Hoossein, the son of the late King, is placed on the throne. — Mooltan is besieged and taken by Shah Hoossein Arghoon, and becomes a dependency of Dehly.

ON the death of Mahmood, one Lushkur Khan, at the head of the tribe of Lunga, deserted to Hoos-sein Arghoon, having previously laid waste the small villages surrounding the city of Mooltan. The rest of the army, left without leaders, sought protection in the fortress; and the ameers raised the son of the late King, although a minor, to the throne, under the name of Hoossein Lunga II. Notwithstanding the title which the boy received, he was only a pageant in the hands of his sister's husband, Shooja-ool-Moolk, who assumed the office of protector, under the appellation of vizier; and although he had not a month's provisions in the fort, he was so fool-hardy as to prepare to stand a siege; and Shah Hoossein Arghoon, conceiving the capture of the city as already accomplished, marched to invest it. The place had been at­tacked but a very short time, when provisions becoming scarce, the cavalry officers went to the protector, proposing that they might be led out against the enemy while their horses had yet strength, and adopt the only method of raising the siege. Shooja-ool-Moolk gave no answer to this proposition at the moment; but afterwards, having sent for the officers, rejected their offer, by stating that the King was not yet firmly seated on his throne; that the army had no personal attachment to him, and that it was probable many of the soldiers would go over to the enemy, while the few who did fight would fall victims, without conferring any good on their country. From a document in my possession in the hand-writing of Mowlana Sad-oolla of Lahore, who was himself in the city during the siege of Mooltan, I have made the following extract: — “After the garrison had “been besieged for some months, and the place so “closely invested that it was impossible for any “one either to enter or quit it, the distress for pro-“visions was so great, that if one of the garrison “could catch a dog or cat he killed it, and hoarded “up the flesh as a treasure. Besides this, Shooja-“ool-Moolk promoted a vagabond by the name “of Jooma to the command of the fort, and “placed him at the head of three thousand militia “infantry. Wherever this monster heard of any “grain, he used to march down with a party “and seize it; so that the inhabitants were driven “to the alternative either of submitting to die by “famine, by the sword of the enemy, or, by throw-“ing themselves over the walls, attempt, if possible, “to escape. At length, at midnight, in the year

A. H. 932.
A. D. 1525.

“932, Mooltan was carried by escalade, “and many poor creatures were killed. “On the following morning all the in-“habitants between the ages of seven and seventy “years were imprisoned, among whom were “my father and myself. When our situation be-“came known we were released from fetters, “but the treatment we experienced brought my “poor father's grey hairs to the grave. The city “of Mooltan thus fell into the hands of Hoossein “Arghoon. The young prince was kept a state “prisoner; and the place so completely sacked, “and the habitations so destroyed, that no one “could then suppose it would ever regain its “former splendour; but Hoossein Arghoon left “one of his ameers, called Shums-ood-Deen, in “charge, with orders to rebuild it; and having “nominated Lushkur Khan Lunga his deputy, he “returned to Tutta. Lushkur Khan was the “means of rebuilding Mooltan; after which, having “procured a party to assist him, he expelled “Shums-ood-Deen, and assumed the title of go-“vernor.”

When Babur Padshah abdicated the throne in favour of his son Hoomayoon, the latter prince gave the country of Punjab in jageer to Mirza Kamran. On his arrival at Lahore, he sent for Lushkur Khan, and appointed a place for him to reside in, which is now included in one of the mohullas or wards of Lahore, and is called after him. At the same time he made over the district of Kabul to him, in lieu of that of Mooltan; since which time the kingdom of Mooltan has continued a province of the empire of Dehly.