Other Occurrences during Nadir Shah’s Expedition against the Afghans of Yousef Zei.

SOON after Nadir Shah’s arrival in the territory of Yousef Zei, he issued an edict to the governors of all the provinces of Iran*, whereby he granted a total remission of tribute from that king­dom for three years to come.

He appointed Ameer Hajee Khan his Ambassador to the Emperor of Turkey*, to whom he sent fifteen elephants and a few jewels, with some Cashmeery shawls, and other valuable productions of Hindostan. The party that accompanied him, were ordered to be mounted on fine horses, richly caparisoned. The letter which he wrote to the Emperor of Turkey contained, amongst other matters, as follows: That the wall which Zobeideh Khatun caused to be erected, to mark the road from Cufah to Mecca, has been demolished by the Arabs, who have destroyed the wells, and now plunder the pilgrims, verifying the verse of the Koran which says, “that the Arabs are the most hard­ened infidels.” That it is therefore incumbent on the Emperor of Turkey, to order the governor of that province to repair the road, and extirpate the bands of robbers that infest it; so that the Pilgrims of Iran and Turan*, may pass in safety by that route, which is their nearest way to Mecca; under the con­duct of Ameer Hajee Khan, whom Nadir Shah had now appointed to that office. That if on account of the war against the Christians, the Emperor should find it inconvenient to punish the Arabs, he need only signify as much to Nadir Shah, who would send an army of Kezlebashes, to deliver the righteous from out of the hands of those mis­creants, which would be an act merito­rous before God and man. That whereas at Mecca the Imams in the four orato­ries of the four sects*, pray for the Emperor of Turkey alone, Nadir Shah requested, that in the oratory of Shafei, which is situated on the side of Iran, his own name might be used. He also desired that Seffy Mirza, who was at the court of Constantinople*, might be sent to him, for the preservation of peace and friendship; for that if this request was refused, a war would be the inevitable con­sequence; adding, that is is manly, to give notice of our intention. The above are all the particulars upon which I was able to obtain information.

Nadir Shah ordered the Darogah of the Feel-khaneh* to send all the ele­phants before the army, through Ghuz­neen, and Kandahar, to Herat, to pre­vent scarcity of provisions in the camp. Many of these animals had been used to eat sugar-cane and various drugs of Hin­dostan, which not being procurable in many places through which they passed, afforded their keepers ample pretexts for extorting fines from the people of the country. And whenever an elephant died, the keeper, in order to exculpate himself with Nadir Shah, represented that it had happened from the want of the accustomary supplies, and thereby brought farther distress upon the country, from the effects of the Shah’s displeasure. Seventy-five elephants died between Cabul and Herat.

Nadir Shah being encamped on the banks of the river, three Afghans swam over from the opposite side in the middle of the night, and having entered the outer tent, were proceeding to his sleeping apartment; but the noise of their feet having awakened him, he removed to another place, and being ignorant of their number, thought it most prudent to observe silence. They entered the sleeping tent, and having failed in their main design, which was to have assassi­nated the Shah, they loaded themselves with the most valuable effects they could lay their hands upon. The guards were soon alarmed, but the Afghans plunged into the water, dived like aligators, and fwam across the river with their booty. In the morning, the guards who were stationed near the river were put to death, and all those of other posts, were punished with different degrees of severity, pro­portionate to their neglect of duty. As the season for passing the mountans would now soon be elapsed, he did not trouble himself to make any enquiry into the conspiracy, which would have detained him here. He crossed the river in the middle of the territory of Yousef Zei, where it is divided into five branches, over three of which bridges were con­structed, the other two were fordable. These five streams unite at the ferry of Peishore, which confluence is called the Attock. In ancient books it is called Neelab.

The Nussuckchee Bashee, conform­ably to the Shah’s orders, having distributed his men upon the bridges, and at the fords, took from the soldiers the remainder of the Hindostany prisoners, and gave them in charge to Hajee Askeree, the agent of Zakaria Khan, Soobahdar of Lahoor, to be sent by him to their respective countries.

Nadir Shah now bestowed the Soohah­dary of Peishore upon Nassir Khan, who had held that government before.

The army proceeding by quick marches, by the route of Jellalabad, arrived at Cabul, on the 1st of Ramzan, A. H. 1152, or 20th of November, 1739. This city is entirely desolated by the oppression of the governor; but the neigh­bouring country is rather in a better state. The healthiness of the climate is well ascertained by the robust make, and hearty constitutions of the natives.

I visited the tomb of my paternal grand­father Khojeh Mohammed Bolaky: and was much delighted with the gardens, and other places in this country.