1 508 SIR CLAUDE WADE’S CONFERENCE
2 who was a highly respectable native of Loo-
3 diana, named Bheka Shah, to inspire his con-
4 fidence; which had the intended effect. Aziz
5 Khan agreed to hold a conference with the
6 Colonel in the garden of Nimla, on encamping
7 near which the next day, Sir Claude went
8 himself to the place, and ordered it to be pre-
9 pared for the reception of the Ghilzae chief,
10 whom we soon afterwards saw approaching
11 from the hills with about a thousand of his
12 armed retainers, with drums beating and
13 colours flying. After they had alighted, the
14 Colonel sent some supplies of fruit and forage
15 to them, with a friendly message, that agree-
16 ably to appointment, he would now be happy
17 to visit the Khan whenever he liked. , His
18 reply was very gratifying. He said he would,
19 if allowed, come himself to the Colonel’s tent,
20 where he arrived, accompanied by Khodabaksh
21 Khan, Sadatmand Khan, Mirza Khan, and
22 Himmat Khan, the Ghilzae chiefs, without a
23 single armed follower! They said that their
24 hesitation in coming arose chiefly from their
25 dread of the machinations of their enemies at