1879.1 W. Irvine — The Bangash JSfawabs of FarruJchdbdcl. 57 



equally drunk, replied that all this talk was flatly contradicted by his 

 acts, which were directly opposed to the Shastras. Naval Eae asserted that 

 u-p to that day he had done no act forbidden by the Dharm-Shastra. Sahib 

 Eae said — " What direction o£ the Dharm-Shastra is this then, by which 

 " you vex poor innocent women, if this is sanctioned by the words of any 

 " saint or sage, then quote the passage." Naval Eae denied that he had 

 injured any woman. Sahib Eae at once seized the opportunity and said, 

 " To-day I saw a woman in prison said to be a Pathani, I have heard she 

 " has done no harm ; where, then, are your pious pretensions, you who have 

 " a woman and a widow in your custody. Even admitting she is guilty, 

 M you are now in full and peaceable occupation of this territory, and keep- 

 " ing the widow is quite unnecessary." Naval Eae at the time thought 

 this reasoning just, and, it being then midnight, he told Sahib Eae to go and 

 release her. Sahib Eae replied that without an order in writing her guards 

 would not let her go. Then Naval Eae, stupified as he was, attached his seal 

 to an order of release. Sahib Eae hurried to the entrance gate, showed the 

 order to the sentries and gave them some money. He then urged the Bibi 

 Sahiba to lose not a moment, and she getting out her bullock rath started at 

 once. They made such good speed that they reached Mau, a distance of 

 sixty-one miles, in the space of nine hours, and when they got there one of 

 the bullocks dropped down dead. At Kannauj, when morning broke, Sahib 

 Eae forestalled every one by enquiring from Naval Eae whether during the 

 night he had ordered the release of the Bibi Sahiba or not. When Naval 

 Eae replied that he had not done so, Sahib Eae produced the written order. 

 He upbraided Sahib Eae for having tricked an old friend, but Sahib Eae 

 retorted that he placed his duty to his salt before friendship. Naval Eae 

 ordered him out of his presence and despatched five hundred horsemen to 

 bring back the Pathani. They rode as far as Nabiganj and the Kali river, 

 but did not find her. The Kayath then wrote to the Wazir an account of 

 her escape in which he screened himself as best he could.* 



The oppressions of Naval Eae's subordinates proceeded beyond all 

 bounds, and the Afghans began to concert together measures of resis- 

 tance. A final outrage goaded them into revolt. One day a woman took 

 some thread to the bazar for sale ; and a Hindu in the service of Naval 

 Eae bought and paid for it. The woman took the money and spent it. A 

 month afterwards the purchaser brought back the thread and wished to 

 return it. The woman said she could not give back the price, nor was it 

 the custom to give things back after a month. The Hindu used abusive 



* Life of H. E. E. pp. 36, 37. The last part of p. 36, and top of p. 37, is all 

 wrong. Naval Eae did not need to pass through Mau, nor was he waylaid at three 

 /cos from that place. 

 H 



