30 Origin of the Ddud Putras. [Jan. 



prince and fought against the Bakhtyuris, but received no reward in 

 return. They also complained against the injustice of the prince in re- 

 warding those who performed no heroism in the engagement, and 

 forgetting the men who put their lives in danger. 



On hearing this the prince ordered them to occupy the country and 

 desert lying on the eastern banks of the Indus and Ghdrd opposite to 

 Shikdrpur and Multctn, and to protect them from robbers. 



According to the rules of the prince, the Ddud Putras paid half of 

 the produce of the land to government and kept half for themselves. 

 This was the first time that the Ddud Putras crossed the Indus. The 

 town which they first peopled in Kachhi was Khan Belt, and the whole 

 tribe distributed the land among themselves which to this day bears the 

 name of the respective individuals. After this they became rich, and 

 masters of the country between Sabzalkot and Kot Quzan RaU. They 

 also erected the forts in the sandy desert and named them as Isldm 

 Garh, Mauj Garh, Din Garh and Khan Garh, &c. &c. They are 

 about 25 in number, situated at the distance of 15 or 16 kos from each 

 other, and extend to Valhor and Bhalan the boundary of Bikdner. 



On the bank of the Ghdrd the Ddud Putras built Ahmedpur, 

 Nanshaira, Sultdnpur, and Khdnpur, and inhabited the country on the 

 east and west of the same river from Pdk Pattan down to Uch. They 

 obtained the sanction of the Multdn government, dug many wells, mahas 

 (canals), and also got the possession of the country of Kachhi from Shah 

 Garh to Mithankot, which lie between the eastern bank of the Indus 

 and the western of Clierdh and Panjnad. In the two latter countries 

 they peopled many villages which bore their names. When they grew 

 powerful they began to commit faults and oppression, for they had no 

 ruler and never obeyed each other. Finally they became tyrants and 

 universally took to pillaging the pilgrims and merchants. 



In the beginning of A. H. 1153 or when Na'dir Sha'h returned to 

 Kdbul from the victory of Delhi, he was obliged to come down to 

 Derahjdt and bend his course towards Shikdrpur and Larkdna, where 

 he crossed the Indus, to reduce Khuda'Ya'r or Mia'n Nor Muhammad 

 Kalohnna' of Umankot to subjection. When he settled the affairs of 

 that quarter, he heard many complaints against the Ddud Putras, on 

 which he appointed Sardar Taihmasp Quli' Kh a'n to punish that nation. 

 Before the Tamdch Quli, as these people call him, reachedrtheir country, 

 they assembled, put many of their wives to the sword, and taking their 

 children went into the sandy desert where they made a wall round a 

 small pond to defend themselves. The Sardar at the head of a consi- 

 derable army besieged the Ddud Putras. An engagement ensued and the 



