323 
1878.] W. Irvine— The Bangash JTawdbs of JBarruJchabdd. 
ratta custom, they had asked for an agreement in writing, but this, without 
the Emperor’s leave, Muhammad Khan refused to give. He reported to 
Court that if his orders were to oppose the Mahrattas, the requisite troops 
and money must be sent, and if a settlement was to be made he would act 
accordingly. 
Muhammad Khan now settled for the rainy season of 1732 at Sironj, 
and employed his leisure in writing to Delhi for help. He prophesied that 
the next year the Mahrattas, if not checked, would spread from the banks 
of the Narbada to Akbarabad, Allahabad, and close to the territory of 
Bihar, then would finally turn upon Subah Ajmer. The income of Malwa 
could not provide for the pay of an army. For twenty years he had served 
the Imperial house, but whatever he had saved was all expended. His 
jagirs were in the hands of the Bundelas, and when he was despatched 
to Malwa, the ministers made him swear solemnly that, till the Subah was 
reduced to order, he would make no attempt to recover his jagirs. Mean¬ 
while Jan Nisar Khan, faujdar of Kora, had for three years levied large 
sums from Sahindah, and other parganahs made over in trust to Anandi 
Sangram. Without 40,000 horse and 40,000 foot, order could not be 
established, while he (Muhammad Khan) had not money to pay even two 
thousand horse. He therefore asked for five lakhs of rupees a month, a 
strong Mughul force, and contingents from the friendly Rajahs. The 
Mahrattas had four or five armies stationed at five or six marches from 
each other, and a similar disposition ought to be made of the Imperial 
forces. If his word be doubted, and his reports be held long-winded and 
exaggerated, he begs that some one else be deputed, whose reports are 
trusted and “ who can abbreviate this lengthiness,” and he (Muhammad 
Khan) would willingly serve under him. There were of old seven Sultans 
in the Dakhin, but former sovereigns overcame them. In comparison, 
what an easy task it would be to get rid of “ this set of thieves” from one 
corner of that country, if His Majesty would leave Shahjahanabad and 
bring an army to Malwa. If things went on much longer as they were, 
the disturbance would soon extend to Hindustan. How much better it 
would be, then, to resist the encroachment at once. 
“ Sar-i-chashma bdyad giriftan ba-mil , 
“ Chu pur shud, na bdyad guzashtan ba pilT 
Instead of sending any help, letters from Court were now sent to va¬ 
rious zamindars, hinting that a new nazim was about to be appointed. 
They should therefore await his arrival instead of joining Muhammad 
Khan. Similar letters of encouragement had been forwarded to the Mah¬ 
rattas. Nizam-ul-Mulk, although appealed to, made no sign ; and then 
other efforts were made to obtain help from a distance. By a parwanah of 
the 20th Ramzan, in the 14th year (6th March, 1732), the Nawab sent 
T T 
