1879.] W. Irvine— The Bangash Nawabs of FarmMdldd. 139 



to deliver it to the Nawab, in whatever place or in whatever condition he 

 might find him. The messenger started off secretly, and it was past mid- 

 night when, reaching the gateway of Ahmad Khan's house, he reported 

 himself to Musharraf Khan, darogha of the gateway. At the time the 

 Nawab, having eaten bis dinner, had gone to bed. No one dared to wake 

 him. At length Miyan Sahib Jan 'Ali Khan went in, and pressing the 

 Nawab's feet, delivered the note to him. One hundred rupees were given 

 to the messenger. 



The Bakhshis were sent for in hot haste. They reported that very 

 few troops were at hand. The Nawab told them to send for all the clerks, 

 and ordered pamvanalis to be written to all the 'Amils and Faujdars, calling 

 on them to start at once for Farrukhabad. At that time Bakhshi Fakhr- 

 ud-daula with a large force was fighting Datta, zamindar of Aksauli, west 

 of Marahra. The village lies in Parganah Sikandrah Rao of the Aligarh 

 district, and in those days the jungle was so dense that falcons (baslia) 

 are said to have been caught there, and for years together no human being 

 passed through it. In a few days after receiving the parwanah, the Bakh- 

 shi reached Farrukhabad with this army. Help was also called for from Mau, 

 Shamsabad, Ata'ipur, Tilhar, Shahjahanpur, Bareli, Budaun, Anwalah, 

 Bisoli and Aujhani.* 



At this time Hafiz Rahmat Khan was encamped near his own frontier 

 in Parganah Mihrabad, now in the Shahjahanpur district. The Nawab 

 sent to him Bakhshi Fakhr-ud-daula to ask his aid to save the Afghans 

 from disgrace. Hafiz Rahmat Khan, being no doubt afraid that, if Ahmad 

 Khan were crushed, his own interests in the Duab, where he then held 

 Etawah, Shikohabad and Phaphond, would be seriously endangered, seems 

 to have shown great readiness to espouse the Nawab's cause. He said he 

 had already heard of the affair, and on that account had encamped near his 

 frontier ; he was cpiite ready to join, but his troops were in want of pay. 

 If money were advanced, he would send for Sa'dullah Khan, Donde Khan, 

 Mulla Sardar Khan, Fath Khan and others. Even if money were not 

 forthcoming, he would not fail to attend with his own men. After he had 

 made a report of this interview, the Bakhshi was sent back with two lakhs 

 of rupees to be made over to Hafiz Bahmat Khan for expenses, and a 

 promise of further advances when Nawab Sa'dullah Khan joined. On 

 receipt of this money Hafiz Rahmat Khan wrote to Sa'dullah Khan and 

 the other chiefs, calling on them to march without a moment's delay. He 

 also wrote to Shekh Kabir, his deputy at Etawah, instructing him to march 

 with his whole force direct to the Kali-naddi and encamp below Khuda- 

 ganj. The Bakhshi returned and reported what had been done. 



* Bisoli lies 24 miles N. W. of Budaon and Aujhani 8 miles S. W. of the same 

 place. 



