1 MAHARAJA RANJIT SINGH. 461
2 hands of Dost Muhammad Khan, who governed the principality with the
3 aid of only a brother. The revenues amounted to eighieen lakhs of rupees,
4 and the chief maintained a force consisting of 9,000 horse and 2,000 foot,
5 with other azxiliaries, village troops and a park of 18 guns. Dost Muham-
6 mad Khan is described as having been unremitting in his attention to
7 business, attending the Court-house daily with his Kazi and Mulldhs and
8 deciding disputes according to law.
9 The chieftainship of Kandahar was formed, as already mentioned, by
10 Sher Dil Khan from the spoils of his nephew, on his flight from Kdbul to
11 Kandahar. The Sardar is described as being a man of singular habits, and
12 bearing a great resemblance to his brother Fatteh Khan, in courage and
13 bravery. Itis related of Sher Dil that he once lopped off the finger of one of
14 his sons, to test the youth’s courage, telling him, at the same time, that, if
15 he cried or uttered a sound, he could not be his son, or a Barakzai. The
16 young fellow bore the pain with great patience. Sher Dil Khan had been
17 accompanied in his flight from Kabul by his four brothers. But he, as well
18 as one of his brothers, was now no longer living, and Kandahar was governed
19 by Kohan Dil Khan, assisted by his two surviving brothers, Rustam Dil
20 Khan and Mehr Dil Khan. The revenue of the principality amounted to
21 about eight lakhs, and the forces consisted of 9,000 horse and six pieces of
22 artillery.
23 Herat, governed by Prince Kaémrdn, had, at this time, virtually become a
24 dependency of Persia. The Persian troops had several times entered it and
25 retired only on paymentof asum of money. This year (September 1832),
26 ib was again threatened by the Prince Royal in person, who demanded pecu-
27 niary payment, and also required that the name of the King of Persia be
28 stamped on the coins,
29 Such was the state of the country west of the Indus when Shah Shujd
30 was forming new plans for the recovery of the throne of his ancestors.
31 Having bought two guns of the Rani of Thanesar, the Shah left Ludhidnd,
32 in 1833, having engaged the services of an Anglo-Indian named Campbell, to
33 whom he gave the command of six hundred men. The Shah went first to
34 Maler Kotla, where he remained fora month. On the festival of Jd, the
35 Nawdb of Maler Kotla presented His ex-Majesty with 5,000 rupees and
36 two horses. The Shah then moved on to Jagraduwan, where Sardar Fatteh
37 Singh, Ahluwalia, of Kapurthdlld,sent him 2,000 rupees and a number
38 of swords. A fortnight after, he went to Bahawalpur, receiving from the
39 Nawab 5,000 rupees, a gun, some camels and bullocks. The Shah next
40 murched to Shikarpur, and at Kdmpur, six miles from Shikdrpur, was met
41 - by Husain Shah, the Hyderdbdd Vakil, who presented him with 50,000-rupees,
42 five or six horses, some swords and two tents. The Shah remained at
43 Shikdrpur for ten months, sending from here a present of a Persian horse
44 and some tents-to Mahardj& Ranjit Singh, who sent him 1,25,000 rupees,
45 together with a piece of artillery and 21 matchlocks, on the understand-
46 ing that he should relinquish for ever his claims to the territories of
47 Kashmir, Attock, Peshdwdr, Bannu and Derajdt. The Sindhians, being
48 joined by the Talpur Amir of Hydrabdd, who had become jealous of the
49 Shah’s growing power, attacked him near Shikdrpur, but were signally
50 defeated on 9th January 1834, the Shah taking possession of four guns
51 belonging to the Amir. Many of the Sindh Chiefs were killed in this
52 The chiefship of
53 Kandahar held by
54 Khush Dil Khan.
55 Herat governed by
56 Prince Kamran.
57 Shab Shuji sets out
58 from Ludhiana for a
59 fresh campaign in
60 Afghanistan, February
61 1833,
62 He is assisted by
63 several chiefs with
64 money and war ammu-
65 nition.
66 Defeats the
67 Sindhians, 9th January
68 battle, among them being Husain Shah. The Sindhians paid the Shah 733¢'
69 Rs. 5,00,000 in cash and gave a promise of future submission. Elated with
70 his success, the Shah made preparations fora march to Kandahdr, with a
71 view to laying siege to that city. He sent letters to the Khan of Kelat
72 Sri Satguru J agjit Singh J i eLibrary NamdhariElibrary@ gmail.com