1 212 CORRESPONDENCE WITH
2 Akbar Khan. They were informed in reply,
3 that if they could not attend in person, they
4 should depute their sons or relations, or testify
5 their fidelity in other ways by serving him se-
6 cretly, by which they could be in no risk from
7 the other side. They were further encouraged
8 to persuade the garrison of Ali Masjid to join
9 the Shah Zada, who would take them into his
10 own service at ten rupees per mensem, besides
11 rewarding them with khilats and a bounty of
12 twenty-five rupees each on their arrival; and
13 were told also that the person who exerted him-
14 self most in bringing them over should receive
15 in addition a present of five rupees per head.
16 It appears that the Khaibaris were alarmed
17 on being misinformed that the pass would be
18 forced and Ali Masjid garrisoned by the Sikh
19 force. To remove these impressions from their
20 minds, an explanatory letter was written to
21 Abdurrahman Khan, the head of the Kuki-
22 khail tribe occupying the pass near its en-
23 trance between Ali Masjid and Jamrud, (the
24 only people considered of importance in open-
25 ing the way,) who was assured that, agreeably