1 A. D. 1748. HIS FURTHER ADVANCE OPPOSED. 7
2 Shah, the overgrown power, the discords and intrigues
3 of the great Ameers or grandees, and the little obedi-
4 ence paid to the royal authority at the capital as well
5 as in the interior, had not failed to attract his attention,
6 and the confusion likely to follow the departure of the
7 invading army, afforded matter of speculation for an
8 ambitious man seeking where eventually to push his own
9 fortune. The unparalleled success which had attended
10 his first efforts in Afghanistan, and the advantage to
11 which he systematically turned his present means in
12 laying the foundation of future grandeur, encouraged
13 him to hope from w hat he saw and heard of the condition
14 of things at Dehlee, that the time was favorable for an
15 attempt to erect for himself an empire on the ruins of
16 that of the house of Tvmoor. Having mastered Labor,
17 therefore, he determined on an immediate advance towards
18 Dehlee, and crossing the Beah and Sutlej without oppo-
19 sition, approached Sirhind.
20 The Vazeer Kumur-ood-deen Khan was not defi-
21 cient in energy, and made preparation to meet the invader.
22 Calling out the principal chiefs of Rajpootana with their
23 respective quotas, he placed the king's eldest son Prince
24 Ahmed in nominal command, and with this force and the
25 troops at the capital took up an intrenched position at
26 the village of Munoopoor, nine miles from Sirhind. The
27 Abdalee Shah having reconnoitered the position deemed
28 himself too weak to attempt a storm of the works : en-
29 camping in the neighbourhood therefore, he directed his
30 efforts against the supplies of the Dehlee army, and sent
31 detachments to cut oft' convoys and intercept the commu-
32 nications with the capital. This led to continual skir-
33 mishes and partial engagements, which amused both