1845.] An account of the Early Abdalees. 459 



On the Beglar-begee hearing of this, he wrote to Sher-khan, request- 

 ing him to send the culprits to Candahar. Sher-khan made excuses, 

 saying, that Beeloches, Kakers, and other migratory tribes inhabited the 

 neighbourhood of the Kojak, and the real depredators were therefore 

 difficult to discover. The Beglar-begee enraged at this, by way of re- 

 prisal, attacked and plundered the Abdalees who inhabited the neigh- 

 bourhood of Candahar. Sher-khan on hearing this collected his tribe, 

 and both parties arranged themselves for hostilities. 



At this time Pishing, Sharabak, Shawl, Harnye, and Mastung were 

 all dependencies of Candahar. On this difference arising, all com- 

 munication between Candahar and these places was stopt ; and on 

 Sher-khan succeeding, which he did, in gaining possession of Shah Safa, 

 a post only nine farsakhs from Candahar, the communication with 

 Kalat-i-Ghiljye, the Ghiljyes, and Hazarahs, was also cut off. 



In this dilemma the Beglar-begee wrote for instructions from his 

 master, the king of Persia, who in reply ordered him to look out for 

 some rival chief in the same tribe and patronize him. 



The Beglar-begee sought out and found Shah Husen-khan, a cousin 

 of Sher-khan, on whom the king of Persia conferred the title of a 

 Prince-royal, viz. Meerza. 



Meerza Shah Husen took up his residence atDeh-i-Shekh, and Sher- 

 khan at Shahr.i-Safa, and thus the first division among the Abdalees 

 took place. The tribe often remonstrated with Shah Husen Meerza, 

 and protested against Mogul interference. As he stoutly denied being 

 under Persian influence, he had adherents in the tribe as well as Sher- 

 khan ; indeed the Abdalees constantly said they did not care which 

 brother they obeyed so long as the Moguls (Persians) did not interfere. 



Jaleel Aleezye was Shah Husen Meerza's right-hand man, and 

 was always deputed by him to Candahar to negotiate with the Beglar- 

 begee. Some years past in this manner. On Jaleel taking his leave 

 after one of his visits to Candahar, the Beglar-begee entrusted hirn 

 with the following message for his master Shah Husen Meerza : 

 " The king of Persia, my master, has honored you by adopting you as 

 his son, and has conferred on you the princely title of Meerza ; you have 

 30 or 40,000 men. I also have a force, and every day fresh orders 

 come from my master for the destruction of Sher- khan's power; believe 

 me, our delaying any longer can only do us harm at court." 



