Next day Ghulám Kádir, taking Bedár Bakht with him, went to Malika Zamániya and Sáhiba Mahall,* and said, “Where is the money that was promised?” They said, “What you demand from us is a mere fancy and dream of yours.” When he heard this, he sent a person into the private apartments, with directions to bring them both out, with only the garments they stood upright in, and to seize upon all the money and valuables which could be found. Accordingly they took Malika Zamániya and Sáhiba Mahall in the dresses they were wearing (bá libás-i badan), and placing them in a rath, conducted them with three hundred attendants to the Motí Mahall. Workmen were then sent in to break down the roof and walls. Neither Nádir Sháh, Ahmad Sháh Durrání, nor Tárájí Bháo, had ever dreamed of plundering the ladies of the harem; but now all the valuables, the accumulations of fifty or sixty years, were brought out. * *
On the 25th Zí-l ka'da Ghulám Kádir called Prince Akbar, Sulaimán Shukoh, and the other Princes, nineteen in number, before him, and with harsh words called upon them to sing and dance before him. They declined; but he would not listen to them, saying that he had long heard praises of their singing and dancing. He then commanded his attendants to cut of the Princes' noses if they did not sing. The Princes and boys, seeing there was no escaping from his commands, did as they were directed, and sang and danced. He was very pleased, and asked them what recompense they desired. They said, “Our father and children are in great want of water and food, we ask for some.” He gave his consent. He then turned all his attendants out of the room, and, placing his head upon the knees of Prince Akbar, went to sleep, leaving his sword and knife in their presence. He closed his eyes for an hour (sá'at), and then getting up, he slapped each of them on the neck, and said, “Can such (craven) spirits entertain the idea of reigning? I wanted to try your courage. If you had any spirit, you would have made an end of me with my sword and dagger.” Then abusing them in foul disgusting words, he sent them out of his presence.
Afterwards he called for Bedár Bakht and his brothers, and placed wine before them. With his own hands he several times filled the cups, and they continued drinking till evening, when they got up and danced and sang, and acted disgracefully. A eunuch came in, and told him that a daughter of Sháh 'Álam, a child of ten years old, had died of hunger and thirst crouching on the earth. He cried, “Bury her just as she is, in the place where she lies.” When Rája Míyar Singh heard of these things, he sent bread and provisions for Sháh 'Álam and his children. Ghulám Kádir was angry—he sent for the Rája, and frowning at him, asked, “What concern have you with those men? Remove your people from the watch, for I will place Rohillas to keep guard.” The Rája told him that the day of retribution for these deeds was approaching, and that it was not well to offend the chiefs. He replied that he would do whatever came into his heart. * *
On the 17th Zí-l ka'da (sic) Wai Khailí (his myrmidon) reported to him that he had probed the walls of the apartments of Malika Zamániya and Sáhiba Mahall till he had made them like sieves, that he had stripped everybody, and that no hole had been left unsearched by his fingers. He had found a few pearls. One of Bedár Bakht's ladies had died of fright at what was passing, and now the Afgháns, having stripped the ladies, were thinking about taking them with (without?) gowns or bodices.* He added, “The power is in your hands, but it is not well to cast such shame upon the honour of princes.” It all depended on his pleasure, but Ghulám Kádir replied that when the Emperor's servants plundered his father's private apartments, they had done worse than that to his women.* “Now,” said he, “it shall be a sight for the time, for my men shall take the hands of kings' daughters, conduct them home, and take possession of their persons without marriage.” He then ordered Wai Khailí to go and take possession of the house of Khairu-n nisa Begam, sister of Sháh 'Álam, to strip her daughters and women naked, and to search for jewels. After taking * * all they could find, he asked the Princes for gold, and they replied, “You have taken all we have, and we are now ready to die.” At his command the stony-hearted carpet-spreaders beat them so that the blood gushed from their mouths and noses. Then they placed the Princes in the salátín.
Ghulám Kádir heard from Wai Khailí of the beauty of the daughters of Mirza Haiká and Mirza Jaika (?), and when he was sitting in the Motí Mahall in the evening, he ordered these unhappy ladies to be placed before him without veils or curtains. He was pleased with their beauty, showed them to his boon companions, and acted indecently to every one of them. When Bedár Bakht was informed of this, he beat himself upon the head and bosom, and sent an attendant to the ruffian, to dissuade him from such actions. He replied (sarcastically), “What power has this slave to do anything against His Majesty?” He (Bedár Bakht) then wrote to Rája Miyár Singh, who shuddered when he read the letter, and went to Ghulám Kádir. The Rája called Ghulám Kádir out of that private room, and said to him, “It is not right to deal thus with the daughters of enemies. No one seizes sons and daughters for the faults of their fathers. Sháh 'Álam did not cast any evil looks upon the daughters or sisters of your father; refrain from such proceedings.” Ghulám Kádir answered (in coarse terms to the effect) that he intended to take them into his harem and make them his concubines, and as for the other Princesses, he would give them to his Afgháns, so that they might have a chance of bringing forth men of courage. Rája Miyár Singh, against the will of Ghulám Kádir, went into the room, cast a sheet over (the Princesses' heads), and sent them home.]
[It is said that on the 18th Rabí'u-l awwal, Ghulám Kádir (after being defeated by the forces of Sindhia), started off for Ghaus-kada, his home, with only a few trusted followers mounted on swift horses. In the darkness of the night his companions lost him; he went one way, and they went another. He endeavoured to find them, but did not succeed. The road was full of water and mud, and the horse putting his foot into a hole, rolled Ghulám Kádir to the ground. The night was dark, and the way bristled with thorny acacias, so that he knew not which way to turn. When the morning came, he looked around, and seeing some inhabited place, he proceeded thither. On reaching the habitation, he put his head into the house of a brahman. The master of the house, seeing a stranger in such a state, asked him what was the matter. Ghulám Kádir answered that * *.* But his own action betrayed him. He took off a diamond ring from his finger, and gave it to the housekeeper as an inducement to guard him all day, and to guide him at night towards Ghaus-kada. The brahman knew of his infamous character and evil deeds. The brahman himself, in days gone by, had suffered at the hands of the ruffian, and his village had been ravaged. His oppressor was now in his power, and he made the door fast. * *
The brahman went in search of some chief who would appreciate the information he had to give, and was led by fortune to the tents of 'Alí Bahádur, to whom he communicated his intelligence. 'Alí Bahádur showed him great attention, and sent a large party of horse forward with him, while he himself followed. * * The horsemen entered the brahman's house, seized their prisoner, and bound him. With various indignities they brought him to 'Alí Bahádur, * * who sent him to the fort of the Mahrattas, * * under charge of Ráná Khán, who put a chain upon his legs, a collar on his neck, and conveyed him in a bullock-carriage to Sindhia, guarded by two regiments of sepoys and a thousand horse. * * On the 4th Jumáda-s sání, under the orders of Sindhia, the ears of Ghulám Kádir were cut off and hung round his neck, his face was blackened, and he was carried round the camp and city. Next day his nose and upper lip were cut off, and he was again paraded. On the third day he was thrown upon the ground, his eyes were torn out, and he was once more carried round. After that his hands were cut off, then his feet, and last of all his head. The corpse was then hung neck downwards from a tree. A trustworthy person relates that a black dog, white round the eyes, came and sat under the tree and licked up the blood as it dripped. The spectators threw stones and clods at it, but still it kept there. On the third day, the corpse disappeared and the dog also vanished. Mahárája Sindhia sent the ears and eyeballs to the Emperor Sháh 'Álam.]