1845.] a History of Sindh. 97 



bitants. He also in the same way subdued Barhamanabad ; they 

 say that one day Mahamed Cassim was sitting, when an assemblage 



„, „ , . of Brahmins, about 1,000 in number with their 



The Brahmins repre- ' » 



sent their claims to heads and faces shaven, came into the camp. On 



follow their religious 



customs : the same enquiring their case, he learnt that they were 



mourning for their chiefs as is their custom. Hav- 

 ing called them, on the advice of Sadi the wife of Dahir, he sent 

 them all as formerly to be collectors in the districts. In their helpless- 

 ness they represented that they were a class of idol worshippers, and 

 belonged to idol temples : " Now we have accepted obedience to you, and 

 acknowledge our amenability to tribute, you must give us leave to 

 erect our places of worship elsewhere, and to pray for the prosperity 

 of the Khalif." Mahamed Cassim, after having represented the case to 

 Hijjaj, who reported it to the Khalif, gave the permission required, 

 that they should act according to the usages of their ancient faith. 

 He then ordered that, to distinguish them from other Hindoos, they 

 should carry in their hands a small vessel of grain as mendicants, and 

 should beg from door to door every morning. This custom still re- 

 mains, and all the Brahmins carry the khulsal. 



It is related, that when Hijjaj heard of the conquest of the fort of 

 Sikundar and Barhamanabad, he wrote to Mahamed Cassim, " Since 

 by the blessing of the Almighty, Dahir and his country had been 

 taken, you must also take the Capital city ; and not rest satisfied with 

 that, but turn to the east and proceed towards Hind, and by the blessing 

 of the Mahomedan religion it will every where protect the Moslems. 

 On this order, Mahamed Cassim set about the settlement of Alor. 



In the disorder of affairs, news arrived that a son of 

 The sons of Dahir . 



take possession of Alor, Dahir was strong at Alor, having denied the death 

 and deny the death of c n i • j *• *■ . ■ i i 



Dahir. °* Dahir, and reporting that he was only lost 



from his troops, and had gone towards Hindostan 



whence he would soon arrive with an army and take revenge. So 



implicitly did he believe this, that whoever mentioned the killing of 



his father to him, was destroyed. Thus few alluded to the subject in 



his presence. He called to him his brothers Jaisisih and Wukiah, 



who in the tumult of affairs had been dispersed. Bin Cassim proceeded 



in that direction, and besieged the fort of Alor ; he sent Sadi the wife 



of Dahir to the gate of the fort, in order that she might explain the 



