1850.] or Chronicles of Tripurd. 549 



While the Tripura people were enjoying the seclusion arising from 

 their insulated position a new enemy, the Muhammaclans, made their 

 appearance and invaded the country, A. D. 1587. Delay in defending 

 the land was at first caused by the Tripura commander Issah Khan 

 waiting for a lucky day, but at last he obtained the consent of the Viziers 

 to furnish him with troops, and he also won the favour of the Rani who 

 tested his sincerity by giving him the water in which she had washed 

 her body : he drank it. 12,000 troops marched against the Musalmans 

 who fled without coming to action.* 



The Bhut or Devils are said to have been hostile to the Raja at this 

 time, because he cut down Bat trees under which they dwelt, their pre- 

 sence having been known by the trees shaking without any natural cause. 

 When the Raja, cut down the trees, water gushed out which formed a 

 lake and in order to appease the anger of these Devils he offered up 

 human sacrifices, but in vain, on the banks of the tank. The people 

 were greatly alarmed at this time, at the spread of rumours that 125 

 boys must be immolated to propitiate the devils, and that Udipur and 

 the whole country would be destroyed by an inundation. 



The Raja subsequently declared war against Arrakan, invaded it and 

 took many places, he was repulsed by a junction of the Mug troops 

 with the Portuguese,^ but he regained his ground ; the Raja sent a 

 letter to the king of Arrakan, challenging his troops to battle, the 

 latter replied that he would postpone fighting till next year ; the Raja 



* This presents a wide contrast to the behaviour of the Bengalis when invaded by 

 Bakhtiyar Khiliji, the Muhammadans met with no resistance ; but this must be stated 

 on the other side that Nadya, was deserted previously by the nobles owing to a convic- 

 tion that resistance would be vain. However in one place the Bengalis subsequently 

 fought for their independance — on the field of Pandua near the Burdwan road, — the 

 cusus belli was — the Hindus finding the bones of a cow which had afforded the 

 materials for a feast to the Muhammadans, in revenge killed a Muhammadan child, 

 troops were marched against the Hindu Raja of Peruya, and after a hard contested 

 battle the last spark of Bengali independance was extinguished. 



f This is the first notice taken of the Portuguese, though they had come into 

 Bengal in 1566, as mercenary troops in the service of the king of Gaur. They carried 

 on a system of plunder and piracy which would have disgraced even the buccaneers 

 of the West Indies, the desolate state of the Sundarbans, now the abode of alligators 

 and tigers, but once affording a residence to an industrious and numerous popula- 

 tion, bear witness to the depredations of the Portuguese. 



4 B 



