1843.] of the Panjab and Affghanistan. 579 



On arriving at Makhad, two men of Rajah Suchet Singh's came to 

 demand two boats for crossing the troops, — in which, towards evening, 

 I embarked with them. Gouhar Singh, of Pind Malik Amanat, with 

 forty sepoys, kept guard on one of the gates of Makhud. The head 

 man is Abdulla Khan, an Afghan, of the tribe of Saghuree, who can 

 muster four thousand fighting men. 



5th Ramzan. — Proceeded by water to Karabagh, which consists of a 



„ , , fort and a suburb, situated at the foot of the salt range. 



Karabagh. ° 



There are three thousand houses and three bazars, 



containing one hundred shops. On the hills are two towers, which 



command the town, under Allaiyar Khan. The revenue derived from 



the salt is appropriated by Rajah Suchet Singh. There are twelve 



„ , saltpetre manufactories, the amount of the revenue 



Saltpetre. r 



from which is 12,000 rupees; which is given in jagire 



to Malik Allaiyar Khan, by tribe a Satkal Awan. He could collect one 



thousand five hundred fighting men. They are friends with the men of 



Teeree and Sagharee, and enemies of the Khataks. To the East is Saee- 



wal, to the West Eesakhel, to the North Shakar Darra, and to the 



South the river Indus. The revenue paid to the Sikhs is 5000 rupees, 



ten horses, and twenty camels. Rajah Suchet Sing's force had proceeded 



to Katkee, a fort of Ahmad Khan, situated in a valley. 

 Revenue. J 



The Khan, on hearing of the advance of the Sikh 



force, fled, and sought refuge in Bannoo Daman. The Rajah, finding 

 the place vacated, returned, and took possession of the fort of Eesakhel. 

 I intended proceeding hence by water to Dera Ismail Khan, and 

 thence to Tak by land ; the Meerza became aware of this inten- 

 tion, and not liking to accompany me, left at night, and proceeded, 



I supposed, via Shakar Darra and Cohaut, to his 

 Meerza deserts. 



home at Peshawar. I was much annoyed and dis- 

 tressed at his disappearance, until I was fortunate in procuring another 

 writer, an Afghan, in whose company I marched, with the Sikh force, 

 towards Dera Ismail Khan. I remained three days at Karabagh, alias 

 Baghan. During this time news reached the Rajah, that Alladad Khan, 

 the son of Sarwar Khan, joined by the Wazeerees, had advanced on 

 Tak ; and that the Sikh garrison, leaving the fort, prepared for the 



attack, which proved successful, and the Sikhs 

 Insurrection. r 



suffered a signal defeat. The town was taken and 



4 G 



