1 290 SPEECH OF A KHAIBAR CHIEF.
2 English before him, and dreading their de-
3 signs, will not spare lakhs of rupees to secure
4 their fidelity. We whe enjoy none of these
5 advantages, how can we‘compel them to act
6 with us without a superior force? Now, you
7 desire us to expel the enemy from the pass, and
8 to secure it for the passage of the Shah Zada.
9 You should send one of your confidential men
10 along with us, with a large sum of money to
11 expend among our brethren, as the occasion
12 may demand; or, should you not trust to our
13 sincerity, keep some of us as hostages in your
14 camp, and order the rest with your assent to
15 proceed to Khaibar to effect the object in view ;
16 otherwise, what can we alone do against Dost
17 Mahomed, who is powerful, and lias yet two-
18 thirds of the Khaibaris on his side ?”
19 The Colonel replied to them in the follow-
20 ing terms :—“ If the Khaibaris are faithful and
21 willing to serve the Shah Zada, he will supply
22 the five chiefs of Khaibar with sufficient means
23 to enable each of them to employ one thousand
24 men of his own tribe during the war, provided
25 they send approved hostages to our camp;