88 
THE ORIENTAL ANNUAL. 
concerning some fort which must have been situated 
hereabouts, but of which the name is not mentioned. 
“ Mohummed Shah,” says this entertaining historian, 
“ happening one day to be marching by a ruined 
hill-fort, inquired its origin, and the cause of its 
neglected fate. Being told that it had been erected 
by an ancient king of Delhi to keep the borderers in 
subjection, the prince halted, and commanded that it 
should be repaired without delay, entrusting the exe- 
cution of his orders to his general Mahmood Gawan. 
This chief made such wonderful exertions, that the 
ordinary work of two years was accomplished in the 
short space of six months, a garrison was established, 
and ample stores of all kinds were laid in for its 
defence. Mohummed Shah, finding the work com- 
pleted in so short a time, exclaimed, c The omni- 
potent Alla hath bountifully conferred upon me two 
incalculable blessings — a great kingdom, and a still 
greater servant !’ Thus saying, he took off his 
upper robes, and bidding Mahmood Gawan receive 
and wear them, he took, in their place, those of the 
fortunate Mahmood Gawan, and put them on his 
own person. No history, perhaps, records an instance 
of so extraordinary an honour conferred by any king 
upon a subject.” This tale, it must be allowed, is, 
at best, a little doubtful in its application, although 
certain it is that great improvements and enlarge- 
ments were made in the place by Mohummed 
Shah, and that after he had subdivided the province 
