In the beginning of Rujub 980 (A. D. 1572), Sultan Mahomed became dropsical: he had taken much medicine, but all without avail; so, helpless, he turned his heart in the direction of death, writing a petition to the king, requesting him to send an agent, to whom he might deliver over charge of the fort.

When the greatest distress came upon him and the garrison, Meer Abool Khair, whose sister was married to Sultan Mahomed, with 30 horsemen, went by the way of Seetpore to Gunjabah, where he collected many men, and materials for war. On his getting there, Mojahid Khan became full of anxiety, and deeming it best to go against him, before taking Bukkur, leaving Mohib Ali there, he marched against him. At that time the mother of Mojahid Khan, Said Begum, committed great atrocities, ripping open the stomachs of the sick who came from Bukkur, and filling them with chaff. The garrison, seeing this, strengthened their hearts to remain and die where they were.

Sultan Mahomed’s disease had been of long standing, when his doctors advised him to drink the wine of grapes: he called the Soduts, and the men of learning, to whom he said: “For forty years I have forsworn wine; now it is preferable, in my opinion, to keep it at a distance.” In short, he did not partake of wine. His hands and feet became swelled; this reached his heart, and at midnight of Saturday the 8th Sufur, 982 (A. D. 1574), his life went from this perishable world to the world eternal.

On hearing of this, Mohib Ali, with many boats, surrounded Bukkur; but the garrison drove them away.

The nobles, the Soduts, the men of learning, the priests, and all the men of consequence in Bukkur, took oath that they would not give it up to Mohib Ali, but that they would deliver it over to any one sent to receive charge of it by the king. All having agreed to this, they issued pay to the troops from the treasury, taking great care of the fort; so much so, that on Monday the 12th Jumadee-ool-Awul, 982 (A. D. 1574), Keshoo Khan approached from the Badshah. When he was 10 kos from Bukkur, Mohib Ali sent a boat across to bring him to him, instead of his going to the fort, that, after an interview, matters might be settled; but Keshoo Khan wrote a letter to the Sirdars in Bukkur, who sent a force to escort him, and, as they did so, they had fighting with Mohib Ali’s men.

After Keshoo Khan’s arrival in the fort, day by day happiness increased in the faces of all there.

Mojahid Khan took the fort of Gunjabah, and made peace with Meer Abool Khair, whom he afterwards killed. Hearing of the arrival of Keshoo Khan, he quickly turned the bridle of his intentions from Gunjabah.

A continuation of the circumstances I write in the IV. Chapter.