Hafiz Ahmud Khan, with presents, tribute, &c. Thence, after a halt of some days, we proceeded to Dajul. We were then obliged to dispose of our golden saddles to feed the troops. Hence, after a fatiguing march, we reached Shikarpoor. It was now ridiculous to attempt to proceed against Cabul, without the assistance of the Ameers of Sind, and we resolved to proceed there in person. Accordingly we embarked in boats, with 50 of our principal attendants, on the Sind rivulet and entered the large river near the Fort of Bhukur; thence we Treached Turundeh. As Meer Sohrab Khan dwelt in Kharepoor, we left the boats and marched towards that place. A mission met us with supplies, and next day Meer Sohrab Khan met us, with all his brethren and family, and made us a most valuable present of 101 gold-mohurs, 4,000 rupees, horses with gold and silver, saddles, guns, pistols, cloths of gold, tissues, canopied boats, &c. The Meer promised to assist our arms, provided the Ameers of Hyderabad would second him. We exalted him and his sons, by rich dresses of honor, and presents of Cabul horses, and dismissed them. We thence proceeded to Hyderabad by water, and landed at the Fulelee ferry, The Ameers were not aware of our approach, and were much surprised at our arrival. They immediately sent supplies, and their Chief, Goolam Allee, came into the presence, and mentioned that Meer Reum Allee and Meer Morad Allee, wished to wait upon us. Tents were pitched for us on an eminence, and we were requested either to alight there or take possession of the Fort. We preferred be→ 'ing in the tents, and proceeded to them immediately. In the evening the Ameers waited again upon us with tribute, and very valuable nuzzurs of elephants, horses, &c., &c. The Ameers having presented their superb nuzzurs, departed to make preparations for feeding the troops, and dressed meats were sent daily for all our attendants. Being firmly convinced of their friendship, we prepared to depart, but previously signed and sealed the following treaty and agreement, which the Ameers swore to fulfil in the most solemn manner, and also affixed their state seals. They swore allegiance to us, declared themselves the enemies of Shah Mahmood and Azeem Khan, and said that they would prevent Shah Mahmood and Azeem Khan, from bringing an army near Shikarpoor. That they gave up their claims to Shikarpoor, which was at our disposal,

That if our Seraglio arrived, its members should be treated with dignity and respect. They further promised to get the Beelooch chiefs to assist us. We also promised, if ever again, on the throne, to give back Shikarpoor, and be mindful of their attention.

Chap. 29th. Our return to Shikarpoor.

We honored the Ameers by gifts and, leaving Hyderabad, returned to Shikarpoor. The Ameer sent, before our departure, tributes in gold and silver, kinkhobs, loongees of tissue and silk, also telescopes, watches, China-ware and crystal, a valuable library, guns, matchlocks, two elephants, spacious tents, two pieces of artillery, &c., &c. Their servants were rewarded, and Meer Ismael Shah, conducted us to Shikarpoor. On reaching Sohrab Khan's boundary, the Meer came to meet us, and presented an agreement similar to that given by the Meers of Hyderabad. On reaching Shikarpoor, we commenced to put our army in order, and collected cannon, ginjals, &c. After one year, during which time we received repeated presents from the Ameers, we reviewed the troops, and found ourselves at the head of 4,000 horse and foot. Dooranee horse and the Kizlbash foot soldiers of the household, joined us daily, and we prepared to proceed to Cabul. The Ameers were much alarmed by the arrival of some of Mr. Elphinstone's people in camp, (for the purpose of catching thieves) and immediately withdrew their force; and as they heard a report that Mr. Elphinstone intended visiting Hyderabad, they sent an Ambassador to wait upon him, thinking that we had entered into some compact. We tried in vain to remove their doubts, but they had got an idea, from the communications of their wuqueel, that we were supplied with cash by the English. We tried in vain to remove this impression. They thought their country already lost, and wrote to Azeem Khan for assistance, offering to defray all expences. Azeem Khan hesitated, but marched at last to Ahmed Shahee, where he halted two or three months, and thence marched to the Beeloochistan frontier. The Ameers of Hyderabad, crossed their troops over the river to meet him, and Meer Sohrab Khan joined them. They held communication with Azeem Khan, and we resolved immediately to give the latter battle, and moved our troops to the camp outside the town. Horsemen from Azeem Khan joined us daily. Azeem Khan seeing this, marched to join the Ameer's force. We set out also, and reached ground within twenty koss of his camp, where 40 or 50 horsemen joined us daily. The Ameers and Azeem Khan now had disputes concerning their agreement, and quarrelled among themselves. They sent me their signet of state, and requested that I would join them during the night, as affairs had come to a desperate state. We immediately marched and joined their camp. Azeem Khan hearing this, sent his four principal Khans, his and our relations, to wait upon the Ameers, and to mention, that he had come at their call and was at their service. The Ameers wished me to meet Azeem Khan and his brother in their tent, and sent Wullee Mahommed Khan to make this request. Experience had taugh us to guard against plots, and as their force amounted to about 40,000, we

recrossed the river. When the Ameers learnt this, they sent several thousands rupees, and begged us to take possession of the treasury of that Soombul, amounting to one lakh of rupees, and to halt there for some time. They promised also that Azeem Khan should be dismissed immediately. We disregarded these offers, as they were treacherous to each other, and marched to Jeiselmeer, whose chief waited upon us with tribute and nuzzuranahs. We conferred upon him a dress of honor and an elephant. Thence we reached Pokeran, where we halted two days to shoe the cavalry and wait for those in the rear. The Rajah of the place sent theives by night, and stole two valuable mares. We applied to the Rajah in vain for their recovery, and leaving attendants to make enquiries, we marched from this inhospitable Rajah's He gave up the mares afterwards. We halted some days at Joud poor, and the Rajah presented nuzzuranah. Thence we proceeded to Ajmeer, where our attendants joined us with the mares from Pokeran. Thence we proceeded to Jeypoor, where we were respectfully treated. We halted several days in the vicinity of Dehlee, and obtaining the necessary carriage, again sought an asylum in Loodianah.

town.

[The foregoing is Shah Soojah's succinct account of the principal events that occurred, from the time that he assumed the sovereignty of Cabul, on his elder brother, Shah Zaman, being deprived of sight by Shah Mohmood, until he was, a second time, obliged to seek an asylum at Loodianah. From that time he was suffered to live in obscurity, until it suited the policy of our Government, in the year 1838, A. D., to adopt his cause, summon him from his retreat, and, by affording him the aid of their arms, which was formerly refused, enable him once more, with a large force, consisting of cavalry, artillery and infantry, under officers of the Company's army, commanded by Major General Simpson, and supported by two strong British columns, to make another attempt to recover his lost throne. Vast changes have, since Shah Soojah's dethronement, taken place in the affairs of Cabul. Mahmood Shah has been gathered to his fathers; his son, Kamran, since his Father's death, has never succeeded in ascending the throne of Cabul, but has continued to find shelter in Herat. Dost Mahommed, and his brethern, the other Baruk Zae chiefs, have divided the territory among themselves, from the time they drove away Mahmood and his son from Cabul, in consequence of the outrages committed on the person of Futteh Khan, and his subsequent murder. It is with these chiefs Shah Sooja will now have to contend, and little doubt is entertained of his being successful. On the 28th of February 1839, Shah Soojah's army had arrived at Shikarpore, in high spirits and health. -ED.]