________________
SEPTEMBER, 1886.]
THE LAST YEARS OF SHAH SHUJAA.
267
Memoirs of the Amir Dost Muhammad Khan peace with Shah Shuja'a, and wrote secretly to and of Akbar Khân.
the chiefs of Kâbul, that if the Shah was sincere The population of Kabul crowded against in his desire to strengthen Islam and to destroy the Bâlâ Hişâr," until they got it into their the infidels, they must incite him to extirpate the possession like the Cantonments of the English ; remainder of the English who were still in Jal. whereon Shah Shuja'a, perceiving that the lâlâbâd. With this object people were daily sent tyrannical English Government was destroyed, round bearing the noble Quran [Hazrat Furqan] was under the necessity of acting according on their heads shouting the Takbir (the words to the maxim, "if the times do not suit you, Allahu akbar] and proclaiming that the PadshAh suit them," and of courting the friendship of Islam ought certainly to go to Jallalabad to of Aminu'llah Khan Labukurdi, to whose house remove the remaining Englishmen from Afghhe sent his own son the Shabzadah Sbåhpûr nistân. As gratitude to the English impeded for the purpose of allaying the excitement the Padshậh from consenting to ruin their of the insurgents, most of whom considered government, he adopted the policy of procrashim (the Padshah] to be altogether English tination, and declared that in case Muhammad in his sentiments. Amina'llah, being pleased Akbar Khan should be unable to conquer with the promises made to him, of gold, JallalAbad, he would himself induce the English of robes of honour, of position and of high dig. to depart from Afghanistan by diplomacy, and nity, brought over & number of Durranis and in case of their failing to comply, he would force Farsis to the side of the Padshah : who also them to do so by war. As the Musalmans pledged himself, while the negotiations pro- were displeased with the return of Muhammad ceeded, to bestow & gift of two lákhs of Akbar Khân, they were of opinion that it would pukhtah rupees apon (the Shahzadah] Muham- be better to send a letter to the English officers. mad Zaman Khân. But the latter at first re- Accordingly, to please them, Shah Shaja'a fused, saying, “I am a Khalifah, and not a re- despatched one by Sardar 'Inayatu'llah Khan ceiver of bribes;" to which Aminu'llah Khân Bâmizai, and another by Din Muhammad Khân, replied, " As now & Padshah of Islam has been his private chamberlain. These were to act found, the Khalifate is abolished and the apparently as his agents, but in reality to Wazirate is also a high position and most favour the English, whom they openly told to valuable dignity, which I am able to procure depart from JallAlibâd, but secretly put on their for yon," and then Muhammad Zaman Khan guard against the treachery of the Barakzai necessarily consented. On the 7th Zo'lhijjah tribes, and more particularly against that of A.H. 1257 [27th January 1842] the Shahzadah | Muhammad Akbar Khân, lest they should be Shahpûr proceeded with Naib Amîna'llah Khân deceived by his duplicity, and perish like and Naw&b Muhammad Zaman Khân, and all Macnaghten, from trusting him. It is the Ghiljai, Kohistâni, and Qizlbåsh Khâns alleged that the Shah's object in this corto the Bali Hişår for the purpose of saluting respondence, which was protracted during the Shah, and having been presented with two lunar months, was no other than to gain beautiful robes of honour they paid him their time for the arrival of another army from respects every day."
Hindustan. This conjecture is supported by Wazir Muhammad Akbar Khân, who was on the writings of Mr. Macgregor, the Hakim of this occasion at Jallalábåd, felt much aggrieved Jallalabad. on being informed that the Khậns had made
(To be continued.)
"The BAIA Hipar was evacuated by the British troops on the 13th December."-Kaye, Vol. II. p. 131.
** "Ever since the departure of the British army, Shah Shajd's had reigned at Kabul. He had reigned at Kabal, but he had not ruled. His power was merely nominal. The chiefs wanted puppet ; and in the unhappy ShSh they found the only one who was ever likely to stand between them and the vengeance of the British nation. Day after day they made their salaam to him in the Balà Hisar, bat so imperfect was their outward recognition of his regal dignity, that money was still
coined in the name of the NewÅb Zaman Khan."-Kaye, Vol. II. pp. 358-4.
30 The ShAh himsell talked openly in the Darbar about standing forth as the defender of the faith and declaring
religious war against the Kitirs, but he privately Assured Conolly that he was heart and soul with the British, and he wrote long letters to the Governor General Clerk, Maogregor, and others, declaring his inviolable fidelity, and eagerly clamouring for money." -Kaye, Vol. II. p. 255.
