The marriage of Boorhanuddín, the most worthy of the sons of Lalamean (who was the brother-in-law of the Sultán, and slain at the battle of Churkooli), with the daughter of Budruzzumán Khán, the Foujdár of Nuggur, and his appointment and Mission to conquer the Hill Fort of Nurgoonda— also the insubordinate conduct of the Chief of Punganoor, and the appointment of cer­tain kushoons, or brigades, to punish and reduce him to subjec­tion— also the repair of the Fort of Ruhmaun Gurh.— Occur­rences of the year 1198, Hijri.— A.D. 1783.

AFTER the Sultán had arrived at his capital, and had completed his arrangements for the regulation of his army and kingdom, his enlightened mind determined on the celebration of the nuptials of Boorhanuddín Khán, and by the counsel and advice of his ministers and chief officers, he selected the lady of the Serai of nobility and virtue, the virgin daughter of Budruzzumán Khán, Nayut, Soubadár of the district of Nuggur— a man whose loyalty was well known to, and appreciated by the Sultán; and the Khán was therefore sum­moned from his government at Nuggur. When therefore the Khán arrived at the foot of the throne, he was honoured with princely gifts, and apprised of the views and intentions of the Sultán, and the Khán seeing opposition to his commands would involve his detriment and disgrace, and notwith­standing his wife and children were averse to the marriage, he determined to agree to the Sultán’s proposition. The officers consequently who had the charge of preparing the banquet, and on whom devolved the responsibility of the royal feasts, according to the orders received by them, arrayed the joyful banquet, and in a very short time by the performance of the established customs of felicitation and invitation, obtained the approbation of the Sultán; at that time the spies and news­writers on the banks of the Tungbhudra river, wrote to the Sultán, that most of the tributaries of the kingdom of Mysore were disaffected and ready to break out in open rebellion, and that they had put forth the hand of violence from the sleeve of rancour and infidelity, and that their cruelty and oppression had caused great misery, to the whole of the Sultán’s subjects; and not only that, but from the vice of their dispositions they intended ulterior mischief, as for instance, Kalia Desye, that is, the chief of Nurgoonda had opened the doors of fraud and treachery on the peasantry of the country, and the sighs and com­plaints of the poor and afflicted had ascended to the heavens— that he, day by day advanced his foot beyond the limit of his ability, and like the Pun­ganoor Poligar, moved by the devil, had lighted up the fire of revolt and rebellion— that he had neglected to discharge the Paishkush or tribute due to the Sultán for two years, and had most insolently attacked the Fort of Sudum, a dependency of the Sirkar of Kurum Goonda, and had plundered the towns belonging to that fort;— that he had several times attacked the said fort, and had made many of the officers or dependents of the Sultán drink the cup of martyrdom,— also that the Poligar of Mud­dun Pulli had joined him heart and hand, and was also the cause of great tumult and distur­bance.

At hearing this news, the fire of the Sultán’s wrath flamed high, and considering the safety and comfort of his subjects as inseparable from his honour and responsibility, he immediately dis­patched Syud Ghuffar, the Sipahdár with his Kushoon or brigade to Nurgoonda, to ascertain the state of affairs there; the Sipahdár therefore marched, and having after many stages arrived there, soon obtained a perfect knowledge of the whole affair. It appeared certain that this man (the Chief of Nurgoonda) devoted to villany, was instigated and aided in his rebellion by Purusram the Chief of Mirch, whose son was betrothed to his daughter, and that being vain and conceited at this connexion, he had raised his head to the clouds and was possessed with the vain desire to be the ruler of the districts, lying between the rivers Kishna and Tungbhudra, and hearing of the arrival of the Sultán’s troops, from the natural malignity of his disposition took the path of ingratitude, and advanced to oppose them. The Sipahdár above mentioned on discovering his intention, and while he was selecting a secure posi­tion for his troops, wrote to the Sultán acquainting him with these circumstances.

Boorhanuddín, the Sipahsalar, therefore, with five thousand horse and three Kushoons, the Sipahdárs of which were Syud Humíd Shaíkh Oonsur, and Ahmud Beg, was appointed and marched to take the fort, and make the rebellious chief a prisoner,— Shaíkh Omr the Sipahdár, also with a Kushoon, two thousand irregular foot, (Ahshám) and six guns was appointed to root out the Poligars of Punganoor and Muddun Pulli.

When the said Shaíkh Omr marching by Pan­gloor, and Dewun Hulli, arrived near the moun­tainous district of Gywar, which lies to the east­ward of Nundi Droog, and encamped there, he heard from some of the chief landholders and government guards of the roads and passes,* that among these mountains was one very high and on its summit a wide plain, that it possessed a fountain or reservoir of water, the depth of which could not be fathomed, by the line of science, that on this mountain was the foundation of walls built with stone, and that they appeared to have been in old time a fort, but long since in ruins— that if the walls were rebuilt, they would afford a strong defence and refuge to the Sultán’s troops, and that a force stationed here would undoubtedly ensure the obedience of the country in the neighbourhood. The Sipahdár, therefore, with some of his officers and those who made this statement went up the mountain, and examined the place and much admired it, and then wrote a description of the moun­tain, and the representations of the friendly people of that district to the presence. He then marched on, and encamped in the neighbourhood of Pun­ganoor, and notwithstanding he strove to advise and guide the chief, he still rebelliously advanced to oppose him, and with twelve thousand foot occu­pied the posts on his route, ready for action. In consequence, in the neighbourhood of Rama Sum­oodram, a town on his frontier, a very sanguinary battle was fought between the two parties. The troops of the Sultán, however, like lightning daily burned up the harvest of the infidel array, and with the bayonet, musket, and the keen sword, gashed the heads and breasts of their misguided opponents.

At length the brave Sipahdár in one attack with his sword cut down the commander of the enemy’s troops, and immediately separated his head from his body; and the infidels seeing this, lost the foot­ing of stability and confidence, and turned their faces to flight, and they made the Hill Fort of Bhooi Koonda, which is surrounded by a dense and impe netrable forest, their place of refuge.