1879.]  W. Irvine—The Bangash Nawabs of Furrukhabad. 57 
equally drunk, replied that all this talk was flatly contradicted by his 
acts, which were directly opposed to the Shastras. Naval Rae asserted that 
up to that day he had done no act forbidden by the Dharm-Shastra, Sahib 
Rae said— What direction of the Dharm-Shastra is this then, by which 
“you vex poor innocent women, if this is sanctioned by the words of any 
“saint or sage, then quote the passage.” Naval Rae denied that he had 
injured any woman. Sahib Rae at once seized the opportunity and said, 
“To-day I saw a woman in prison said to be a Pathani, I have heard she 
“has done no harm; where, then, are your pious pretensions, you who have 
“a woman and a widow in your custody. Even admitting she is guilty, 
“you are now in full and peaceable occupation of this territory, and keep- 
“ing the widow is quite unnecessary.” Naval Rae at the time thought 
this reasoning just, and, it being then midnight, he told Sahib Rae to go and 
release her. Sahib Rae replied that without an order in writing her guards 
would not let hergo. Then Naval Rae, stupified as he was, attached his seal 
to an order of release. Sahib Rade hurried to the entrance gate, showed the 
order to the sentries and gave them some money. He then urged the Bibi 
Sahiba to lose not a moment, and she getting out her bullock rath started at 
once. They made such good speed that they reached Mau, a distance of 
sixty-one miles, in the space of nine hours, and when they got there one of 
the bullocks dropped down dead. At Kannauj, when morning broke, Sahib 
Rae forestalled every one by enquiring from Naval Rae whether during the 
night he had ordered the release of the Bibi Sahiba or not. When Naval 
Rae replied that he had not done so, Sahib Rae produced the written order. 
He upbraided Sahib Rae for having tricked an old friend, but Sahib Rade 
retorted that he placed his duty to his salt before friendship. Naval Rae 
ordered him out of his presence and despatched five hundred horsemen to 
bring back the Pathani, They rode as far as Nabiganj and the Kali river, 
but did not find her. The Kayath then wrote to the Wazir an account of 
her escape in which he screened himself as best he could.* 
The oppressions of Naval Rae’s subordinates proceeded beyond all 
bounds, and the Afghans began to concert together measures of resis- 
tance. A final outrage goaded them into revolt. One day a woman took 
some thread to the bazar for sale; and a Hindu in the service of Naval 
Rae bought and paid for it. The woman took the money and spent it. A 
month afterwards the purchaser brought back the thread and wished to 
return it, The woman said she could not give back the price, nor was it 
the custom to give things back after a month. The Hindu used abusive 
* Life of H. R. R. pp. 36, 37. The last part of p. 36, and top of p. 37, is all 
wrong. Naval Rae did not necd to pass through Mau, nor was he waylaid at three 
kos from that place. 
H 
