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168
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
(JUNE, 1886.
lust for a small sum of money, because hand information that the Amir Dost Muhammad some females splendidly attired and bewitch- Khan, having escaped from Bokhara, had ingly adorned were boldly frequenting the arrived at Halm, and had made from thence, houses of profligates as often as they chose; with the aid of the Azbaks an attack upon but that this increase in wickedness would Bamian, but had been defeated and bad then inflame the religious sentiments of the popula- gone to Kōhistân. Mîr Masjndi Khan, who tion; (saying:]
was a Sayyid of authentic descent, had there"If no one steps this torrent
upon made preparations for a ghazá (crescenIt will produce much devastation."
tade] to accelerate the arrival of the Amir Shâh Shaja'a being frightened by these Dôst Muhammad Khân. When Shah Shuja'a words, alluded to them covertly and enigmati- became aware of this movement, he despatched cally in a conversation with Mr. William his son, the Shah zâdah Timur with some Macnaghten, who replied :-"Whenever sol- Durrani sawars, accompanied by Mr. Alexander diers are prohibited from doing such things, Burnes and General Shiell and their forces, to they become subject to anaccustomed mala- Kohistán. A conflict took place when the dies." As the Shah desired to please the troops reached the múx'a of Khwajah Khizar, English he said nothing more on the subject. situated near Charikar and belonging to Mir
As long as Mullâ `Abdu'sh-shukûr Ishaqzai Masjadi Khan Bahadur, who was bold enough enjoyed full power, by his good management to offer resistance with only fifty warriors; of affairs the Padshah's total want of but the artillery soon made a breach in the authority did not become publicly known, till fort-wall and the order to storm it was given. a man became obstreperous, on the strength of The Mir now perceived that his position was his friendship with Alexander Burnes, about hopeless, but as life is of use only with a criers being sent through the city (of Kabul) fair name and a brave one, according to the to fix the price of grain, or on account of saying, "If thou abide even one moment only some other trouble. 'Abdu'sh-shukur Khan in the world, be a man," it became necessary reproved him for form's sake, and some per- to sacrifice it. Accordingly, in order to attain sons in the crowd taking the part of the man martyrdom, the defenders of the fort ranged said: "If the Padshah has no authority, why themselves with drawn swords on both sides should 'Abdu'sh-shukur be cajoled " Ames- of the breach, shouting "We belong to Allah, senger of Burnes soon after arrived, and MulA and unto him shall we surely return," and
Abdu'sh-shukar (instead of resenting this im- fought so valiantly that they struck down their pertinence] made excuses to him, saying assailants as they arrived, in such numbers that "I did not know that the man was your their corpses, heaped one upon the other, might dependent." However, while he was wasir he almost have served as a ladder for mounting up kept [the real state of] matters secret, and to the fort. Mr. Conolly also having quaffed managed affairs so smoothly, that the popula- the bitter draught of death in this severe tion trusted the Shah :
struggle, the day-book of his life was folded up. Appoint a God-fearing man over the subjecta, When the General (Shiell) perceived that on Because a virtuous man is the architect of the account of the bravery of Mir Masjad Khan kingdom
it would be impossible to take the fort, he But Mr. Macnaghten and Alexander Burnes gavo up the attempt and withdrew his troops disregarded all consequences, and being dis- from the breach. Mîr Masjadi Khan, whose pleased with 'Abdu'sh-shukur on account of the bravery was worthy of all praise, likewise abovementioned fracas, removed him from his abandoned the fort during the same night, and post, and appointed in his place Muhammad after joining the Amîr Dost Muhammad Khan Ugmân Khân, the son of the Wazir Wafadar was again attacked. First the Indian troops Khan, because he always acted according to advanced, but the Sardar Muhammad Afzal the wishes of the English.
Khan meeting them like a furious lion cut many About this time Shậh Shaja's received of them to pieces, and those, who survived,
Gurin, ch. i., . 151. - is
been killed by
petty fortron Poor Edward Conolly (Arthur's next brother) has | Kohiko." Kayo, Vol. I. p. 557.
dubious hand at
in
