1879.1 W. Irvine — The Bangash Naiodos of Farrulchdbdd. Ill 



Sarae. He came to demand a return of the territory recently absorbed by 

 Ahmad Khan. The Nawab, having collected four or five thousand of his 

 troops and all the Delhi refugees, such as Nasir Khan, Ex-Subahdar of Kabul 

 and others, sent for the eunuch. The envoy delivered a firman from the 

 Emperor, which was made over to Mihrban Khan, by whom it was read 

 aloud. The Nawab sent back an angry message to Shuja'-ud-daula. The 

 next envoy sent was Salar Jang, the Wazir's brother-in-law. The Eohelas 

 were supposed to be secretly favourable to Shuja'-ud-daula ; but instead of 

 listening to Salar Jang's message, they detained him as their prisoner. 



'Imad-ul-Mulk now urged an advance towards the enemy, but Ahmad 

 Khan objected to make the first advance. The Emperor being with Shuja'- 

 ud-daula, people would call him a rebel and untrue to his salt, if he attack- 

 ed first. He therefore proposed to write a remonstrance to the Emperor ; 

 they would see what answer they got, and they could act accordingly. The 

 letter stated that the Nawab, a hereditary servant of the state, was pursued 

 by the unjust enmity of Shuja'-ud-daula. He ought to be called on to 

 prove his accusations of using a Guldlbdri, making elephants fight, and 

 riding in a palhi without leave. If mad elephants break their chains and 

 rush off into the jungle to fight, no one is to blame. As to the royal 

 pavilion, that is a mistake, only a few pieces of wood had been put up ; 

 for the Pathans having no manners, it was necessary to range them in 

 rows along this barrier, and there force them to make their morning 

 bow. The palki had been presented by his late Majesty, Alamgir II, 

 when he made Ahmad Khan Bakhshi of the realm. Shuja'ud-daula 

 was also angry, because Ahmad Shah Durrani had deputed Ahmad 

 Khan with Jahan Khan to bring that noble to his presence. Shuja'-ud- 

 daula came with reluctance, and nourished an ill-feeling against the persons 

 who forced him to attend. Najib Khan, too, who was once in Ahmad 

 Khan's employ, now had risen so high as to claim equality, which being 

 denied him, caused hidden enmity in his mind. The letter then went on to 

 recount at length the intrigues before the battle of Panipat, intended to 

 exclude Ahmad Khan from the good favour of the Durrani ruler. It con- 

 cluded by an appeal to His Majesty's sense of justice and requested that 

 His Majesty would withdraw to some height, while the rivals fought out 

 the matter. The victor could then present himself to do homage to his 

 sovereign. 



Mahtab Khan Bangash, who was very clever and had not his equal for 

 a negociation, received charge of the above petition. One hundred men 

 were told off as his escort. The Nawab's last instructions were that, if 

 waiting two or three days would produce an answer, he should wait ; if not, 

 he was to come away without any formal dismissal. Mahtab Khan on reach- 



