Indian Antiquary Vol 17

Author(s): John Faithfull Fleet, Richard Carnac Temple
Publisher: Swati Publications

Page 63

FEBRUARY, 1888.]
ZAFARNAMA-I-RANJIT SINGH.
55
Yar Muhammad Khân, who sent back the with a robe of honour, but left the troops messenger with an evasive answer; whereon which had marched there under other comRanjit Singh ordered the Sardar Buddha manders at Atak. Meanwhile the information Singh forth with to march with troops and arrived that Laili was not dead, but that Yår artillery to Peshawar and to take the animal Muhammad, who feared to be deprived of by force. At that time there was a free-booter, the horse, had only removed it to another Sayyid Ahmad by name, in the vicinity of place of concealment. The Mahârâjâ therefore Pèshậwar, who had many Hindustani Muslim ordered the prince Kharak Singh to depart followers, and pretended that he would some immediately to Pêshã war, and to offer to day conquer the Panjab. Meanwhile, however, Yâr Muhammad any amount of money for he contented himself with besieging a small the horse, but to remove him from his post Sikh garrison which held the fort of Haidrů, of governor if he refused to part with it; and on hearing of this, when approaching with and also to purchase at any price from Sher his troops, the Sardár Buddha Singh determined Muhammad another celebrated horse known to liberate the said garrison, Sayyid Ahmad, by the name of Shirin. The prince not only however, learnt that the Sikh troops were far himself obeyed, but took the precaution of inferior to the number of his own followers, and marching with all the forces left in Atak to therefore, surrounding them at some distance, Pêsbêwar, where he encamped. Yår Muhamcut off all supplies. The Sardar, who had, with mad, however, immediately fled, leaving him his Sikhs, been thus compelled to fast during in the possession of the town, where he made a several days, sent a courier to demand rein. sojourn of eight months; and purchased from forcements. Accordingly the Maharaja issued Shêr Muhammad the horse Shirin, paying instructions to the Raja Suchet Singh, and to him a lump sum of money for it, and giving the Maharaja Gulab Singh of Jammud and him a landed estate the annual revenge of which Kashmir, to proceed with their armies by forced amounted to 10,000 rupees." He appointed marches at once to Peshawar, in order to Sultan Khan to be governor of Peshwar, liberate the Sardar Buddha Singh, whom the imposing upon him the obligation of sending Afghans had encompassed. The prince Shêr annually the required tribute money to Lähôr. Singh received similar orders, as well as the Then the prince marched with the army Generals Ventura and Allard, but when they as far as Atak, and it remained encamped reached Atak the news arrived that the there whilst he hastened to Làhôr; whereon Sardar Baddha Singh, driven to despair by Yar Muhammad, as soon as he learnt that the hunger, had broken the cordon which sur troops had gone to Atak, immediately expelled rounded him with his troops, and had, after a Sultan Khi from Pêshậwar. Ventura, who hot contest, pat Sayyid Ahmad to flight. was at that time in Atak, forth with sent a
When Yâr Muhammad became aware of what courier to the Maharaja, asking for permission had befallen the freebooter in whose aid he to deprive Yar Muhammad of the fort. To trusted, he humbly excused himself to the Sardâr this Ranjit Singh replied that he desired nothing Baddha Singh, and sent him a nazarána with more from the latter than the horse Laili and rich presents, declaring however that the famous his annual tribute as a loyal vassal; and the steed Laili had died. The Prince Shôr Singh General was therefore to give him any price he reported all this in a letter to the Maharajâ, who might ask for the animal, but was to wage war thereon replied approving of the valour displayed against him if he refused to comply. Ventura by the Sardar Buddha Singh, and instructed accordingly despatched a friendly letter to Yår him to levy tribute from Yár Mohammad, and Muhammad asking him to sell the horse, and to re-instal him as governor of Peshawar, but threatening him with hostilities if he demarred. that in case it should be ascertained that he 1 Whilst Yar Muhammad was preparing to had falsely reported the death of the horse, to give Laili to her Majnûn" the report arrived take it from him by force. The Sardar from Påshawar that the freebooter Sayyid then returned to Lâhôr and was invested Ahmad had again raised disturbances and was
This is scarcely credible. The above is an allasion to the loven of Leill and
Majnon:ung by many authors, and sometimes compared by European writers to those of Romeo and Juliet.