1864.] 



On the Antiquities of Guzerat. 



405 



jRussool. — Russool presents some vestiges of antiquity. An old 

 mosque here contained an inscription commemorating its erection. 

 The date was read as 1000 Hijree or thereabouts. It was placed in 

 the Crystal Palace by Mr. Edward Clive Bayley. 



Islamghur. — Islamghur is on a very high and imposing mound, 

 which must be very ancient. It is said to have been the head quar- 

 ters of the large chourassee of villages belonging to the Varaich Jats ; 

 in later times it was converted into a stronghold. The chief Chowdrees 

 of the Varaiches have their residence and possessions in Jelalpoor to 

 which Islamghur is close, but the latter is situated within the limits 

 of the adjacent village of Koolachour. 



Moong. — Moong is a yerj old place, it is very prolific in coins of 

 later Indo-Greek kings, Azas, and the great (nameless) saviour king 

 of kings, particularly small copper coins. 



Khawaspore Serai. — The route to Cabul through the district has 

 still the remains of the Serais and Baolees erected by the Mahomedan 

 Emperors. The Serai at Khawaspoor was built by Suku Khawas 

 Khan in the year 952 Hijree. Khawas Khan was a man of power 

 in the service of the Emperors Shere Shah and his son Selim Shah. 

 His mother was a slave girl in the former Emperor's seraglio, and he 

 himself was married by the Emperor to the daughter of a Ghukkur 

 chief, and deputed to govern this part of the empire. He immorta- 

 lized his later master by converting the Bhutiaras of the Serai, and 

 dubbing them Suleem Shahees or Islamshahees, which appellation the 

 Maachus of the village and its neighbourhood give to their caste to 

 the present day. 



At Kharian there are two very large Baolees. Both are said to 

 have been built at the same time, and their very different appearances 

 now, are accounted for by the western one having been very thorough- 

 ly repaired by Sirdar Lena Singh. The eastern Baolee is in its original 

 state, built of stones now very much worn ; over the top of the steps is 

 a massive dome with an inscription. It simply records the completion 

 of the work in the month of Eamzan 1013 Hijree, in the rex^n of 

 Akbar, who ordered it to be built by Jutyoollah son of Hajee 

 Habeeboollah, and that it cost 11,000 Akburee Eupees, and it con- 

 cludes with a prayer that the maker's sins be forgiven. Kharian bears 

 the prefix of a Serai, but it does not appear that a Serai was ever 



M 



