MULLAH MAHOMED. 101 



loocliees had been sent to receive and bring 

 him down to Shikarpoor. 



"Mullah Mahomed, though somewhat advanced 

 in years, was still full of vigour and activity ; he 

 was, moreover, a man of undaunted courage, and 

 in horsemanship unequalled, thus was not likely 

 to yield his life without a struggle, and he felt 

 fully assured that if taken to Shikarpoor the po- 

 litical agent would put him to death, as he had 

 hundreds of others, for his military executions 

 are said to have been bloody and desolating. 

 The escort, having marched all night, in addition 

 to some forty miles the preceding day, were not 

 sorry to halt at daybreak, on the Mullah's re- 

 quest to the Jemadar to that effect, in order to 

 say his prayers. Accordingly the men dis- 

 mounted, and the weather being piercingly 

 cold, a large fire was lighted, around which the 

 wearied troopers sat or lay, some, indeed, being 

 asleep. The Mullah's prayers being ended he 

 sat down to warm himself, at the same time 

 glancing around. The troopers were all off 

 their guard except four sentries, one on either 

 side of the fire, in which there was a large and 

 weighty stick, which the Mullah laid hold of, 

 and suddenly rising with a shout in the face of 



