18G Dr. Jamesons reports [No. 135. 



chiefs, (Aga Medi Khan, Oomr Khan, &c.) the Lahore Killadar, and 

 Alaf Shah. Aga Medi Khan apologized for Sirdar Kadar Khan not vi- 

 siting me, he being unwell. After some general conversation, I was 

 asked the object of my journey, how long I intended to remain, &c. 

 In reply I stated, that I would proceed forthwith; Futeh Khan Aga 

 Medi Khan then remarked, as the former had done the evening pre- 

 vious, that the direct route to Peshawur was not safe, several parties 

 having been lately plundered by the Afreedies. To confirm what they 

 said, they referred to Maharaja Sheir Singh's Killadar, who corroborated 

 their statement, and remarked that now no Sikh party could proceed in 

 safety by this route. Such being the circumstances, and there being 

 no object to be gained in proceeding by this route, I proposed to march 

 via Attock. To this they objected, and remarked that it was unnecessary; 

 for, if I would inform General Avitabile, arrangements would be made 

 in a few days to enable me to proceed by the direct route. Alif Shah 

 then asked them (chiefs) why they did not summon the chiefs of the 

 Afreedies ? To this they replied, that since the departure of Sultan Mo- 

 hamad Khan, who had been called to Lahore by orders of the British 

 Government, they had lost all control over the hill tribes. I wrote to 

 Captain Mackeson, and mentioned what I had been told by the authori- 

 ties of the place, and at the same time intimated that I would either pro- 

 ceed by Attock, or by the direct route to Peshawur, as he should deem fit. 



At the interview, the chiefs alluded to the unsettled state of their 

 country ; and said that during the night a party of Afreedies had visited 

 my camp, and carried away a report that I had much treasure, (this report 

 was prevalent in the bazar of Cohat, and appears to have reached Pesha- 

 wur, Captain Mackeson having mentioned it in one of his letters,) and 

 that unless I removed my camp within the walls of their fort, they would 

 not be answerable for its safety. Alif Shah having urged me to adopt 

 this measure, owing to the weakness of my guard, and the authorities 

 refusing to strengthen it with some of their own people, I reluctantly did 

 so, imagining that it would be the means of confirming the hill tribes 

 in their supposition. The true cause of the chiefs being so anxious for 

 me to quarter in their fort I afterwards ascertained, and shall forthwith 

 notice. 



In the evening I removed to the fort of Sirdar Kader Khan, the 

 nephew and son-in-law of Sooltan Mohamad Khan. It is rather a forti- 



