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OCTOBER, 1887.]
ZAFARNAMA-I-RANJIT-SINGH.
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abandoned the siege of Chiniðt. The gover- tains, ravaged both districts, and then returned nor of Kasûr was driven into his fort by to Lâhôr, after establishing a Sikh administhe united forces, after which they plundered tration in the town of Hoshiarpur. the town, making prisoners of many Afghans 16. The Maharaja now undertook, from with their wives and children, so that the religious motives, a pilgrimage to the Ganges, governor at last pleaded for mercy and was marched thither with his whole army, took graciously reinstalled in his former position by tribute wherever he passed, and at last arrived Ranjit Singh, who thereon marched back to at Hardwar, the place of his destination, where Chipiôt, two chiefs of which, Karm Singh and he purified himself by ablutions, and distributed Jasa Singh, who had accumulated an immense large sums of money to the devotees. He, amount of booty, he compelled to surrender however, soon received a letter by a courier, inand to disgorge their plunder. On his return forming him that dissensions had again broken to Lahôr the Maharaja indulged for some out among the rulers of Kasur. Nigamu'ddin, months in rest and banquetings. At last a the governor of the district, had been slain by the messenger arrived from Vatâlâ, bringing the Afghan Qutbu'ddin, who thereon usurped the information sent by Sada Kanwar, that Sansar power, and plundered not only the family of Chand, having come down from the mountains, his victim, but all the notables who were in the -Was plundering her subjects, and craving the possession of some wealth. Hereon Ranjit Singh protection of the Mahârâjâ. At this news immediately marched to subdue the usurper, Ranjit Singh prepared his troops for a march which purpose he effected easily according to our and ordered also Fath Singh to join him author, whose statement must however be somewith his forces. They both then departed to what modified, because he also narrates that Kangra where the said Rønt was delighted Qutbu'ddin offered so much resistance, with to receive them. When the rumour spread all the Afghans he had collected, as to occupy that Ranjit Singh had arrived, the forces of the Sikhs fally three months in driving him into Sansar Chand dispersed and fled to Narpar, the fort of Kasur ; where he held out till which fort, however, he also left on the reduced to the last extremity by famine, and approach of the Mahârâjâ. Whilst the latter at last pleaded for mercy. He sent a letter to was thus pursuing the enemy the news the Maharaja in which he excused himself, came that Subhanpur was being plundered and explained that not he, but a wretched He accordingly at once repaired thither and dependant of Nizamu'ddîn, Vâşil Khân by punished the commander of it by depriving name, had murdered him, whereon the disorhim of the two qaşbas of Dharamkôt and ganisation became so great that he was under Bahrámpar, leaving him only the qasba of the necessity of putting himself at the head Subhanpur. Then Ranjit Singh marched to of affairs, and making common cause with the town of Bhagwara, because he had been the turbulent population in the attempt to informed that the widow of Chuhar Mall who restore order. He moreover averred that he owned it, was in very affluent circumstances. was beartily sorry for the murder of Nigamu'd. The lady, greatly frightened by his arrival, din, whose intimate friend he had always been, abdicated in his favour, begging only to be and apologized in the most humble manner, allowed the expenses of a pilgrimage to Hard for the hostile attitude he had been compelled war, and surrendering all her wealth. This to assume. The Mahârâjâ was not inexorable, the Mahârâjâ presented to Fath Singh, and and confirmed Qutbu'ddin in his position as then went with him to Kapurthala, where he governor of Kasûr, after extorting from him all became the guest of the Raja.. Soon, however, the money he could, as well as the promise to a messenger arrived with the information that send tribute annually to Lâhôr. the Mahårája Sansêr Chand had come down Ranjit Singh now proposed a campaign to from the mountains, and had established him- Multan, for which no reason is assigned, but he self in the qaşbas of Bijwâri and Hoshiar. no doubt intended to subdue the governor of par. Accordingly Ranjit Singh hastened that locality (who was an Afghan), and overthere with Fath Singh, and not finding Sangår ruled all the objections of the amirs of his Chand, who had meanwhile fled to the moun- Court, who attempted to persuade him that
