[No account of this book has been found among Sir H. M. Elliot's papers, and there is no copy of the work in his library. The following translation, by “Lt. Perkins,” must therefore speak for itself. It was made from a MS. belonging to Nawáb Zíáu-d dín. The author was an eye-witness of much that passed during Nádir Sháh's stay in India, and suffered from his exactions. A memorandum on the translation states that it is “not complete,” but still the work seems to have been specially devoted to Nádir Sháh's invasion. It begins with a chapter headed “History of the wonderful events that came to pass in Hindústán in the year of the Hijra 1151,” which contains an account of Nádir Sháh's rise and of the beginning of his march towards India. This chapter and a few other passages have been omitted. The last words of the translation have been printed, but there is nothing to indicate whether they end the book or not.]

Strange events occurred after the capture of Kandahár. Before setting out from Ispahán, Nádir Sháh had despatched a messenger, named 'Alí Mardán Khán, to Hindústán, with full powers to arrange with Muhammad Sháh, the ruler of the land, certain matters of a nature peculiar to troublous times, and such as it becomes Emperors to settle amicably with one another. Nádir Sháh reached Kandahár; but Muhammad Sháh, it is probable, broke faith, and did not fulfil his promises, although a second messenger, named Muhammad Khán Turkomán, was sent to him; this messenger moreover never returned. The train had long been laid, and from these negociations sprang the spark that fired it. Nádir Sháh was moved to anger; he resolved on the invasion of Hindústán; but though the apparent motive has been given above, the true cause was the weakness of its monarchy. Accordingly, on the 8th of Safar, in the twentieth year of Mu­hammad Sháh's reign, A.H. 1150, the Persian Emperor set his face towards Kábul, where he arrived about the end of the month. ^{* *}

The settlement of the conquered territory occupied the Emperor for four months and a half. The march was then continued to Jalálábád, a place famous for its pomegranates, which was reached on the 14th of Sha'bán. Násir Khán, son of the late Násir Khán, governor of the province, who during these events had been at Pesháwar, moved from this town and occupied a position half-way between 'Alí Masjid and Jamrúd, which place is distant nine kos from Pesháwar, to oppose the invader's progress.

Násir Khán had often written to Muhammad Sháh concerning the want of money, but none of his representations had been attended to. He now wrote to the effect that he himself was but as a rose-bush withered by the blasts of autumn, while his soldiery were no more than a faded pageant, ill-provided and with­out spirit; he begged that, of the five years' salary due to him, one year's salary might be paid, that he might satisfy his creditors and have some little money at his command. The Nawáb Sáhib, however, exclaimed before the assembled díwán, that he could see no need for all this haste and flurry; “had he not written on the subject to the Emperor and the Wakálat-panah, and, if the matter was not settled that day, why it would be so the next?” The Wakálat-panáh, when he laid the document before the Amíru-l umará Bahádur, and told him, with fear and trembling, in the Persian language, what had occurred in Kábul, received an answer which drove him to his wits' end; “Know you not, Wakálat-panáh ,” said the personage addressed, “that I am a man of too great experience to be caught by such stories that are only made up to extort gold? My house is in the plain, and my imagination dwells only on what my eyes have seen. Your house is on a mountain, and perhaps from its summit you have caught a glimpse of the Persian host. Tell your employer that the governor of Bengal has been ordered to remit treasure after the rainy season, and the necessary sums will then be sent to him without delay.”

The Afgháns of Kábul, particularly those of the Sáfí tribe, defended the mountain passes, and for a long time checked the advance of the Kazalbásh invaders. If at that time a well-appointed army, under an experienced leader, had been sent to the support of the mountaineers, it is more than probable that Hindústán would have been saved. As it was, the enemy, ever on the watch to take advantage of any negligence on the part of their opponents, stole a march on the Afgháns during the night of the 13th of Sha'bán, entered the Khaibar Pass while the stars still shone above their heads, and, moving with the rapidity of the wind, fell suddenly on the force of Násir Khán, when a scene of slaughter and plunder ensued. ^{* *}

Nádir Sháh was now in possession of all the country as far as Attock, and Muhammad Sháh and his advisers could no longer remain blind to the danger that threatened them. They under­stood at length that this was no ordinary foe against whom they had to contend, no mere plunderer who would be sated with the spoil of a province and then return to his own country, but a leader of unshakeable resolution, who shaped his course with the sword. If, even at this juncture, the Emperor had sought to conciliate Nawáb Sáhib A'azzu-d daula Bahádur, Názim of Multán and Láhore, and had supplied this fierce chieftain with the sinews of war as such an emergency required, then indeed might the world have witnessed a very different result. As it was, when the Emperor learned from the news-writers the advance of the Persian army to Attock, he, on the 1st of the blessed month of Ramazán, appointed Ásaf Jáh Bahádur Wakílu-s Saltanat, I'timádu-d daula Chín Bahádur Wazíru-l Mamálik, and Amíru-l umará Bahádur to be Bakhshí'u-l Mamálik, for the defence of the monarchy, and with his own hands bound on the heads of the chiefs a máláband of Burhánpúr workman­ship. That same day these noblemen left the city for their camp, which was pitched near the Shálamár gardens. They re­ceived one kror of rupees in cash, and cannon and munitions of war in abundance. Besides their own troops, 50,000 horsemen were given to them. Now was the time for these chiefs to have marched without delay, and, acting in concert with the Názim of Multán and Láhore, whose troops amounted to no less than 20,000 bold horsemen, to have advanced to the banks of the Jhelam or Chináb, and have closed the roads and passes against the invader by skilful dispositions and by force of arms. In­stead of this, the army remained a whole month encamped near the Shálamár gardens, detained by sundry petty causes which I cannot detail.

Nádir Sháh, after Násir Khán's defeat, had entered Pesháwar, where he occupied the residence of the Khán. Having settled the affairs of this district he marched, on the 25th of Rama-zán, towards Attock, where the army encamped on the fifth day. The construction of a bridge here caused inevitable delay, but Áká Muhammad was detached with a strong force to devas­tate the country, and leave no means of destruction untried. A'azzu-d daula might now have displayed the same indifference as his royal master; but, far from this, he drew together a number of troops at vast expense to himself, and on the 17th of Rama-zán formed his camp on the banks of the Ráví. Not being at liberty to move forward until joined by the Emperor's army, he contented himself with placing his cannon in the best positions, and throwing up entrenchments round his camp.

On the 4th of Shawwál the Persian army crossed the Attock river on a bridge of boats. On the 8th the Emperor reached the left bank of the Chináb river, and on the 9th encamped close to the bridge of Sháh-daula.*

But how to relate the ruin and desolation that overwhelmed this beautiful country! Wazírábád, Ímanábád, and Gujarát, towns which, for population, might almost be called cities, were levelled with the earth. Nothing was respected, no sort of violence remained unpractised; property of all kinds became the spoil of the plunderer, and women the prey of the ravisher.

On the 10th of Shawwál the Sháh and his army crossed the bridge of Sháh-daula; then, leaving far to the left the artillery of the Názim, which was in position along the opposite bank of the Ráví, they forded the river and advanced to the Shálamár gardens, which are on the high road to Sháh-Jahánábád. All that day, from morn till night, the contest was maintained against the army of the Názim, who repeatedly tried to force his way back to the town. The bravest warriors put forth their strength and many of the Kazalbáshís fell. Yahya Khán, the eldest son of the Názim, cut his way through with a few followers, and proceeding towards Sháh-Jahánábád by forced marches, reached the camp of Nawáb Sáhib Wazíru-l Mamálik Bahádur in the vicinity of Pánípat. The fighting was renewed on the 11th, and the plain was strewed with the slain.

Both armies were now worn out with the struggle, and it was found advisable to make terms. On the 12th, the Názim was met by the illustrious Wazír 'Abdu-l Bákí, and conducted into the presence of the Sháh, the greatest honour and respect being shown him. He was courteously received and presented with a chapkan of gold brocade, a jewelled dagger and a horse. The Názim again repaired to the presence of the Sháh on the 14th, and paid, by way of offering, a sum of twenty lacs of rupees, a portion of which had been taken from the state coffers, and the remainder contributed by the wealthiest inhabitants. He then departed in all honour. By this payment Láhore was saved from horrors among which death and spoliation were the least. The Sháh, who was full of kindness for the Názim (A'azzu-d daula), took into his service his second son, Hayátu-llah Khán Bahádur, and appointed him to the command of five hundred horse.