THE PATIIAN CHIEFS. 139 



whereas the Pathan leaders moved about with 

 both field and siege artillery, so as to work on 

 the apprehensions of the princes of Central 

 India, and extort from them contributions and 

 other advantages, by the intimidation that such 

 a force was calculated to impress. The con- 

 nection of the Pathan chiefs witli Holkar's dur- 

 bar gave them the character of mercenaries; 

 indeed, such they were, for in 1809, when the 

 Joudhpoor territory was threatened by Sindhia, 

 the Rajah engaged the services of Mahomed 

 Shah Khan for the purpose of repelling the 

 attack. The Pathan chiefs and their followers 

 were, in fact, Condottieri, whose sharp swords 

 were ever at the disposal of the best bidder, and 

 thus gave them an opportunity of interfering 

 in the passing intrigues of the Rajpoot and 

 Mahratta princes, and by their active partisan- 

 ship they always managed to derive personal 

 advantages, and, with a large recompense in 

 view, were not over particular as to the means 

 of its attainment. Ameer Khan twice sold his 

 services for the assassination of obnoxious per- 

 sons, and, on both occasions, violated the most 

 solemn guarantees. But such acts were little 

 heeded at a time and in a country where mur- 



