Mián Abdunnabí had long before this privately given

Death of Mír Suhráb’s brother Ghulám Muhammad at the hands of Rájpúts.

Umarkót to Bajesing, the Rájah of Jódhpur, by taking a sum of money* The Rájah accordingly put a garrison of Rájpúts into the fort. When they received the news of the Mír’s victory, they sent messengers to the Rájah informing him of the fact, and requesting him to send fresh supplies of provisions and forces for defence against an attack by the enemy that appeared to be now most probable Accordingly the Rájah sent a hundred camel-loads of provisions and 2,000 men to Umarkót, and they were on their way to that place. Unfortunately, Mír Ghu­lám Muhammad, brother to Mír Suhráb Khán, had been out on a hunting excursion in that direction and happend to meet this party of Rájpúts. The Mír, with his party which consisted of about one hundred men, attacked the advance party of the Rájpúts, who were not more than 300 men. About 100 out of these were cut down by the Balóches and the remaining 200 fled back to join the main column. They were pursued by the Balóches, who were ignorant of the large numbers coming behind. But they soon found their mistake, for they were surrounded by the overwhelming force and one and all cut to pieces, after themselves killing 300 Rájpúts. This event occurred in the year 1201 A.H. (1786 A.D.)

When Mír Suhráb came to know of this event, his grief

Revenge of Mír Suhráb.

and anger knew no bounds. Instantly taking an army with him he started to wreak vengeance on the enemy. He was followed by fresh columns sent to his assistance by Mír Fateh Alí Khán. They soon overtook the Rájpúts, in their own country, and killed a large number of them. After plundering the country and razing to the ground several idol-houses, the victorious Balóches returned to their native place.

For the third time now, Mían Abdunnabí went to Kalát

Abdunnabí’s going again to Muhammad Nasír for help and the correspondeuce between the latter chief and the Mír.

to seek help from Muhammad Nasír, the chief of the place. He promised to give him half of Sind in return for his services. But the chief had not forgotten the losses already suffered by him on the Mían’s account in fighting with the Balóches. And so he refused to do anything in the matter, seeing that neither the royal forces, nor the Ráj­púts, nor the Nuhmardís could help him successfully against the Balóches. But the Mían repeated his entreaties and appealed to his good sense and feelings. Muhammad Nasír was thus obliged to stir once more in his case. But before collecting his forces, he wrote a letter to Mír Fateh Alí Khán, requesting him to send a wise ambassador of his, in order that he might discuss with him on various important political matters. The Mír agreed to the suggestion and sent Kaisar Fakír Nizámání,* an old counseller of his to the court of Kalát. At the interview that ensued between him and Muhammad Nasír, the latter sent the following message to the Mír:— “This shameless Abdunnabí has come to me for the third time to seek help. I have told him clearly that I do not wish to do anything in the matter, but he still presses in moving terms. I have therefore determined to get him away somehow and have promised to give him a force to take him safely up to Khudábád. After that I have nothing to do with him and you may deal with him, then, as you wish.” He told the ambassador to request the Mír not to oppose his force, but to go out on a hunting excursion about the time, to show that the plan had not been pre­arranged. Theenvoy returned to the Mír and communicated the proposal to him. The Mír wrote a reply to the chief of Kalát agreeing to the proposal but telling him to instruct his force to come up to the river only and not to cross it. “If they cross the river this side,” said he, “they should not consider us far off; any one coming this side will be liable to be treated rudely and punished.”

Soon after this, Mír Fateh Ali Khán, started on a hunting

The Mír’s withdrawal from the capital on a sham excursion.

excursion in the direction of Wangah. The Balóches learning the true facts, hesitated to go with the Mír, as they were unwilling to let their enemy go unpunished. But on the Mír’s persisting in carrying out the plan that he had considered most expedient, the Balóches gave in and followed their leader. When they arrived at Nasarpur, they asked the Mír’s permission to proclaim to the people of different towns the desirability of their joining the Mír in the excursion for fear lest in his absence the enemy do harm to them or plunder their towns and villages. Many people accordingly joined the party. Unfortunately some of the rude Balóches of the hills of Káchhah, who had arrived about this time, seeing the Mír with his army at a long distance, were induced to plunder certain villages. The Mír on getting the news, was very angry. He compelled them to return the stolen property to the owners and insisted that they should never do such a thing again.

From Nasarpur the Mír proceeded to Wangah, where he spent about two months in amusing himself with hunting, at the same time watching anxiously that the arrangement made be carried out without any bad result.

Meanwhile Mián Abdunnabí taking an army of Bróhís,

Arrival of Mián Abdun­nabí with the Kalát force at Hatrí in the Siwistán District and his ill-treat­ment at the hands of the same force.

given to him by Muhammad Nasír, came to Hatrí in the District of Siwistán. He had chosen a place for crossing the river, but wanted to await the arrival of a Rájpút force, for which it appears he had secretly arranged with the Rájah of Jódhpur. He would not dismiss the Bróhís who became impatient to go back, especially as they demanded pro­visions and money. He was therefore obliged to hint to the Bróhís to secure the necessary expenses by plundering the country. But as most of the villages about the place had been purposely deserted by the residents the Bróhís could get nothing by such means. They therefore became clamorous and prepared to go back without ceremony. Abdunnabí had sent men to ask the Rájpút forces to come faster, but they said that unless the Mián crossed the river first, they would not come to his help. Hearing this Abdunnabí became very uneasy. The clamorous Bróhís had no alternative but to plunder Abdunnabí’s own camp, carrying away horses, camels, tents, in fact anything on which they could lay hands. They deserted him and started for their native country.

At this crisis Abdunnabí thought it better to leave the place and take protection in the district of the Derahs, and he forthwith started in that direction. The Rájpút force, having waited long on the borders of theír country and hearing that Abdunnabí had gone away without crossing the river, returned to their capital. This event occurred in the year 1197 A.H. (1783 A.D.)

When Mír Fateh Alí Khán got the above news, he left

The Mír returns to Khud­ábád and punishes the Nuh­mardís and other refractory tribes.

off hunting and returned to Khud­ábád. On his way, arriving at Haidarábád, he ordered Bághah Fakír to go and punish the Nuhmardís and take them prisoners. This general collected 200 boats in order to cross the river and go against that tribe. The Nuhmardís hearing of the expedition against them surrendered and sought the Mír’s pardon, which was granted them.

Soon after this, Ghulám Alí son of Kaisar Fakír Nízámání, who was the administrator of Tattá and Háji Ahmad Khizmatgár (or servant) were ordered to march with a large army to Kakrálah. Accordingly the two generals went to that capital of the Hindús, slaughtered a large number of them, and returned to their places.

Mír Fateh Alí Khán now left Khudábád and fixed his residence at Sháhpúr. From there he sent Hájí Ahmad to go with a strong force to take the fort of Haidarábád by siege.

After some days, the news arrived that Mián Abdun­nabí

The Mír sends his envoys to the Court of King Tai­múr Sháh.

after spending some days in the Derahs, had gone to the camp of King Taimúr Sháh, in order to seek justice at his hands. Diwán Gidúmal, the faithful courtier of the Mír, was the first to get the news and he advised his master to send some envoys to the King’s Court to plead his own cause against the complaints of the Mián. The Diwán’s suggestion was seconded by Mír Ghulám Alí and was willingly accepted by the Mír, who elected Sayyed Ibrahím Sháh* and Kaisar Fakír Nizámání with Mirzá Ghulám Alí to go as ambassadors to the royal court. The party soon left for their destination.

Fazlalí Khán, a chief of the Dáúdpótahs, who was on

The Mír assists the chief of the Dáúdpótahs against Akhtiyár Khán.

very friendly terms with the Mír, having been driven away from his country by Akhtiyár Khán, a neigh­bouring chief, came to the Mír appealing for help. The Mír promptly responded to his appeal and started with large forces in the company of Fazalí Khán. Arriving within the territory of Akhtiyár Khán, they commenced predatory excursions. The chief was so much frightened by the action of the Balóches that he quietly came forward and surrendered. The bordering tracts which formed the bone of contention or the cause of dispute between the two chiefs were ceded to Fazlalí Khán and two laks of rupees were fixed as indemnity for war expenditure to the Mír on Akhtiyár Khán. As the money could not be paid by the chief, within the fixed period, he left his brother in the fort and himself escaped at midnight to seek shelter somewhere else, as Abdunnabí had done. The next morning, when the Mír heard of his flight, he sent a column in pursuit of him and blockaded the fort, which soon fell into the hands of the Mír together with its occupants. But Muhammad Baháwal the ruler of the Daúdpótahs arrived in time to intercede for them, and on receipt of the indemnity from the people of the fort, they were pardoned.

Mír Fateh Alí returned to Sháhpur and there got a

The fort of Haidarábád is taken.

letter from his General Hájí Ahmad informing him that he had taken the fort of Haidarábád, without much bloodshed, for the magazines in the fort had accidentally caught fire* and had facilitated the taking possession of it.

It has been mentioned that Abdunnabí after spending

Abdunnabí and the Mír’s envoys at the court of the king.

some time in the Derahs had gone to the court of Taimúr Sháh, complaining against the Mír and that the Mír too had sent his envoys to represent and defend his cause. Abdunnabí’s cause was espoused by Mahfúz Khán, who constantly recommended him to the king for favour. Meanwhile the Mír’s envoys submitted a petition to the king on behalf of their master, describing in details the mischievous conduct of Abdunnabí in very pathetic terms. “How long” wrote Mír Fateh Alí Khán in his letter, “May I trouble your majesty with the enumeration of his cruelties. He murdered my uncle, who had always served him faithfully. He murdered my dear relations Abduiláh and Fateh Khán in cold blood. He wrote one thing on the Korán and did another. He paid no rever­ence to the word of God. Then, what did he not do to his own relations, young and old, who all died cruel deaths at his treacherous hands. All these men have gone to the august court of God with complaints against him and will surely find justice there. Such a person is unworthy of your majesty’s favour and help.”

The above letter had the desired effect as it moved the king in favour of the Mír. The envoys, at the same time, succeeded in enlisting the sympathies of some of the influential courtiers, who now and then began to speak highly of the Mír. In the conversation that ensued in the court on the subject in question, the Mír’s envoys showed great cleverness in proving Abdunnabí to be a villain of the deepest dye. The result was that the king issued an order to the effect that the province of Sind be divided into two halves, one-half going to Abdunnabí and the other half to Mír Fateh Alí Khán. An officer was appointed to go as an arbitrator and divide the country, and a force under the command of Bóstán Khán and Ikhlás Khán was directed to accompany Abdunnabí to reinstate him in his portion of the country. This was done, because Abdunnabí feigned fear of the Balóches, who, said he, were numerous and might cause trouble.

The Mír’s envoys duly communicated to the Mír the

The Mír moves with an army to meet the royal forces bringing Abdunnabí.

king’s decision, and not being quite satisfied with it, they stayed behind to make a further attempt in favour of their master, their object being to secure for him a sanad for the whole country, to the rejection of Abdun­nabí’s claims.

When Mír Fateh Alí Khán got the news, he marched with 40,000 Balóches to Lóhrí in order to meet the royal forces coming with Mián Abdunnabí. The latter hearing of the approach of the Mír, thought it proper to halt and inform the king about it. Meanwhile the Mír’s envoys at the court had succeeded in their attempt and had a sanad issued in favour of the Mír as against the Mián, and an order to Abdunnabí and the two generals to turn back to the king’s camp. The Mír’s envoys were given robes of honour and were sent back with presents. They immediately wrote to the Mír preventing him from send­ing the army across the river and informing him that their object was gained.

Soon the king’s order was received by his generals and

The return of the royal force and the death of Mahfúz Khán.

they turned back with Abdunnabí whose despair and chagrin might well be imagined. His patron Mahfúz Khán tried to console him and promised to get him an estate in the district of the Deráhs for his maintenance from the king. But unfortunately for Abdunnabí before the Khán had travelled over two stages, he fell ill and died. This event further disconcerted Abdunnabí, who now lost all hopes of getting Sind back or any landed estates. He was therefore compelled to accept retirement with dignity.*

The Mír’s envoys soon arrived bringing with them the

Mír Fateh Alí Khán is appointed the ruler of Sind.

sanad of his appointment as ruler of the whole of Sind, together with the royal presents consisting of a robe of honour and some Arab horses. Mír Fateh Alí Khán putting on the robe took his seat on the masnad amid loud acclamations of joy and congratulations from the Balóches.