152 W. Irvine — The Bangasli Nawabs of Farrukhdbad. [No. 2, 



him G-hazi-ud-din Khan 'Imad-ul-Mulk, visited the Mahrattas and asked 

 what terms they would accept. Sendhia claimed the sixteen and a half 

 mahals given by the former treaty. He wished to collect the revenue him- 

 self, for while the Nawab had the management, years had elapsed without 

 any payment having been made. As there was no help for it, the sixteen 

 and a half mahals were given up. Ahmad Khan directed that although 

 the territory had been reduced to one half its former extent, no troops 

 should be discharged. In three years his eyes would be all right, and then 

 he would take his revenge. The income being reduced, while the same 

 expenditure was maintained, the coin collected in the treasury was soon 

 spent. 



Ahmad Khan's blindness and death. 



For a year or two before his death, Nawab Ahmad Khan was afflicted 

 with inflammation of the eyes, and he gradually lost his sight. One Basant 

 Eae Kuhhdl (operator on the eye) treated him for the malady, but without 

 success. 



His eyes had begun by paining him, and after a time his sight became 

 weak. One or two years passed in this condition, but day by day the sight 

 became worse. He concealed the fact as well as he could. He used to 

 come to his ordinary place and return every one's salutation. The courtiers, 

 from actions opposed to his usual habit, noticed his blindness but said 

 nothing. At length the defect could no longer be concealed. Several of the 

 Nawab's servants recommended Hakim Nur Khan Muhammad Shahi, as 

 well spoken of for his treatment of deseases of the eye. They were told to 

 bring him, and he treated the Nawab for one or two months without effect. 



One day it came into the Nawab's mind that by feasting religious 

 mendicants, his vows might be granted. He therefore ordered Bakhshi 

 Fakhr-ud-daula and Mihrban Khan to put up tents inside the fort. Food 

 of every sort was prepared and given to fakirs and the poor. They offered 

 up their prayers for his recovery. For forty days the food was given away. 

 The pious Hisam-ud-din adduces many instances of the efficacy of prayer 

 by holy men ; but he admits that in this instance the prayers were not 

 heard, for, as he says, the supplicants were not saints. 



Shortly after this a clever scoundrel came from the Panjab, and was 

 introduced to the Nawab throiigh Rahmat Khan, son of Jahan Khan. He 

 promised to remove the obstruction. The cheat, putting a little water in the 

 palm of his hand, said some words over it, and then applied it to the 

 Nawab's eyes. For several days this process was repeated. Then under pre- 

 tence of requiring money to offer in alms, he got silver and gold and wi'-nt 

 away, promising to return in a day or two. He was never seen again. 



