1879.] W. Irvine—The Bangash Nuwabs of Furrukhabdad. 105 
week, and no means could be found of crossing the river, and the food 
which the troops had brought with them was nearly exhausted, the Rohela 
leaders represented the state of affairs to Nawab Ahmad Khan. He asked 
what they thought of doing. Hafiz Rahmat Khan then told him that 
during the night a letter to Sa’dullah Khan had been received from Najib 
Khan, to the effect that he would arrive shortly with reinforcements. He 
was advancing down the opposite or right bank of the Ganges. This being 
the case, they thought it best to march and encamp themselves near Stiraj- 
pur, a ferry in Parganah Kampil, some thirty miles or more above Far- 
rukhabad, and forty-two miles from Singhiramptir. There they could 
collect boats, and then crossing the river they could join with Najib Khan 
in making a forced march against Mulhar Rao, who had at the moment 
only a small force. Time must not, however, be given to repair the broken 
bridge. Therefore, on marchiny, they would give out that they were retreat- 
ing to their own bridge over the Ram Ganga, to replenish their stores of 
grain ; and that having obtained fresh supplies, they would at once re-occu- 
py their old position and renew hostilities. Nawab Ahmad Khan consent- 
ed and they marched. The Mahrattas kept up a distant fire as they march- 
ed off, but they made no attempt to follow. 
Meanwhile the Wazir, who had heard of the Afghans’ attempt, hur- 
ried back and crossing at Mahndi ghat in parganah Kannauj, forty miles 
below Farrukhabad, rejoined Mulhar Rao at Singhiramptr on the 9th 
Muharram 1165 H. (17th November 1751). On his arrival the whole of 
the guns were fired off as a salute, and the sound excited great consterna- 
tion in the Pathin camp. On hearing that the Wazir had arrived, the 
Pathan leaders assembled, and after a discussion it was finally decided to 
march straight to Bangarh in parganah Budaon, ten miles north of Budaor. 
Bazid Khan, commander of the artillery, was sent for and received orders 
to move off with his guns, first firing a salvo from all his pieces. Thes2 
orders were executed and the artillery set out. The change of plan had 
not been communicated to the troops. When they saw the artillery being 
removed, a panic took possession of all except the commanders and other 
principal men. Not a single man kept to his proper place. When the 
leaders saw this, they were much cast down, saying to each other, “ With- 
“ out a battle we have been defeated.’? Nawab Ahmad Khan and his men 
were half a kos distant from Nawab Sa’dullah Khan’s troops, and quite 
ignorant of what had oceurred in the Rohela camp.* 
* Here His4m-ud-din appears to gloss over a defeat which, as is admitted by the 
Rohela account (Life of H. R. K., p. 42), occurred onthe road to Anwalah. The 
Mahrattas, they say, had crossed by Kamrol, which is twenty-eight miles above 
Singhirémpur. Hamilton (p. 109) places the scene of the defeat at Islamnagar, thirty- 
c0) 
