9. The Resident in Sind (H. Pottinger) to Lieutenant-Colonel

The value of Shikárgáhs in the days of the Mírs.

Spiller, Commanding at Tatta, 30th March 1839:—“However we may regret that the Ameers should devote so large a portion of the very finest parts of their country to such purposes, we must neither forget the severity of our forest laws, when England was further advanced in the scale of civilization than Sind now is. . . . . We must also bear in mind that the Shikárgáhs provide the only amusements the Ameers take any interest in, and of the depth of that interest some notion will be found when I tell you that the preserves are kept up at so great an expense, that, it is said, every deer, their Highnesses shoot in them, costs Rs. 800. Besides this positive and well-known fact, their Highnesses did not hesitate to distinctly avow to me that they value their Shikárgáhs beyond even their families and children, which shows that we cannot at all estimate their anxiety regarding them.”

10. The Political Agent (J. Outram) to the Secretary

Death of Mír Núr Muhammad and his feelings towards the British Govern­ment.

to the Government of India, 6th December 1840:—“I have every reason to lament the loss of Meer Noor Mahomed Khan and do so most sincerely both on public and private grounds. Whatever that chief’s secret feelings towards the British may have been, certainly his acts latterly were all most friendly and I cannot but place faith in almost the last words the dying chief uttered, solemnly protesting the sincerity of his friendship for the British Government, not only because being then perfectly aware that he had but few hours to live and seeking nothing he could have no motive for deception, but also because I had myself always found his Highness most ready to forward our interests and least ready to welcome reports prejudicial to us, which during late exciting times were so industriously propagated and greedily devoured by those more inimical to us.”

11. The Governor-General of India in Council to

Treaty with Mír Sher Mahomed Khan.

the Secret Committee, 20th August 1841:—“It will be seen (from Major Outram’s report) that Meer Sher Mahomed Khan has entered into a treaty, by which he binds himself to pay 50,000 Company’s rupees as annual tribute and to submit his territorial disputes with the Ameers of Hyderabad to the decision of the Political Agent . . . . We have intimated to Major Outram the high sense we enter­tained of his conduct on this occasion and of the friendly spirit with which his endeavours to reconcile the differences of Meer Nuseer Khan and Meer Sher Mahomed Khan had been seconded by Meer Mahomed Khan.

12. The Governor-General to the Secret Committee,

Intrigues of the Mírs against the British Govern­ment.

8th June 1842:—“I am sorry to notice that Major Outram has detected intrigues on the part of the Ameers of Upper and Lower Sinde, which evince clearly that these chieftains entertained projects of a hostile nature, if any further disasters to our arms in Afghanistan had afforded them a favourable opportunity of attempting to throw off their allegiance to the British Government.”

Sir Charles Napier finding a pretext to take some chief towns in Sind.

13. Observations by Sir Charles Napier upon the occupation of Sinde, 17th October 1842:—

“Several Ameers have broken the treaty. I have main­tained that we want only a fair pretext to coerce the Ameers and I think the various acts recorded in the return (of complaints) give abundant reason to take Kurrachee, Sukkur, Bukkur, Shikarpore and Sabzulkote for our own, obliging the Ameers to leave a trackway along both banks of the lndus and stipulate for a supply of wood; but at the same time, remitting all tribute and arrears of tribute in favour of those Ameers whose conduct has been correct, and finally enter into a fresh treaty with one of these princes alone as chief and answerable for the others.”

14. 4th November 1842—“(1) the Ameers of Hyderabad

Draft of treaty between the British Government and the Mírs of Haidarábád.

are relieved from the payment of all tribute to the British Government, which under existing engagements would become due after the 1st of January 1843. (2) The only coin legally current in the dominion of the Ameers of Hyderabad, after the 1st of January 1845, shall be the Company’s rupee and the rupee hereinafter mentioned. (3) The British Government will coin for the Ameers of Hyderabad such number of rupees as they may require from time to time, such rupees bearing on one side the effigy of the sovereign of England with such inscription or device as the British Government may from time to time adopt and on the reverse such inscription or device as the Ameers may prefer. (4) … (5) The Ameers in consideration of the above engagement renounce the privilege of coining money and will not exercise the same from the date of the signature of this treaty. (6) With a view to the necessary provision of wood for the use of steamers navigating the Indus and the rivers communicat­ing therewith the British Government shall have the right to fell wood within one hundred yards of both banks of the Indus within the territories of the Ameers. (7) The following places and districts are ceded in perpetuity to the British Government—Kurrachee and Tatta with such arrondissement as may be deemed necessary by Major General Sir Charles Napier … (8) All the rights and interests of the Ameers or of any one of them in Sabzulkote and in all the territory intervening between the present frontier of Bahawalpore and the town of Roree are ceded in perpetuity to his Highness the Nawab of Bahawalpore, the ever faithful ally and friend of the British Government. (9) To the Meer Sobdar Khan, who has constantly evinced fidelity to his engagements and attachment to the British, is ceded territory producing half a lac of annual revenue, such cession being made in consideration of the loss he will sustain by the transfer of Kurrachee to the British Government and as a reward for his good conduct. (10) . . . . (11) . . . . (12) . . . .”

In the draft of a similar treaty with the Ameers of Khyrpur the first two articles are the following:—“(1) The pergunnah of Bhoong Bhara and the third part of the district of Subzulkote and the villages of Gotki, Maladee, Choonga, Dadoola and Uzeezpur and on the territories of the Ameers of Khairpore or any of them intervening between the present dominions of his Highness the Nawab of Bahawalpore and the town and district of Roree are ceded in perpetuity to his Highness the Nawab. (2) The town of Sukkur with such arrondissement as shall be deemed necessary by Major General Sir Charles Napier and the island of Bukkur and the adjoining islets and the town of Roree with such arrondissement as may be deemed necessary by Major General Sir Charles Napier are ceded in perpetuity to the British Govern­ment.”

15. Sir Charles Napier to the Governor-General, 29th

Mír Rustam Khán’s flight.

December 1842:—“And now, my Lord, I have to tell you that Mir Rustam has decamped yesterday morning. I met Ali Moorad the night before and desired him to say that I would pay my respects to his Highness the next day, and the next day I heard of his flight. I can only account for this in one or two ways—first, that Mir Rustam, who is a timid man and has all along fancied that I want to make him prisoner, believed that the time for this step had arrived, and that his brother and I were about to execute our conspiracy against him; or second, that Ali Moorad drove his brother to this step. Mir Rustam has resigned the turban to his brother Ali Moorad in the most formal manner, writing his resignation in the Kuran before all the religious men collected to witness the resignation at Dejee.”

16. Sir Charles Napier to the Governor-General,

The fort of Imámgarh blown up by Sir Charles Napier.

13th January 1843:—“I arrived here yesterday. . . . . This fortress is exceedingly strong against any force without artillery. The walls are 40 feet high; one tower is 50 and built of burned bricks; it is a square with eight round towers. . . . Within it is a vast quantity of powder. There are some bomb-proof chambers. . . . . When I reflected that the existence of Imámgarh can only serve to foster confidence in the Ameers of both Sindes when discontented or rebellious, and will, sooner or later, force us to another and more perilous march perhaps, I made up my mind to blow it down. It belongs to Ali Moorad who consents to its destruction. I have therefore undermined it. The vast quantity of powder, which we cannot remove, will be better destroyed. It is well stored with grain, which I have distributed as rations.

17. Notes of conference with the Ameers of Sind on

The draft of the last treaty is signed by the Mírs after much hesitation

the 8th and 9th and again on the 12th February 1843.—“After the usual preliminaries Major Outram produced the Persian copies of the Draft treaties formerly sub­mitted to the Ameers by Sir Charles Napier and requested their Highnesses to apply their seals in his presence, as previously pledged to do by their vakeels. A long dis­cussion then ensued regarding Meer Rustam’s affairs, they insisting that Major Outram had full authority to in vestigate the case. . . . The Ameers then endeavoured to induce Major Outram to declare that in the event of Meer Rustam proving everything he had advanced, his chiefship and what had been made over from Upper Sind Ameers to Ali Moorad would be restored. Major Outram replied that it was not in his power to say what would be done. . . . The Ameers said Meer Rustam could and would prove all he had asserted with regard to his having been confined by Ali Moorad, having, when in confinement, had his seal forcibly taken from him, having been induced to fly by Ali Moorad when the General was coming to Dejeekote, etc., etc. Major Outram said that this case rested with the General. . . . After long urging this point the Ameers of Hyderabad applied their seals to the draft of the new Treaty, as did Meer Rustam and Meer Mahomed of Khairpore … Major Outram then proceeded to Meer Sobdar’s Durbar, where that Ameer and Meer Hoossein Ali sealed the treaty without demur. On returning home, after leaving the fort, Major Outram and his companions (Captain Brown and the offi­cers of Her Majesty’s 22nd Regiment) had to pass through a dense crowd of Beloochees, who gave unequivocal evi­dence of bad feeling in their manner and expressions, but were kept from giving further vent to their feelings by a strong escort of horse the Ameers sent under some of their influential chiefs. After getting clear of the crowd Major Outram was informed that one of the officers in his company had been struck with a stone.” . . . .

18. Major Outram to Sir Charles Napier on board the

The attack on the Residency.

“Planet”, 15 miles above Hyderabad, 6. p. m., 15th February 1843:—“Sir, my despatches of the last few days will have led you to expect that my earnest endeavours to effect an amicable arrangement with the Ameers of Sinde would fail; and it is with much regret I have now to report that their Highnesses have commenced hostilities by attacking my residence this morning, which after four hours’ most gallant defence by my honorary escort, commanded by Captain Conway, I was compelled to evacuate, in consequence of our ammunition running short… At 9 a. m. this morning, a dense body of cavalry and infantry (ascertained to have amounted to 8000 men under Meer Shadad Khan, Meer Mahomed Khan, Nawab Ahmed Khan Lugharee and many principal chiefs) took posts on three sides of the Agency compound (the fourth being defended by the “Planet” steamer about 500 yards distant) in the gardens and houses, which immediately commanded the inclosure. A hot fire was opened by the enemy and continued incessantly for four hours, but all their attempts to enter the Agency inclosure were frustrated by Captain Conway’s able distribution of his small band under the gallant example of Lieutenant Harding, Captains Green and Wills and Brown… Our ammunition being limited to 40 rounds per man, the officers directed their whole attention to reserving their fire and keeping their men close under cover … conse­quently great execution was done with trifling expenditure of ammunition and with little loss (the enemy losing upwards of 60 killed and more wounded, among the latter Meer Mahomed Khan). Our hope of receiving a reinforcement and a supply of ammunition by the “Satellite” steamer (hourly expected) being disappointed on the arrival of that vessel without either, shortly after the commencement of the attack, it was decided at 12 a. m. to retire to the steamer, while still we had sufficient ammunition to fight the vessel up the river. Accordingly I requested Captain Conway to keep the enemy at bay for one hour, while the property was removed… After delivering their first loads on board, however, the camp followers were so terrified at the enemy’s cross fire … that none could be persuaded to return, except a few of the officers’ servants, with whose assistance but little could be removed during the limited time we could afford; consequently much had to be abandoned… After the expiration of another hour (during which the enemy despairing of otherwise effecting their object, had brought six guns to bear upon us) we took measures to evacuate the Agency. Captain Conway called in his posts, and all being united, retired in body, covered by a few skirmishers, as deliberately as on parade (carrying off our slain and wounded) which and the fire from the steam boats deterred the enemy from pressing on us as they might have done. All being embarked I then directed Mr. Acting Commander Miller, Commanding the “Satellite” steamer, to proceed with his vessel to the wood station, three miles up the river, on the opposite bank, to secure a sufficiency of fuel for our purposes ere it should be destroyed by the enemy, while I remained with the “Planet” to take off the barge that was moored to the shore. This being a work of some time, during which a hot fire was opened on the vessel from three guns, besides small arms. . . . The “Satellite” was also exposed to three guns in her progress up to wood station, one of which she dismounted by her fire. The vessels were followed by large bodies for about three miles, occasionally opening their guns upon us to no purpose; since then we have pursued our voyage up the Indus, about fifteen miles, without molestation, and purpose to-morrow morning anchoring off Muttaree, where I expect to find your camp. Our casualties amount to two men of Her Majesty’s 22nd Regiment and one camp follower killed; and Mr. Conductor Kiely, Mr. Carlisle, Agency clerk, two of the steamer’s crew, four of Her Majesty’s 22nd Regiment, two camp followers wounded, and four camp followers missing; total three killed, ten wounded and four missing.— I have, &c., J. Outram.”