1879.] W. Irvine — The Bangash JVdwdbs of Farnikhdbdd. 65 



be loyal subjects of Ahmad Khan. The Pathans proposed to get these 

 boxes first, and then kill the men. This Muhammad Khan forbade. Then 

 plunderers arriving from all sides, Muhammad Khan put the slave who shot 

 Muhammad Salah with several Afridis in charge, and took the Hindus to his 

 camp. There he reported to Rustam Khan, who sent off three hundred 

 footmen to guard the tent and bring away the boxes, in which there was a 

 large amount of money. 



Meanwhile an elephant of Naval Rae's, with a gilt howdah and gold 

 brocade trappings, had been found in the camp. The Pathans were about 

 to slay its keeper, when with great presence of mind he drove his elephant 

 up to Ahmad Khan's pdllci, and making it kneel he congratulated the Nawab 

 on his victory and requested him to mount. The Pathans approved of this 

 idea, and pushed the driver off with the ends of their sticks, thus sparing 

 his life. At the time Ramzani was holding the side of the Nawab's pdlki 

 in order to steady it. The Nawab ordered him to mount the elephant. He 

 obeyed, and though not used to elephants, he managed to drive it off. 

 Plunder of the camp then began, the Nawab's orders being that elephants, 

 cannons, tents and kettle-drums were his, the rest belonged to the seizer. 

 The amount of plunder was so great, that several men acquired property 

 worth as much as one lakh of rupees (£10,000). 



In this battle, besides Naval Rae and Mir Muhammad Salah already 

 named, 'Ata-ullah Khan* and many principal men lost their lives. The 

 author of the " Tabsirat-un-nazirin" gives the names of as many as thirty- 

 seven Sayyads and Shekhs of Bilgram in Audh, who lost their lives on this 

 fatal day. 



Nawab Bakaullah Khan, who had been summoned in great haste, 

 had left Makhanpur, about fourteen miles south of Kannauj, on Thurs- 

 day the 9th Ramzan (1st August, 1750). That night he was at Kannauj, 

 and next day, the 10th (2nd August, 1750), starting before daybreak, 

 they had arrived within four kos of Naval Rae's camp, when suddenly 

 fugitives began to pour in. Rae Partap Singh, who had been wounded, 

 was the first to report fully the disaster. Bakaullah Khan halted for two 

 or three hours, and thinking his force too small for an advance, he retreated 

 on Kannauj in order to remove Rajah Naval Rae's women and children. 

 With these, accompanied by the Rajah's corpse, and such elephants and 

 horses and other property as they could collect, they set out on their retreat. 

 The fugitives from the battle-field followed them, among others Rae Partap 



* Son-in-law of Haji Ahmad, the brother of Allah Wardi Khan Mahabat Jang' 

 ruler of Bengal. He had been Faujdar of Bhagulpur and had held other appointments 

 till having quarrelled with his uncle, he came to Audh. — /. Scott, Ferishta II. 343-351. 

 Seir Mutaqherin, I, 458. 



I 



