1 His journey through
2 the deserts ot Sindh to
3 Kandahar.
4 Repairs to the
5 Eusafzai hills, where
6 he declares a religious
7 war against the Sikhs,
8 1827,
9 The Maharaja sends
10 anarmy against the
11 Syad,
12 Who js defeated by
13 the Sikhs at Akora,
14 1827,
15 Ranjit Singh desires
16 to secure the famous
17 horse “ Laili,”
18 And sends an expedi-
19 tion to Peshawar with
20 that object, 1827.
21 Ravages committed
22 by Dewan Dhanpat Rai
23 on Peshawar.
24 fh
25 4n’s punish-
26 etas ectS
27 game of 53° ~
28 sub
29 438 HISTORY OF TIIE PANJAB.
30 reformed faith.» The youthful disciple rendered his spiritual leader stb-
31 stantial aid in money, and, thus strengthened, he made his way, first
32 to Shikdrpury and then to Khairpur, through the deserts of Sindh.
33 Here Mir Rustam Khan gave him an honourable reception, and, having
34 been joined by the rest of the Ghazis who were following him, he proceed-
35 ed to Kandahdr. His apostolic mission made little impression on the mind
36 of the Barakzai sardars in possession of that country, and he therefore
37 travelled northward, through the Ghilzai country, in search of better mate-
38 rial to work upon. Having crossed the Kabul river in the beginning of
39 1827, he reached Punjtar, in the Eusafzai hills, and raised the green
40 standard of the Prophet among the warlike Mussalman population of the
41 hills, with the object of waging a perpetual holy war against their per-
42 secutors, the Sikh infidels, The Eusafzais were at this juncture appre-
43 hensive of the designs of Y4r Muhammad Khan, Barakzai, who had gone
44 over to the side of their great enemy, Mahardjdé Ranjit Singh, and the Syad
45 and his host of Ghazis, or fighters for the faith, were hailed as deliverers,
46 and Ahmad was acknowledged as the leader of the faithful.
47 Ranjit Singh having heard of the organization of this formidable in-
48 surrection on the immediate border of his territory, sent a large force
49 across the Attak to protect Khairdbad and his interests in the adjoining
50 country. A detachment of the Sikhs, under Sardars Budh Singh, Attar
51 Singh and Lahna Singh, Sindhianwélids, moved forward to Akora,a few
52 miles above Attak, where they threw up works to strengthen their position.
53 The Syad, at the head of a numerous, but ill-equipped host, attacked this force.
54 The Sikh commanders fought from their entrenched positions, and by their
55 superior discipline and equipment, were enabled to repel the assault of the tu-.
56 multuous mountaineers, who lost several hundred in killed and wounded. The
57 Syad, being completely defeated, retired with his hill rabble to the mountains,
58 whence a desultory warfare was kept up against small bands of the Sikhs
59 and their convoys, much to the annoyance of the latter.
60 It was about this time that Ranjit Singh became anxious to possess
61 the famous horse Laili, which surpassed in beauty and excellence the re-
62 nounded Gouharbar, which the Mahardjt had already secured from the
63 Barakzai family. This was the horse which Fatteh Ali Shah, Kachar, King
64 of Persia, was most anxious to possess, and his offer of Rs. 50,000.in cash and
65 a jdgir worth Rs. 25,000 had been declined by the owner, Sardar Yar
66 Muhammad Khan. Negotiations were opened with Sardar Y4r Muhammad
67 Khan for its surrender, but it was declared that the horse was dead. The
68 wily chief discredited the report, and the declaration of the Afehdns having
69 been subsequently proved to be false, the agents of the Mahardjé extorted a
70 written engagement from Yar Muhammad Khan, agreeing to deliver the horse.
71 Prince Sher Singh and General Ventura were sent soon after to Peshawar, at
72 the head of a body of troops, to enforce the execution of the deed and secure the
73 animal. Dewdn Dhanpat Rai,the agent of Prince Kharak Singh, without orders,
74 committed ravages on Peshawar and seized some important places in the neigh-
75 bourhood. Prince Sher Singh was highly incensed at the rashness of the dewdn
76 and remonstrated with him for this action on his part. The dewdn, depen-
77 ding upon the superior position of his master, showed some disrespect to
78 Sher Singh, upon which he was seized and tlogged severely. All his tents
79 and property were plundered, and he was sent a prisoner to Léhore, The
80 Mahardjé was so much displeased with him that he dealt him several
81 blows on the face with his own hand, and sentenced him to a mulet of
82 ~ twenty thousand rupees.
83 Sri satguitfegte S Heh) bpidpany of the Mahqmnedananeieeanie GaMAdupad as a