At length a number of the garrison, from want of spirit, lost the little courage they possessed, and Shádí Uzbek having entered into a conspiracy with the Kazalbáshís, seduced Kipchák Khán from his duty. Though the latter was not naturally inclined at heart to this course of behaviour, yet as his companions had their families with them, through dread of losing their wealth, their lives, and their good repute, they would not let him follow the bent of his own disposition, so he was necessarily compelled to ally himself with those unfortunates. Some of the Mughal mansabdárs, ahadís, and matchlockmen too, having sprinkled the dust of treason on the heads of loyalty, entered into a league with them, and having come in front of the fort, declared that, in consequence of all the roads being closed, from the vast quantity of snow on the ground, there was no hope of the early arrival of succour, and that it was evident from the untiring efforts of the Kazalbáshís, that they would very shortly capture the fort, and after its reduction by force and violence, neither would there be any chance of their own lives being spared, nor of their offspring being saved from captivity. The wretched Daulat Khán, who ought instantly to have extinguished the flames of this sedition with the water of the sword, showed an utter want of spirit, by contenting himself with offering advice in reply. This, however, made no impression on the individuals in question, who got up, and departed to their respective homes, so that nought but a scanty force being left in the intrenchments, the Kazalbáshís entered the Sher-Hájí in several places. As for the party that forced an entrance on the side of the Bábáwalí gate, some of the household troops and Daulat Khán's followers, who occupied that quarter, rushed upon them, whereupon several were killed on both sides.
Meanwhile, the traitor Shádí sent a message to the governor of the fort, who was stationed at the above gate, to say that Muhammad Beg Bákí had come, bearing a letter and message from the Sháh, and accompanied by Sharafu-d dín Husain, a mansabdár who was dárogha of the buildings and magazines in the fort of Bust. Daulat Khán, on this, despatched Mírak Husain Bakhshí, for the purpose of sending away Muhammad Beg from the gate; but as soon as the bakhshí reached the gate of Veskaran, he noticed Kipchák Khán, Shádí, and a number of the Mughal mansabdárs, sitting in the gateway, and perceived that they had brought Muhammad Beg inside, and seated him in front of them, and that he had brought four letters, one addressed to Daulat Khán, and the other three to Shádí, Núru-l Hasan and Mírak Husain, and was saying that he had besides some verbal messages to deliver. Mírak Husain therefore turned back, and related the circumstances to Daulat Khán; whereupon that worthless wretch deputed his Lashkar-navís (paymaster of the forces) to detain Muhammad Beg there, and send Kipchák Khán and Shádí to him. As soon as these ungrateful wretches came, acting in conformity with their advice, he adopted the contemptible resolution of proceeding to an interview with Muhammad Beg, and receiving and keeping the letters he brought. The Sháh also sent a message to the effect, that he should take warning from what had already befallen Purdil Khán, the governor of the fort of Bust, and his comrades, and neither prolong hostilities any further, nor strive to shed the blood and sully the fair fame of himself and his comrades; and with a view to acquaint the inmates of the fort with the condition of the garrison of Bust, he despatched along with Muhammad Beg the aforesaid Sharafu-d dín Husain, whom Mihráb Khán had started off loaded with chains in advance of himself. To this Daulat Khán replied, that he would return an answer five days hence; and it having been stipulated that during this interval hostilities should not be engaged in on either side, Muhammad Beg received his dismissal, and returned to his own camp.
On the 5th day 'Alí Kulí Khán, brother of Rustam Khán, the former commander-in-chief, having come to Shádí's intrenchment, and delivered a message, saying that the Sháh had commissioned him to ascertain their final decision, the pusillanimous Daulat Khán, with most of the servants of the crown, went to the gate, and invited him in. The latter, after being introduced, stated, that as they had already offered as gallant and stubborn a resistance as it was possible to make, it was now proper that they should refrain from fighting, and, applying themselves to the preservation of their lives and property, should send an individual along with him to deliver their reply. The worthless Daulat Khán accordingly despatched 'Abdu-l Latíf, díwán of Kandahár, for the purpose of procuring a safe conduct, in company with the above individual, and on the following day he returned with the written agreement.
The villain Shádí, however, without waiting for the governor's evacuating the fort, surrendered the Veskaran gate, which was in his charge, during the night to the Kazalbáshís, and hastened along with Kipchák Khán to the Sháh's camp. However much the miserable Daulat Khán exhorted his men to repair to the fort on the top of the hill, it was of no avail; though had he but taken shelter there with a detachment, he could have held out till the arrival of succour without suffering any harm. On the morrow, when the mansabdárs, ahadís, and matchlockmen, who were engaged in the defence of the gates of the new and old forts, marched out, after obtaining a safe conduct, with the exception of the citadel where the helpless Daulat Khán was left with Kákar Khán, the base Rájá Amar Singh, and some other mansabdárs, as well as a party of his own adherents, every spot was in the possession of the Kazalbáshís.
On the 9th of Safar, this year, 'Alí Kulí Khán came and said that any longer delay could not be permitted; whereupon the disloyal Daulat Khán delivered up a place of refuge of that description, and having marched out with his goods and comrades, encamped at a distance of a kos. During the period of the siege, which extended over two months, nearly 2000 of the Kazalbásh army and 400 of the garrison were slain.
Summarily, on the third day after Daulat Khán's dastardly
evacuation of the fort, 'Alí Kulí Khán, Ísa' Khán, and his
brother Jamshíd Khán, came to him, and intimated that the
Sháh had sent for him, as well as for some of his chief officers
and associates. The latter replied that it would be better for
them to excuse him from this trouble, or, if they were resolved
upon taking him there, to manage so that there should be no
delay in his getting his dismissal, and to give him a dress of
honour, both of which requests were guaranteed by 'Alí Kulí
Khán. The ill-fated Daulat Khán accordingly proceeded with
Kákar Khán and Núru-l Hasan, in company with the above-
The Sháh, in consequence of the horses with his army having mostly perished for want of forage, in addition to which a scarcity of grain was experienced, appointed Mihráb Khán, with about 10,000 Kazalbáshís and slaves, armed with matchlocks, to garrison Kandahár; and Dost 'Alí Uzbek with a detachment to guard the fortress of Bust, and returned himself to Khurásán on the 24th of this month. The account of the fortress of Bust is as follows. * *
From the beginning of the siege, the flames of war and strife raged furiously for 54 days, and many were killed and wounded on both sides; insomuch that during this period close upon 600 of the Kazalbáshís, and nearly half that number of Purdil Khán's followers, met their death. On the 14th Muharram, this year, the governor having begged for quarter, after entering into a strict agreement, had an interview with Mihráb Khán. The latter, having broken his engagement, put to death out of the 600 men, who had stood by the governor to the last, several persons, who, being averse to the surrender, had protracted the struggle; and having made that individual himself a prisoner, together with the rest of his adherents, and his family and children, brought them all to the Sháh at Kandahár.