1844.] the Kumaon and Rohilcund Turaee. 895 



point,* began rapidly to decline, and the descent to ruin was marked 

 by civil war with its disastrous accompaniments of royal assassinations 

 and popular anarchy — a fitting prelude to the foreign invasions which 

 followed in due course. But the important epochs in the history of 

 the Kumaon Turaee need alone occupy our present attention, and 

 passing over the half-century to which I have alluded, I arrive in the 

 year 1653 Saka, or 1731 a.d., at the accession of Rajah Kullian 

 Chund. The Rohilla chief, Ali Mahommed, at or soon after this pe- 

 riod, succeeded his converter and adopter Daood Khan in the power- 

 ful position acquired by the latter ; — the splendours of Budayoon, the 

 old capital of the Sircar, had begun to pale before the display of 

 upstart military importance at Aonla ; — and in short, Kuttair was fast 

 becoming Rohilcund "\ In the earlier part of his rule, Kullean Chund 

 had to contend against the aggressions of Nuwab Munsoor Ali Khan.% 

 who attempted to attach Surbna and Bilheree to the neighbouring (Trans- 

 Sardah) Chuckladarship in Oudh\§ but, by a successful appeal to the 

 Emperor Mahommed Shah, the nominal integrity of his Turaee posses- 

 sions was preserved to the Kumaon Rajah. During his latter years he 

 suffered from a far more terrible enemy ; but let me here snatch from 

 oblivion an important record of the times immediately preceding the 

 invasion of Kumaon by the Rohillas, which has fortunately survived the 

 ruin of that sera. 



* Oodeotchund, the immediate successor of Baz Bahadoor Chund and Juggut Chund, 

 the third in descent, bear a high name in Pahurree history. In the time of the latter, 

 nine lacs are again mentioned as the revenue of the Turaee ; but after this epoch, 

 the intestine disturbances became utterly destructive of all prosperity, both in High- 

 lands and Lowlands. 



f t*ftt %st ^r<t ii t^rt **% z\z ii 



Waise se aise kuree dekho Prubhooka tat ! 



Aonle ko Raja bhoyo — Bakolee ko Jat. 



This popular distich concerning the sudden rise of Ali Mahommed is well known 

 in Kumaon. 



X Afterwards called Sufter Jung. 



§ Seebdeo Joshee, the Prime Minister of Kullean Chund, was wounded in a fight with 

 the Chuchladar Tejoo Gor, and was taken prisoner, but subsequently released. 



