300 Description of Sindh [April, 



confidence and applause of the raja, that he was invested with a dress 

 of honor, and raised to the highest dignity of the state It happened 

 during the first interview with the raja, that the rani saw the brahmin 

 Chach, and immediately became desperately enamoured of his person ; 

 nor did she hesitate to make him acquainted with her passion. Chach's 

 honor, however, was proof against her solicitations, and he replied, " I 

 am a brahmin, and cannot be guilty of treachery by violating the 

 harem of the king, whose servant I am ; moreover the safety of myself 

 and family would be compromised by such a crime." The rani's passion 

 was too strong to be overcome, and she became melancholy, refusing 

 rest and food. At length the state of affairs became public, and the king 

 was informed that Chach was plotting with the rani, to disgrace him 

 in the eyes of his subjects : the raja's confidence however in Chach was 

 not shaken by these reports, to which he gave no credit. Shortly after 

 the raja became sick unto death, and the rani seeing her husband's end 

 approaching, called for Chach, and told him she had devised a plan, 

 whereby he might succeed to the throne of Sindh, as well as gratify her 

 desires after the death of the raja. To this end, she issued a proclama- 

 tion in the king's name, convening a general assembly of all classes in 

 the city of Alor. When the people were assembled, it was announced 

 that the king's health not permitting his attendance, he had delegated 

 all authority to the brahmin Chach, whom, during the king's illness, 

 the subjects were implicitly to obey. Chach was moreover invested 

 with the royal signet, and duly acknowledged by the people as the re- 

 presentative of the raja. In a few days the rahi Sahi' died, and the rani 

 immediately instigated Chach to seize the throne, saying, " Now is the 

 time for the accomplishment of my wishes, and the destruction of your 

 enemies." Chach replied, " I bow to your will." The rani reported, 

 that the raja had no children, but that other members of the family 

 would doubtless assert their claims to the government of the country ; 

 she therefore devised the following plot for their destruction. As the 

 fact of the king's death had been kept a profound secret, the relations 

 were invited to the palace, under the pretence that the raja finding him- 

 self at the point of death, was anxious to make his will, and settle the 

 succession, to which end it was necessary, that all the members of his 

 family should attend. These people thus inveigled into the palace, were 

 imprisoned and afterwards murdered. The body of the raja was burnt, 

 and the brahmin Chach proclaimed king of the country of Sindh and 

 its dependencies without opposition. 



