92 W. Irvine — The Bangasli Nawabs of Farmhlialad. [No. 2, 



" advice in such matters from our sex is not seemly, do as your heart dic- 

 '! tates, but to me it appears that Hafiz refrains from action out of partiali- 

 " ty for the Wazir, while Bahadur Khan's readiness to join the war, shows 

 " his respect for his own good name and reputation." On hearing these 

 words from his mother's mouth, Nawab Sa'dullah Khan came out of the 

 private apartments, and sent again for all the principal men. He declared 

 that it would be dishonourable in him to refuse Nawab Ahmad Khan's re- 

 quest for aid, and accepting all the consequences, he meant to march the 

 next day, those might follow who liked, and the rest might please them- 

 selves. Then sending for Bahadur Khan, he said to him, " Inform my 

 " regimental commanders that if they hold themselves my servants they 

 " will attend me, otherwise, I dismiss them." Bahadur Khan carried out 

 these orders, and except the contingents of Hafiz Rahmat Khan, Donde 

 Khan, and Mulla, Sardar Khan, all the others presented themselves, accom- 

 panied by Fath Khan Khansaman. Next day the march began. 



Let us now return to the events which occurred meanwhile between 

 the two contending armies at Fatehgarh. Every day, on the side of Mulhar 

 Rao and Apa Sendhia, from daybreak up to an hour and a half before sun- 

 set, an artillery fire was kept up, directed against the camp of Nawab 

 Ahmad Khan. At nightfall the Pathans would come otit of their shelter 

 in the ravines, go at the batteries and capture perhaps two or three small 

 guns, which, after driving off those in charge, they would bring into 

 their own camp. A little before sunset the rest of those concealed in 

 the ravines came out of hiding, and began to cook or otherwise employ 

 themselves. The leaders went to pay their respects to the Nawab. One 

 day they were all seated close to the Nawab's private tent, when the enemy, 

 noticing them collected in one spot, fired one of their heavy guns in that 

 direction. By chance the ball struck the side of Kazim 'Ali Khan, son of 

 Shamsher Khan the martyr, then engaged in the evening prayer. It next 

 cut off the arm of Nawab Shadi Khan, sixteenth son of Muhammad Khan, 

 and hit two or three others. All were killed. On this sudden misfortune 

 being reported to him, Nawab Ahmad Khan got into his palhi and came to 

 the place where the two bodies lay, and standing there he gave orders for 

 their burial, saying that the next day he hoped by God's grace to put 

 several to the sword in exchange for those lost. After burying the bodies, 

 the Pathans made a sortie and fell upon the camp of the Mahrattas. They 

 fought most bravely and boldly all night, so that the Mahrattas were forced 

 to give way. When the sun rose, the Pathans, with drums beating and 

 swords drawn, returned to their camp with a number of severed Mahratta 

 heads held aloft upon spears. 



