56 



prince, by whom they were presented. But for the honour of the 

 imperial dignity it should be added, that Mhadajee Sindia, who 

 had recently assumed the high office of Vackeel ul Mulluck, or 

 absolute minister, supplied every thing on this occasion, even to 

 the minutest article. 



This unfortunate representative of the Timurean race, was 

 about sixty years of age, of the common stature, and of a counte- 

 nance bespeaking a placid and benignant mind ; with an air and 

 deportment of habitual dignity tempered by much affability. 

 Three years after this interview he fell into the hands of Gulam 

 Kaudir Khan, a rebellious chieftain, who caused the aged monarch 

 to be blinded in a most barbarous manner. As the particulars of 

 this cruel transaction are not inserted in Mr. Cruso's journal, nor 

 transmitted me by Sir Charles Malet, it may be satisfactory, and 

 will render the narrative more complete, to relate them briefly 

 from an authentic account printed at Bengal soon after the perpe- 

 tration of this horrid crime. 



Gulam Kaudir Khan was the son ofZabda Khan: his father 

 disinherited him and drove him from his presence on account of 

 his vices and crimes. Shah Aalum, the emperor of Delhi, took him 

 under his protection, treated him as his own son, and conferred on 

 him the first title in the kingdom, Omeel ul Omraow ; he lived 

 with the emperor, and raised a body of about eight thousand 

 troops of his own countrymen, the Moguls, which he commanded. 

 Gulam Kaudir was of a passionate temper, haughty, cruel, un- 

 grateful, and debauched. 



In the latter end or the year 1?88, the emperor had formed 

 suspicions that some of the neighbouring rajahs would make an 



