142 W. Irvine —Guru Gobind Siggh and Bandah. [Xo. 3, 
On the 23rd Rabl‘ II, 1123 (9th Jnne, 1711) Hamid Khan, Baha¬ 
dur, returned to head-quarters, then at Hushyarpur, and at the same 
time it was reported that ‘Ise Khan, Ma,rn, had indicted a severe de¬ 
feat on the Sikhs. As the victor was a protege of the eldest Prince, 
Jahandar Shah, that Prince received robes of honour as a compliment 
for the victory. Five days later (28th Rabi ‘II, 1123 (14th June, 1711), 
Muhammad Amin Khan, Chin, and Rustam Dil Khan, wrote that, near 
Parsur (or Parsaror), they had also defeated the Guru, who had fled 
without any followers into the hill-country of Jammu. In these oper¬ 
ations against the Sikhs, Rustam Dil Khan is said to have committed 
great excesses against the inhabitants of Kathotha, Barval, 1 and 
other parganahs, seizing many persons on the wrongful accusation 
of being Sikhs, and giving them to his soldiers in lieu of pay. These 
latter sold the poor wretches in the horse-market (Xa khkh asj at 
'Lahor. 2 
Soon, the two commanders, Mohammad Amin Khan and Rustam 
Dil Khan, began to quarrel and send in complaints against each other. 
From this cause the pursuit relaxed. The charge against Rustam Dil 
Khan was that, after he had learnt the Guru’s hiding-place in the hills, 
and had resolved to surround it, the fugitive made overtures of hum¬ 
ble submission, and on several occasions sent large presents of money 
to his pursuer. These presents caused Rustam Dil Khan to delav hi 3 
advance. By this remissness the Guru succeeded in effecting his 
escape. Muhammad Amin Man's story was believed, and Rustam Dil 
Khan was recalled to Lahor. From that time the operations 
slackened. 3 
One account states that Rustam Dil Khan’s offence was leaving 
his troops and returning to Lahor without orders. Whichever is the 
true version, it is certain that on the 19th Rajab, 1123 (1st September, 
1711), Islam Khan, General of Artillery, Mahabbat Khan. Mukhlis Khan 
and Sarbarah Khan, the kotval, were sent to arrest him. He was 
brought in daring the night, seated on the carriage of a field-piece. 
Orders issued to put fetters on his feet and convey him to the citadel 
of Lahor. On his way to prison, a number of men who had suffered 
at his hands, cursed him aud threw dust at him ; but true to his reck¬ 
less character, he was not in the least dejected, and occupied himself in 
interchanging witticisms -with the men in charge of him, who were 
seated on the same elephant. Some of the bystanders shouted out. 
I Kathdtha (in Rachnau Duab, Ain. II, 321) ; Barwal (not traced), 
S Kamwar KLan, 92 ; Qasim, 103. 
3 Warid,125 b . Rustam Dll Khan was the grandson of Allah Wirdi Khap. 
Shahjahani. 
