1879.] W. Irvine — The 'Bang ash Nawabs of FarruJchdbdd. 95 



state the Wazir himself had seen. Ahmad Khan had got the hotter of 

 both their army and of the Wazir's, and when Sa'dullah Khan joined him 

 it would he quite impossible for any one to beat the united force. The 

 Wazir then admitted to the Mahratta leaders that Hafiz Rahmat Khan, 

 in stating that Sa'dullah Khan had been led astray by Bahadur Khan, 

 added that it would be best for the Wazir to make a peace before Sa'dullah 

 Khan arrived. The Wazir requested their opinion. They answered that 

 there could be nothing better than to do as suggested, for then further 

 losses on both sides would be prevented. The Wazir asked the best way 

 to open negociations ; for if on their side the first advances were made, it 

 would lower their dignity. A'pa Sendhia said, thatinhis opinion, the objec- 

 tion could be obviated by calling in Nawab Ghairat Khan and Himmat 

 Khan, who were themselves Pathans. 



Mulhar Rao and A'pa got up, followed by their chief men, and assem- 

 bled in another place. They sent for Nawab Ghairat Khan and Himmat 

 Khan. The Mahrattas told them that they did not wish that Nawab Ah- 

 mad Khan should be reduced to extremities, that he shotild be expelled 

 from his territories or lose his life in battle. As they wished for peace 

 between Ahmad Khan and the Wazir, they asked them to negociate. The 

 two Pathans recounted all the wrongs received by Ahmad Khan's family 

 at the hand of the Wazir, and upbraided the Mahrattas for forgetting the 

 former friendship between them and the house of Ghazanfar Jang. The 

 Mahrattas admitted the former friendship, but pleaded the farmdn of the 

 Emperor of all Hindustan, which had directed them to serve under the 

 Wazir. Still they had not exerted themselves much, in fact had acted 

 purposely with carelessness and negligence. Ghairat Khan and Himmat 

 Khan then commented unfavourably on the Emperor's treatment of the 

 Bangash family, and made other objections. At length they were talked 

 over and withdrawing their objections, they asked what the proposals were. 

 Mulhar Rao asked them to go home, and he would assemble the leaders ; 

 when a decision had been arrived at, they should be informed. 



The two Pathans left and went to their tents, while the Mahrattas 

 remained to discuss the matter among themselves. At last it was decided 

 that ten lakhs of rupees should be given by the Wazir as the price of blood 

 for the sons of Ghazanfar Jang, and that, besides the ancient territory, the 

 Wazir should make over two of his own Mahals, Pali and Sandi,* which 

 adjoined the other lands of Ahmad Khan. When they went to the Wazir 

 and informed him, he accepted their decision. The leaders then proceeded 

 to the quarters of Nawab Ghairat Khan and Himmat Khan, where they 

 made them acquainted with the proposed terms, which they considered very 

 * Both now in the Hardoi district of Audh. 



