1 84 8 .] Fragmen ts of the history of Mooltan. 567 



In 1193 H.(A. D. 1779,) the Badshah himself came with great celeri- 

 ty, with a conquering army, and having arrived at the Eedgah* a cannon 

 shot north of Mooltan, directed the city to be besieged. In a short 

 time it fell into his hands. At this time, Sirdar Gunda Singh was at 

 Umritsir, engaged in a controversy with his brethren, consequent on the 

 death of Chunda Singh, so that he had not an opportunity of coming 

 to Mooltan, to afford assistance and recover the place. The Kiladar of 

 Mooltan, having no hopes of aid from the Sirdar, and fearing the fury of 

 the Shah's army, surrendered, and quitted the Fort, having, through 

 means of Abdool Kurreem Khan, an Afghan of the tribe Babur, whose 

 family were in the fort, obtained protection from the Shah for himself 

 and his comrades The Shah, entering the fort, caused his sovereignty 

 to be again proclaimed, and bestowed the Khelut of Soobahdaree on 

 Nawab Mozuffur Khan : with a lakh of rupees for the repair of the fort 

 ar,d city walls, and houses of the people, then marched towards Cabul. 



Thus, the time these Sirdars held possession of Mooltan was from 

 1186 to 1193 H. (A. D. 1772 to 1779.) 



3. — Account of the country on the further side of the river (Sutlej) 

 which continued to be held by the Buhawidpoor government, and other 

 Ddoodpootra chiefs during the supremacy of the rulers of Khorasdn in 

 the Soobah of Mooltan. (The people of the Buhawulpoor Sircar and 

 Ddoodpootra Khans yearly sent the regular payments to the Soobah of 

 Mooltan, and constantly expended money in advances to the cultivators} 

 and in the repair efforts and wells for their own benefit). 



From the f Tuwareekh Abbaseeuh,' and verbal information from old 

 persons well acquainted with the circumstances, its appears that in 

 1159 H. (A. D. 1746,) Maharaja KouraMull, who is well known by the 

 erection of the fort in the Mooltan country, which bears his name,f 



* This appears to be the place which our two unfortunate political officers occu- 

 pied on their recent mission to Mooltan. The description, ' a cannon shot north of 

 Mooltan,' agrees remarkably with circumstances related to have occurred on that 

 occasion. It is stated that after Mr. Vans Agnew was wounded, " Khan Singh con- 

 veyed him towards the Eedgah outside the town, which had been assigned as their 

 residence. Directly they got into the Eedgah, the guns of the place opened on 

 them, and continued firing the whole day. The range however was too long, and 



no damage was done, &c. &c." 



Delhi Gazette, May 3, 1848. 



f Gurh Maharaja, a fort about 28 miles from Mooltan, and 3 from the right 



bank of the Ravee. 



