MUTINY OF THE MEEr's TROOPS. 97 



lias proved himself our faithful ally. In early- 

 life His Highness maintained a strong standing 

 force of mercenaries from Hindoostan, Cabool, 

 the Punjaub, Bliawulpoor, &c., to the great 

 detriment of his resources, which were quite 

 unequal to the expense of their maintenance ; 

 and this was continued after he attained the 

 Turban of Reis. Indeed, it is a notorious fact, 

 that on one occasion his troops at Khja-poor 

 mutinied for pay, which was greatly in arrears, 

 and adopted a novel course to obtain it, as they 

 suddenly rose, and taking possession of every 

 avenue to His Highness, would not allow any 

 of his personal retainers to pass out, or his own 

 breakfast to pass in, until he had pledged him- 

 self to pay up a large portion of the arrears due, 

 and a British officer, then at Khyrpoor, guaran- 

 teed the fulfilment of the promise. This cir- 

 cumstance is well remembered by many at the 

 Meer's capital. 



The principal member of the suite of His 

 Highness Meer Ali Moorad, when in England, 

 was the Hukeem Emaum ood deen Khan, a 

 very learned and highly-polished gentleman, of 

 most distinguished bearing and appearance, 

 who had been much in the society of European 



VOL. II. 7 



