1858.] Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. 387 



From the present meagre account, the encounter does not seem 

 to have been very bloody, in fact it seemed to be more an arrange- 

 ment between themselves. 



Messengers of distinction have been passing from the Shassan 

 Court to Tarkund, holding secret conferences with the Thannadar at 

 Leh, the meaning of which did not transpire. I am sorry to tell 

 you that no news whatever has been received of Mr. Schlagintweit 

 or the man Mahomed Amin who conducted him to that country. 

 The news formerly being, that Mr. Schlagintweit had identified 

 himself with the Indijan party, which party has been conquered by 

 the Chinese, would place him in an awkward position, and as he would 

 have been unable to pass the Chinese posts to return to Leh, he 

 would have, of necessity, been obliged to retire with the beaten 

 army towards Kohkan." 



Delhi Gazette, July 17, 1858. 



No. 3. — A merchant named Nasir Khan, came to Hindoostan 

 about two years ago nominally on a pilgrimage to Mecca, where he 

 proceeded. He returned at the beginning of the hot weather to 

 Sultanpore in Kulu, where he took up his residence, some of his 

 people joining him from Bombay, and others via Calcutta. He has 

 remained several months in Kulu, and was narrowly watched by 

 Major Hay, who was of opinion that he had other motives than 

 those of trade. 



Being anxious apparently to return to Tarkund, and wishing to 

 know the exact state of that country, he paid a man 15 Rupees to 

 proceed to Ladak before the passes were considered fairly opened. 

 About a fortnight ago, this messenger brought him a letter inform- 

 ing him that the Chinese force had driven back the troops of Indijan, 

 which attacked Yarkund last year when they were ill prepared for 

 resistance ; nor are the Chinese of Tarkund allowed to assemble 

 troops without orders from Pekin. However, the important portion 

 of my story as regards Runbeer Singh is to come. This letter stat- 

 ed that 200 of the rebel sepoys fully armed had been allowed to pass 

 through the Kashmir territory, and had actually arrived in Tar- 

 kund ! ! Nasir Khan is a Patthan, and communicated this to the 

 Native Officer of the guard of the detachment of the Police corps 

 now stationed at Sultanpore. 



