1854.] A Sketch of the Mahomedan History of Cashmere. 425 



him and put his eyes out. Many stories are related of the prowess 

 and gigantic strength of this brave chief, amongst others of his 

 shooting an arrow two koss ; to this day it is said the pillars raised 

 to commemorate the deed are to he seen ; he is also said, whilst at 

 the court of Delhi, to have arrested the progress of an elephant by 

 seizing the animal's tail! There is doubtless exaggeration here, but 

 the Chukk tribe generally seem to have been endowed with a 

 physique beyond the ordinary run of men, and, as before stated, 

 (page 420). Cashmere superstition attributed their extraordinary 

 strength and stature to a supposed descent from a "serpent god." 



As before related, Iiubbeeb Khan (A. D. 1552,) was at this time 

 king of Cashmere, but appears to have been a man of little capacity. 



Gazie Khan gradually acquired popularity, till at length the 

 king, having one day disgusted all present by some act of folly in 

 open Court, his crown was snatched from his head by Allie Khan, 

 brother of Gazie Khan, to whom Allie presented it ; and, that chief 

 being hailed as king with acclamation, Hubbeeb Khan was forced 

 to resign power. During this reign, notwithstanding the king's 

 feeble character, many of the tributary provinces which had been 

 wrested from the crown of Cashmere, were recovered by his 

 armies. Meantime the blinded Dowlut Chukk, together with the 

 chiefs of the tribe of Eeigna, had proceeded to Delhi, A. D. 1555, 

 to crave the assistance of the Emperor Humaioon who had lately 

 regained his throne and was then at that city. He, however, hap- 

 pened to be killed the very day of their arrival by a fall from his 

 palace wall. Thus disappointed, the Eeigna entered into an alliance 

 with a certain Ameer of Kashgur, who was at this time at the court 

 of Delhi, and with his aid raised an army for the invasion of Cash- 

 mere ; with that purpose, advancing as far as Kuspa, there 

 encountered the enemy. A great battle ensued, which lasted two 

 days ; the first day's fighting, although indecisive, was so far favour- 

 able to the Chukks, that the Eeigna considered it proper to send 

 his ally off the field, but he himself renewed the battle the following 

 day; he was however taken prisoner, and put to death by the 

 victorious Gazie Khan : 4,000 men were killed on both sides in 

 this battle. 



Two years after this battle the king put down (A. D. 1557,) 



3 L 



