1 5S6
2 0I8CX»ITSNT8 OF THB'FBDPLI. lAxma.
3 merchants finding their retreat rut off, srave up their property, and receivid
4 notes in the prince's name pronusm^i; t<j p.iy tjie value at a futiirt- time.*
5 , This caravaa was wortii more tiiau tliree iacics oi rupees, ami uut ooiy re-
6 lieved the piinci^B pfwenft wiiHib but eiHiUed bwiia aannMe tmeiwlbr m
7 •ttadc on CwndalMur, ia vhich be ww to be Mwitoii bjr IfniUiii vimm, mm
8 of tbe fimner ddef of tbvfc aeme. The attempt, however, ftiled fiir mmt
9 of concert, and Shuja via compelled to fctiieinUii tbe hiSk, whwe Ue enoj
10 aoon after dispersed.
11 In t!ie mean time Mabmood's g'overnment was hastening to decay. Tlie
12 Kiii^'i) weaknois audiudolence had drawn universal contempt on his admini*
13 sti ation } his orders were disobeyed with impunky, and his officers scarce!/
14 pOBseaBed suiBcieiit we^t to iweiwtein ordiiitty tnmquillity in the c^fteL
15 Tbe Gfaoleini Shahi (tbe Kii^t KiiMflbauih giiecds> wbo jofaed the
16 violence of their military habits to the natural lioentioiiflMM of tbeur oation,
17 were guilty of the greatest excesses, nnd raised the utmost indignati(m among
18 the inhabitants of Caubiil, who were not more irritated by their rapacity
19 and oppression, than disfrnittti w ith tlieir contenijiL iur decency and sobriety,
20 and iheir open proles&ion oi the biieeaii religion, wiiicii tiicir prejudices led
21 them to lodi on intb peoilier eveisioa.
22 Thete diaotdeie*wew>nggriivet)ed, and the diaoonteota th^ orxiMieiMri mm
23 xendered fimnidable by the absence of Futteh Khaun, and tbe deetk ef
24 Alsnun Khetiq» which, deprived the Kiag of hia boUeet end anoit poneifid
25 ministers.
26 li'requent complaints were made of the conduct of the Gholams, but were
27 disregarded by Maiimood, whose natural ludoieuce was stroigthfined by his
28 jbuduess for the manners which disgusted hie nibject^ and fay-the Aar ef
29 cAoding thoee troops wbem he oonakleKd as tlie beak eupfMMtef bit power.
30 His.pertiaU^inofeesedtfae disoootevtt of tbe popdlaee^ and. there tuera net
31 wsntiiig aien of higher rank, who wete diqpesed to fixnent tiiair .disafiectie^
32 and to profit by its effect."?. The most prominent of these, at first, were
33 Ahmed Khann Noor;'\ c, and Nawaub Khaun the lame, two n<^ernen of
34 Aiiitied iSiiuuh's court, who aticcted tlie virtues and prejudices of tbe Doo«
35 raunees of fonoer idmes ; but the real mover of all the tumults which now
36 ensued, was Moekbtar eoJMnlah, aona macalcolatod totdbetbtoleadoa
37 mdienoeeawM.
38 * Hepudimiir of ^bmttmhk
39 Digitized by CoogI(