1 ^ KfiGOTIATIONS WITH PERSIA-R HDlUrrEBa
2 from us ; but our policy preventer! our taking part in the civil wars of
3 the country, and our public declarations to tli;it pffcct did not leave us
4 at liberty to do so, consistently with good taith, even if we had been
5 so inclined. The ministers, v-!io were employed to persuade me
6 to deprtrt from this line ol conduct , w ere two 1^ rsians and a Moollah ;
7 but otlier persons of the same lU st i i|ition were employed to influence
8 me in the shape of ordinary visitors .md disinterested friends. I
9 frequently tound some of these in ni} liall when I rose; and, although
10 the necessity of retiring to Chausht procured me a respite of some
11 hours during the day, the ministers were often with me till two
12 hours after midnight. There was no argument or .solicitation which
13 they did not employ -. They even endeavoured to persuade me tliat
14 our Indian possessions would be in danger if we refused so reasonable
15 a request ; but, even lAigf never insinuated tluit I should be exposed
16 (o any pecwmel risk. The ntnuMt of their thieats, (and thoie eeiw
17 tabdj were embarnming), oonsisfced m aaramccB that the ^leen
18 wvMiId tend her vetl to me; and that* when Akram Khann letomed
19 from Gaahmeer, he would certainly come nunnawaotee to mj honaa
20 Bnt dieae'lban were dispelled on Akiam Kfaamn'i anhraL At my
21 interviews with him', the same solgeot was renewed; but all hBaptn^
22 timity» and even
23 direct tetms, schemes of mntoal benefit! whidi» while they provided
24 ibr the Sng of Caubal*s wants, imdoubtedly ippeared to 1^ to olfer
25 great md immediate advantage to the British ; andt wliich shewed
26 entire confidence in onr sincerity aikd good fiuth. Whenitwasobnoos
27 that these plans were not acceptable, they were instantly dropL
28 The King's difficulties, however, ccmtinued to increase. Gaubid
29 fell into the hands of the enemy i and his S|iproach was dai]^e9q>eeU
30 edat Pesbawer. The King tried all means of raising money. His
31 jewds were offisred for sale at less than half their vahiOi bnt nobody
32 dared to venture on a purchase, of which the opposite party would
33 have denied the validity. In all his distreRses, the King never re-
34 sorted to violence. He was at one time advised to seise a lai^ sum
35 of money, which some merchants were osirying hnia Canhul to Caah*
36 Digitized by Google