The author of the history of Mahmood Shah

A. H. 872.
A. D. 1468.

relates, that in the year 872 the King saw the holy Prophet (Mahomed) in a dream, who presented before him a mag­nificent banquet of the most delicate viands. This dream was interpreted by the wise men as a sign that he would soon accomplish a conquest by which he would obtain great treasures; which prediction was soon after verified in the capture of Girnal.

A. H. 873.
A. D. 1469. In the year 873, Mahmood Shah marched towards the country of Girnal, the capital of which bears the same name. This place is situated on a mountain, on which is constructed the strongest fortress in that part of India. Its reduction had been frequently in the contemplation of the kings both of Dehly and Guzerat, but they had not yet been able to effect it, and many of the ancient rajas of India had in vain attempted to seize that formidable fortification. The accomplishment of this object was reserved for Mahmood Shah Begurra. The mountain on which the fortress stands is surrounded by lower hills situated at some distance, and ravines and broken ground surround its approaches on all sides, which lead through narrow defiles. One of these, the Dumodry G'hat, has a strong outwork at the entrance, called at the present day Joo-nagur. There are, besides, two other works, called Mohabilla. Nearly nineteen hundred years had elapsed since this fortress first came into possession of the family of Mandulik * Raja, who held it when Mahmood Shah marched to attack it; and excepting Mahomed Toghluk and Ahmud Shah of Guzerat, no foreign prince had penetrated into that country.

Mahmood Shah, relying on the interpretation of his dream, marched towards Girnal with perfect confidence of reducing it to his subjection. On his arrival within eighty miles, he detached a force of one thousand seven hundred men, under his uncle Toghluk Khan, in advance; and presenting every man of the party with a dirk in a scabbard mounted with gold, ordered that the works called Mohabilla should be occupied at all hazards before his arrival. As the approach of this force was unexpected, the Rajpoots, who bear the name of Row, and who were intrusted with the charge of the post, were attacked by surprise, and cut off.

Mahmood Shah with the main body following soon after, passed the defile without opposition. The Ray of Girnal, hearing of the occupation of the Mohabilla post, descended from the hill-fort, and attacked Toghluk Khan, and might have repulsed him, but for the arrival of the King with the main body, when the Ray sustained a total defeat, being himself severely wounded. The victo­rious army, without attacking the fort of Girnal, destroyed all the temples in the vicinity; and the King sending out foraging parties procured abun­dance of provisions for the camp. The Ray, rather than sustain a siege, purchased a cessation of hos­tilities by present submission, and by the pay­ment of a large amount in jewels and in specie; after which, the army returned to Ahmudabad.

A. H. 874.
A. D. 1470. In the year 874, the King, who only wanted some excuse to invade Girnal a second time, urged, as a cause of com­plaint against the Raja, his habit of assuming the ensigns of royalty. He, therefore, ordered an army of forty thousand horse to march to Girnal, and to exact a fine from him on this account. The Ray, who was neither able nor willing to oppose the Mahomedan arms, paid the sum required; and Nizam-ood-Deen Ahmud states in his history, that Mahmood Shah distributed the money produced by this expedition, in one night, amongst a set of female dancers.

About this period a curious incident occurred, and the anecdote will serve to illustrate the cha­racter of Mahmood. He was engaged on a hunt­ing excursion, when a must elephant, running towards him, attacked that on which the King was seated. All the rest of the party instantly took to flight, and the King was left alone. The circum­stance by no means disconcerted him; but with a presence of mind which never deserted him, he received the animal with undaunted bravery, and with a spear assisted his own elephant and driver in such a manner, that the infuriated beast became so severely wounded as to give up the contest and fly.

In the latter end of the year 874, the King again marched by way of Sorut to Girnal. The Ray declared his willingness to pay any sum of money he could produce, to protect his subjects from the oppression and horrors of war. Mahmood insisted on his abdicating the throne and govern­ment in his favour. The Ray made no answer, but shut himself up in the fort of Joonagur, to which the King laid siege. Shortly after, having evacu­ated Joonagur, in the beginning of the year 875, the Raja again retired to Girnal; but seeing no end to his misfortunes, he at length consented to be­come a proselyte to the Mahomedan faith, when he was dignified with the title of Khan Jehan; and his descendants have ever since occupied one of the most respectable stations at the Guzerat court. The author of the Mirut-Iskundry relates the circumstance of the conversion of the Ray of Gir­nal in the following words:—

“The Mandulik Raja,” says that author, “being “taken prisoner, was sent to Ahmudabad. One “day, perceiving a grand procession going towards “the residence of the holy Shah Alum at Rus-“soolabad, the Ray enquired who Shah Alum “was, and in whose service. He was told that “this holy person acknowledged no master, but “the Supreme Being. Struck with admiration at “the reply, he resolved to visit him, and was after-“wards persuaded by him to become a proselyte “to the faith.”

The King, being desirous that the tenets of Islam should be propagated throughout the country of Girnal, caused a city to be built, which he called Moostufabad, for the purpose of establishing an honourable residence for the venerable personages of the Mahomedan religion deputed to disseminate its principles; Mahmood Shah also took up his residence in that city. Having by this measure withdrawn his court into a corner of the kingdom, the greater part of his dominions was left to the bad management of his officers, who during his ab­sence neglected their duty, the evil effects of which soon became apparent. The public roads were so infested by robbers, that it was dangerous for single travellers, or small parties, to pass to and fro in Guzerat, so that the King found it necessary to establish a more active police. Accordingly Ju-mal Khan, the son of Sheikh Mullik, ennobled with the title of Mohafiz Khan, was appointed to this duty, with orders to reside at Ahmudabad, and he was authorised to increase the police establishment. In a short time, five hundred thieves were publicly executed; and some idea may be formed of the number of the police retainers when it is known, that Mohafiz Khan had, at one time, in attendance one thousand seven hundred bargeer-i-khass, or persons equipped by him, and riding his own stable horses. His power was, in fact, so little within control, that his son Mullik Khizr, in the absence of the King, marched without orders, and obliged the rays of Idur, Wagur, and Serohy, to pay him tribute.

The King, who was still at Moostufabad super­intending the building of the new city, now heard that the inhabitants of Kutch, far removed from Dehly, had long thrown off all allegiance from that government. This people having but little to subsist on, were in the habit of plundering their neighbours, and had lately invaded Guzerat. Mah-mood Shah, who only wanted an object to excite him to action, readily seized this opportunity of gratifying his ambition, enriching himself, and of propagating the faith. Accordingly, in the

A. H. 877.
A. D. 1472.

year 877, he proceeded towards Kutch, and by forced marches came suddenly upon the enemy's encampment at Shee-vur with only three hundred cavalry, the rest of his troops having been left behind during a march of sixty coss * without a halt. The Kutchies con­sisted of four thousand archers, who drew up in good order. Mahmood Shah dismounted to put on his armour, and with his small party charged the enemy, which, notwithstanding the disparity of numbers, was (by the assistance of God) de­feated, and numbers of them slain; after which, the remainder came forward with their weapons slung round their necks, to implore mercy. Mah-mood Shah, wishing to ascertain if they had any knowledge of the principles of the true faith, questioned them as to their religion. They replied, they were men of the desert, without teachers: they knew there was a sky, earth, and water, and fire; that they had no wants but the necessary articles of food; but begged his Majesty to send teachers among them, in order that they might become true Mahomedans.† * The Kutchies are a large, tall, robust race, extremely active, and no­toriously good archers. Many of the chiefs of the tribe accompanied the King on his return to Moos-tufabad, where they imbibed the true principles of the faith; after which, a constant intercourse was kept up between that city and these people. From them the King learned, that beyond the country of Sheevur, in the province called Sind, were four thousand inhabitants of the Jutt and Buloch tribes, who also excelled in the use of the bow to that degree, that it was said of them that they could split a hair with an arrow. These Bulochies, as well as their neighbours the Bulochies of Persia, are of the Sheea persuasion, and live by depredations, sometimes penetrating as far as the Guzerat provinces.