LUFT ALY KHAN, the nephew of Nadir Shah, was sent to Samarcand to enlist eight thousand Uzbecks. And Nadir Shah having heard that the tomb-stone of Timour was a great curiosity, some pretending it to be a Bezoar, he ordered his nephew to have it transported to Meshed, along with the brazen gates of the Madressah or college adjoining to the tomb. Lutf Aly enlisted the Uzbecks, and also brought along with him to Meshed, the tomb-stone and gates: but in digging up the stone, it was broken into four pieces. As I was acquainted with the person who had the management of this business, I obtained a piece of the stone, which I brought with me into Hindostan to shew to my friends. How wonderful are the vicissitudes of human affairs, which the Almighty causes to happen for the instruction of mankind! There was a time, when Ameer Timour* governed with absolute sway, and in order to intimidate and humiliate the Emperor of Room*, sent him the following threat: “I will give up Room to the plunder of the Turks*; and will transport the soil of this kingdom to Turan.” And accordingly after the conquest of Room, forty camels were loaded with the earth of Constantinople, which was carried to Samarcand. When death bereft him of his worldly endowments, a slab of stone was sufficient to cover him; and even this was broken into dust.
The eye which seeketh for instruction, why looketh it into the palaces of kings,
To behold what they have suffered from the ravages of time?
The Spider is become the chamberlain at the door of Khusro*;
The Owl keepeth watch in the tower of Afrasiah*.
Nadir Shah had conferred upon Thamas Khan Jelayer, the government of Cabul, Peishore, Ghuzneen, Sind, &c. provinces which he had dismembered from the empire of Hindostan. When he took his leave to depart, Nadir Shah commanded him to conquer Bedakshan before he went to Cabul; and knowing him to be of a cruel disposition, told him that the people of Hindostan were very sensible of injuries, and could not even bear ill language; and therefore he advised him instead of severity, to adopt lenient and conciliating measures. He implicitly followed his orders in conquering and desolating Bedakshan; but being incapable of exercising humanity, he neglected that part of his instructions, and governed in Hindostan with the utmost tyranny and oppression. Thamas Khan was short in stature, corpulent, and ill formed, of a dark complexion, with a most detestable countenance; his skin hung in plaits like the hide of a rhinoceros; and his head and neck were only fit to be cut asunder. On the contrary, Nadir Shah was tall, had a beautiful complexion of red and white, with a fine animated countenance. I have brought these two portraits together, in order to shew, that nature had not designed Nadir Shah for a tyrant; as well as to exemplify an observation of Moullevy Room*, who says, that absolute vice does not exist, but that every one is bad only by comparison.
Nadir Shah sent Mohammed Hussein to the King of Turan, desiring that out of friendship, he would command the Kandahar captives to be collected together from all quarters of his kingdom, and sent to Iran. Although Abulfiez Khan in compliance with the request of Nadir Shah, used all his endeavours to collect together the natives of Khorasan, who had been made prisoners at different times, yet many from having formed connections in Bokara, refused to leave the country; and others were deterred from returning to Iran, by the accounts which they heard of the desolated state thereof; whilst the few who from being dissatisfied with their masters, went back to their native country, had very soon reason to repent of their folly.
Nassirullah Mirza wrote to Nadir Shah, that during the night, a chest of necessaries belonging to the Hakeem Bashy had been stolen; and that he was restrained from inflicting punishment in order to discover the thief, by the entreaty of the Hakeem Bashy, who was apprehensive lest any innocent person should suffer from suspicion. Nadir Shah laughed at the Hakeem Bashy’s scrupulousness, but ordered Nassirullah to comply with his humour, and to make good his loss from the public treasury.