1 ApFEKonc] Mil
2 T OF SHAUH ZSlCikUN.
3 577
4 Shujau ool Moolk, and seems to h:\vc l ail no Fiense of the preneral dicaffec-
5 tion, but to liave reckoned on defeating Mahmood without anv li t at exer-
6 tion. When he readied Caubul, the true state of aiiaini broke «i on his
7 mind, and hi& security was succeeded hy the utmost disquiet and alarm.
8 Awire of the diaaflbctioii of die Doovnmee chie^ he acarcdf though biin-
9 fdf safe among them; his guarda were doubted, and their customary appeeiv
10 ance at the court was changed into CODltant duty over the palace. The
11 King's diitrust of his own tribe was farther marked by his anxious endeiF '
12 TOUTS to gain the Ghiljies ; and these precantions, whiJe they ga^'e confidence
13 to the disi^cted, disgusted many who were neutral or well disposed. The
14 terrors of the vizier were still more couspicuouii ; and i'rom Im kuowu timi-
15 d^iitiapxobeUe thepiokhedmedhiiiibcffa^ He
16 ina more diflcnH of eeceiB than ever* hit nwiiiier m become SMpkioaa
17 end diilnwled ; end hii leaolttdoiia were heaty and wevering. The dutnitt
18 wfaid) the Court shewed of its mm fi»ftiioe, soon ^reod to the peqdot end,
19 in a strperstitious nation, omeoi were not wanting to oaafim tfaoir eipecte-'
20 tion of some great re\'cr<:e.
21 Allcr some vain iRguciations, the King marched against the rebels with
22 thirty thousand men : he sent on two parties in front of his army, of which
23 the most advaneed m» md» Ahmed Khaun Noofr|re, and the King soon
24 after ftU into the fear, and ever after remained a mardi or two behind the
25 army ; a plan jtrobaUy suggested by the ftan of the minister, iHuch added
26 to the alarm of the troops.
27 Ahmed Khaun had many insults and injuries to revenge on the vizier,
28 and so little was he trusted, that shortly betbre he got this inipui t int com-
29 mand, he was ttiought to have been marked out for execution by the imni&ter;
30 yet in tibts eatxeniiiy WuAdar Khaun seieed on the hope^ that by oonftrrii^
31 hononn and iiettertng appointments en Ahmed Khaun^ he could hnag him
32 over to his interests. He was accordingly entrosted with the command ef
33 the vanguard ; the conduct of which former experience had shewn ge&enflty
34 to deride the fidelity or desertion of the army,
35 Ahmed Khaun was, however, undetermimHl what line of conduct to pur-
36 sue when he left the main body i at least Futtch iviiuuii Uiought he was so,
37 and the steps lie ttwh to seeiire hii eoKipaBtioq, thougli perfectly consistent
38 with the heedk»g violence of Ibttefa Khaon's cbaiacter» would be incraii*
39 blsb if imputed to any other pefion. He seized Abdoollah Khaon, the
40 btcthcr ef Ahmed jiPiann Noonye^ ,jnd threw bin into cloie ooofiotmeol^
41 4b
42 Digitized by Google