Whilst these events were taking place in Pendjab, the Decan was becoming a scene of most serious commotions. Nizam-el-mulk, resolved not to submit to the Sëids, had passed the Nerbedda, which is the northern boundary of that extensive Viceroyalty. His fortune, to which he had entirely committed himself, had favoured him so early, that on his fording that river at The strong fortress of Assîr surren­dersto Nizam-el-mulk with­out a blow. Acbar-p8r, the fortress of Assîr, that had cost years of siege and labour to the victorious Soltan Ecber, surrendered to him without a blow. The officers and troops of the garrison assembled at the instigation of their Commander, Taalub-qhan, who owed both his appointment and fortune to the younger of the two brothers; and they delivered the keys to Nizam-el-mulk, who paid them instantly the twenty-four months’ arrears which were their As does the citadel of B8r­hanp8r. due, and besides that, conferred many favours on them. The citadel of B8rhanp8r fell in his hands in much the same manner; and to crown so happy a beginning, Ghö8ss-qhan, Governor of the province of Barar, who bore the character of a man of valour and Fortune sides with Nizam-el-mulk. talents, came to join Nizam-el-mulk, to whom he was nearly allied, and brought with him a good body of old troops and a train of artillery. Hardly was he in camp, when Simbha, a Marhatta officer, who was discontented with the Sah8 Radja, his master, quitted his service, and with two thousand horse, which he commanded, he joined Nizam-el-mulk. This example was fol­lowed by some Zemindars of those parts, and by some Afghan chieftains, settled this long while in that country. The defection becoming contagious, even Anver-qhan, Governor of the province of Qhandess, or B8rhanp8r, who owed every thing to Abdollah-qhan, one of the two brothers, came over likewise. What looks pretty singular is, that he was actutlly in Aalem-aaly-qhan’s camp, who being a nephew to the two Sëids, had been appointed their Deputy all over the Decan. There hearing of the progresses and motives of Nizam-el-mulk’s, he at once forgot all the obligations he owed to the two brothers, and under pretence of providing for the city of B8rhanp8r, he went over to his benefactor’s enemy. The approach of so successful a General as Nizam-el-mulk (and he was now called Assef-dja),* struck a terror throughout all that tract of ground, insomuch that numbers of Marhatta com­manders, who at the head of their troops were collecting the Chö8t everywhere for their master, the Sah8 Radja, fell off from their stations, and gradually retired to Satara. Whilst Nizam-el-mulk was advancing southward, an adventure happened that set that man’s character in a very advantageous light. A lady of the highest distinction, who knew nothing of the revolution which was actually taking place, was advancing towards the north. It was the mother of Sëif-eddin-aaly-qhan, and, of course, a sister of the two Sëids. She was going to the capital to pay a visit to her son, and she carried with her his consort and several small children. On reaching B8rhanp8r she was amazed to hear of her being upon an enemy’s ground, and that Nizam-el-mulk was advancing that way. Struck with the difficulties of her situation, she sent him a man of distinction, with an offer of whatever money and jewels she might have at her disposal, in humble hopes, that he would be contented with such a sacrifice, and would suffer her to proceed on her voyage with honour and safety. Nizam-el-mulk smiled on perusing the letter, and sending for a dress of honour, he ordered his introductor to put it on the lady’s Agent, whom he requested to take care of some fruit which he was sending for the children; and calling at the some time for one of his officers who commanded two hundred horse, he bid him wait on the lady with his corps, and gave him strict instructions not to lose sight of her, until he had seen her safe in the camp of Dilaver-aaly-qhan, who commanded the Vezir’s army which was marching to attack him. This General, who was provided with everything necessary, had orders to fight and demolish Nizam-el-mulk; and Hossëin-aaly-qhan waited only for letters from him, in order to set out himself for Decan. Ratan-chund, indeed, had more than once proposed to get rid of Nizam-el-mulk, by relinquishing to him the Viceroyalty of Decan; but such a proposal shocked all the feelings of his masters, although the northern parts of the Empire seemed convulsed as much as the southern ones. For violent commotions and bloody troubles had arisen in Cashmir.

One Abdol-nebi, a Cashmiriam, better known by the appel­lation of Muhtevi-qhan, a man, who was this long while infested with the folly of hating all the Gentoos, availed himself of the confusion of the times, to give vent to his aversion. He assembled a number of idle, disorderly, inconsiderate people from amongst the Mussulmen, and went at their head to Mir-ahmed, the Deputy-Governor, and to the Cazy, or Supreme Judge of the Province, to whom he proposed, that henceforward, Hind8s of all sorts should be forbidden the use of horses, djamas, green-turbands, and arms;* and also that they should be forbidden to go at their stated hours to gardens and bathing places.* The Governor and Supreme Magistrate answered calmly: “That whatever regulations His Majesty should think proper to promulgate by the advice of the learned Divines of his Court on those matters, as a standing rule for all the Hind8s of his dominions, would of course find their way into Cashmir, where it would be their business, as his special servants, to put them in execution.” This answer having not proved satisfactory to Muhtevi-qhan, that man henceforward made it a practice to attack every Hind8 he chanced to meet, and to use him accord­ing to his own wild notions. One day as Sahab-raï, a Gentoo of distinction, was giving an entertainment at a garden in the suburbs, that satellite of the devil, instigated by his master, fell unexpectedly on these innocent people, and killed, and wounded, and mangled as many as he could come at. Sahab-raï finding himself aimed at, fled to Mir-ahmed-qhan the Governor’s lodg­ings; and whilst he was concealed there, his house in town was set upon by Muhtevi-qhan and his followers, who plundered and sacked it leisurely. They likewise plundered that whole Gentoo quarter, after which they set it on fire, killing and dispersing not only as many Gentoos as came out to entreat their mercy, but as many Mussulmen besides as attempted to intercede for the latter. Heated with this performance, they marched down to the Governor’s lodgings, which they attacked at first with stones and brick-bats, and at last with arrows and musquet-balls; and whoever came out of it, or fell otherwise in their hands, was sure of being insulted and plundered, if not killed and stripped upon the spot. The Deputy-Governor remained besieged for a whole day and night; nor would it have been possible for him to escape, had he not risked several contrivances, and exposed him­self to the most imminent peril. The next day he assembled some soldiers, and some other people, mounted his horse, and being supported by his Paymaster, Shah-yor-qhan, and by several Mansubdars and Crown-servants, he advanced towards the sedi­tious wretch. But that infernal man, who had received advice of his design, had assembled a vast number of men of his own stamp, with intention to stand his ground; and on observing that the Deputy-Governor had advanced on this side of a bridge, then full in view, he sent some of his satellites who set it on fire, and Furious com­motions in Cashmir. who following their blow, set on fire all the streets in his flank and rear, whilst some others of his people getting amongst the ruins, as well as on the tops of the houses, made incessant dis­charges of musquetry, arrows, stones, and brick-bats; and their wives and children were striving to outdo them, by tossing basketfuls of human-dung and other immondices, and by throw­ing every missile they could think of; and a furious combat was going on. In a little time Sëid-veli, nephew to the Deputy-Governor, and Zulficar-beg, the Cotval’s Lieutenant, were slain, with a number of others; and many more being grievously wounded, or disabled, Mir-ahmed-qhan saw himself almost alone. Unable to go back, and afraid of advancing, as well as of stopping, he had recourse to entreaties and supplications; and after under­going every sort of opprobrium and outrage, short of death, he was suffered to escape. Muhtevi-qhan, now fiercer than ever, returned to the Governor’s house, where Sahab-raï had taken shelter, with a multitude of Gentoos of all sorts; and having forced it in a twinkle, he seized every one of them, killed some, cut the nose of others, and circumcised all those he thought proper to conserve, but all this with so unfeeling a precipitation, that some had their penis cut off. The next day, he repaired at the head of a great throng to the Cathedral Mosque, where, of his own authority, he deposed the Deputy-Governor, proclaimed himself in his stead by the style and title of Dindar-qhan,* Supreme Ruler of the Mussulmen, and ordered that, until the arrival of another Deputy-Governor, the Cazy should hear and determine all matters relative to distributive justice; insomuch that for five months together, Mir-ahmed remained a private man in his own capital, Muhtevi-qhan sitting every day in state in the cathedral, and hearing and determining all contentions about matters of finance and government, or even about whatever con­cerned the distributive justice.