________________
JUNE, 1886.)
THE LAST YEARS OF SHAH SHUJAA.
167
After an uninterrupted sojourn of nearly four respects; but being overcome by groundless lunar months, when the trees had lost their fear went instead to the múz'a of Safedkôh. foliage, and the snow was falling, the Shah His apprehensions arose from his perceiving determined to spend the winter at Jallalabad, that the Padshah bore nothing but the title, and departed from Kabul on the 24th Sh'aban and that in reality the English Government [2nd November 1839] after having appointed enjoyed all the power. Fanaticism was an the Shahzadah Timur to be governor of Kabul additional motive for his retirement, from with 'Abdu'sh-shukur Khân for his lieutenant, which no friendliness could draw him. Acand Alexander Barnes, who remained behind as cordingly the Government determined to raze his agent. It happened also that whilst the Pad all his fortlets to the ground; but he posshah and the English were dwelling at Nîmla, sessed in Jakản on the outskirts of the the Shahzadah Muhammad Akbar, who was the Safedkôh a strong fort rising into the blue most intelligent son of the Shâh, and cousin tosky, and eluding all the efforts of the 'aamil of Dôst Muhammad Khân, died of a grave malady, the Ghiljâis to destroy it. Some troops were 80 that a further stay at Bagh-Nimla was an- therefore despatched, who effected that purbearable to the Shảh. He, therefore, sent the pose. An English force was also sent in corpse to Lamghân, where it was buried in the command of Mr. (sic) Conolly, because the vicinity of the blessed mazár of [the saint] Khôkis, who live to the south of Jallalábad, had Mihtarlak, and himself departed to Jalla- revolted and refused to pay their dues, but lâbâd.
before the troops arrived they agreed to pay ap On arriving there, Sayyid Hashim, the Hakim on condition that a reduction should be made. of the town of Kuner, and a partizan of the A reduction of twelve hundred rupees was Amir Dôst Muhammad Khâo, failed through granted. Moreover, the road through the fear to come in to pay homage, and so was Khaibar Pass and from JallalAbåd to. Kabul [held to be refractory, Accordingly a detach- being infested by robbers, an agreement of the ment of English troops with several .cannons happiest kind was concluded with the Ghiljai and one hundred sawárs of Abdu'llah Khan Khảns and chiefs of those parts, so that henceChakzai were despatched under the command of forth no traveller was molested. Mr. (sic) Macgregor to remove Sayyid Hashim, After this Shah Shaja'a undertook a pilgrimand to instal in his place Bahâu'ddin Khan. age to the blessed tomb of Mihtarlak (to whom Sayyid Hashim took refuge in his fort and stood be salutation !) which is situated in Lamghan, the siege bravely several days, whereon the where Mirza Ibrahim Khân, the munshibashi English determined to undermine and blow up of the Government, who was the Hakim of the gate, as they had done at Ghazni. But the Tajiks in Lamghản, entertained the troops after they had done so, they found, when and the Padshah with handsome banquets. making the assault, that an extremely thick The Padshah then returned again to Jallalabad, wall had been erected in rear of the gate, and and remained there till he went in company they could effect nothing. The rain being very with the English officers 'to Kabul, where he violent, and the assault fruitless, the English arrived on the last of the victorious month of were compelled to return to their tents. Şafar in 1256 [2nd May 1840]. Meanwhile Sayyid Hảshim, who was very While the English officers were on their way frightened, considered this opportunity to be from Qandahar they had approved of the muz'a the best for escaping. Accordingly he mounted Dillån Rabât, which is situated on the western a charger and fled into the mountains, where- milz'a of Chashmå Maqur, and conceived the on the above-mentioned officers installed idea of building a fort there. Accordingly Bahâu'ddin Khan in his place and returned the ShAhzâdah Timur was sent in that direction to Jallalábâd. On the other hand 'Abdu'l-Aziz with English troops, and returned after an Khan Jabbar Ghiljai, who was a confidential absence of some months. friend of the Amîr Dost Muhammad Khan, Meanwhile some well-meaning persons brought and whose foster-sister the Amir had married, to the notice of Shảh Shaja's that the trade of having previously found grace with the Pad the courtezans was getting very brisk, and that shah and the English, came to pay his any man [i.e. British soldier) could satisfy his
