sieged; but on paying a large ransom to Qothman Khan Samarkandy, and abandoning the place, be was suffered to return to his own dominions. When Mahomed Ghoory was defeated, one of his officers named Zeeruk escaped from the field, and imagining his master was slain, made his way to Mooltan. Having waited on Ameer Daood Hussun, governor of the province, he told him that he had a private message from the king. Ameer Daood Hussun retired with him into his closet, where the assassin pretending to whisper into his ear, drew a dagger and stabbed him to the heart. He then ran instantly to the court-yard, where he proclaimed aloud, that he had killed the traitor, Ameer Daood, in obedience to the King's command, and producing a false order, and commission, to assume the government, he was acknowledged by the army and the people. The chief of the tribe of mountaineers, called Gukkurs, at this time, hearing that the King was certainly slain, aspired to independence; and collecting in great numbers, advanced towards Lahore, laying waste the country between the rivers Jheelum and Sodra. * Mahomed Ghoory had now obtained permission of the allies to retire unmolested from the fort of Andkhoo, and arrived at Ghizny, where his own slave Yeldooz, having seized on the city, opposed his entrance, which obliged the King to continue his route to Mooltan, Here Zeeruk, who had rebelled against him, also resisted him i * Sodra is a town in the Chunab, where that river is called after it, as if we should say, the London river instead of the Thames. but Mahomed Ghoory being by this time joined by many of his friends, gave him battle, and obtaining a complete victory, took the traitor prisoner. The troops of the borders of India having rallied around him, he marched to Ghizny, and at the entreaties of the citizens forgave his rebel slave, and quietly obtained possession of the place. Mahomed Ghoory now concluded a treaty of peace with the King of Khwaruzm; after which, in order to chastise the Gukkurs, he marched towards India. Kootb-ood-Deen Eibuk, from Dehly, attacked the Gukkurs on the east, while the King engaged them from the west. They were defeated and dispersed; and Lahore being recovered out of their hands, Kootb-ood-Deen Eibuk returned to his government of Dehly. During the residence of Mahomed Ghoory at Lahore, on this occasion, the Gukkurs, who inhabited the country along the banks of the Nilab, up to the foot of the mountains of Sewalik, exercised unheard of cruelties on the Mahomedans, and cut off the communication between the provinces of Pishawur and Mooltan. These Gukkurs were a race of wild barbarians, without either religion or morality. It was a custom among them as soon as a female child was born to carry her to the door of the house, and there proclaim aloud, holding the child in one hand, and a knife in the other, that any person who wanted a wife might now take her, otherwise she was immediately put to death. By this means, they had more men than women, which occasioned the custom of several husbands to one wife. * When this wife was visited by one of her husbands, she left a mark at the doorf, which being observed by any of the other husbands, he withdrew till the signal was taken away. This barbarous people continued to make incursions on the Mahomedans till, in the latter end of this King's reign, their chieftain was converted to the true faith when a captive. After becoming a proselyte he procured his release from the King, who endeavoured to persuade him to convert his followers, and at the same time honoured him with a title and dress, and confirmed him in the title of chief of the mountains. great part of these mountaineers, having very little notion of any religion, were easily induced to adopt the tenets of the true faith, at the same time most of the infidels who inhabited the mountains between Ghizny and the Indus were also converted, some by force and others by persuasion; and at the present day, being 1018 of the Hijra (A.D. 1609), they continue to profess the faith of Islam. A Mahomed Ghoory, having settled the affairs of A. H. 602. *Infanticide appears, therefore, to be an ancient custom among this people. It was, probably, introduced by the Scythian hordes in their emigrations into India. The plurality of husbands is, I believe, now confined to the Indians of the western coast. + In all Asiatic countries, the shoes being left at the door indicate the presence of visitors. Shaban 2. March 14. one of his relations (Buha-ood-Deen), with orders, that when he himself should move towards Toorkistan (which he shortly proposed doing), Buhaood-Deen should march also with all the forces of Bamyan, and encamp on the banks of the Jyhoon (or Oxus), there to await further orders. He was directed, in the mean time, to throw a bridge over that river. But Mahomed Ghoory was destined never to undertake this project; for on the second of Shaban, having reached the village of Rohtuk, on the banks of the Indus, 20 Gukkurs, who had lost some of their relations in the late wars, entered into a conspiracy against the King's life, and sought an opportunity to carry their horrid purpose into effect. The weather being sultry, Mahomed had ordered the screens, which surround the royal tents in the form of a large square, to be struck, in This order to give free admission to the air. afforded the assassins an opportunity of seeing into the sleeping apartments. They found their way up to the tents in the night, and hid themselves, while one of them advanced to the tent-door, but being stopped by a sentry who was about to seize him, he plunged his dagger into his breast. The cries of the dying man roused the guard, who running out to see what was the matter, the other assassins took that opportunity of cutting their way into the King's tent. He was asleep, with two slaves fanning him. These stood petrified with terror, when they beheld the Gukkurs enter, who, without hesitation, sheathed their daggers in the King's body, which was afterwards found to have been pierced by no fewer than 22 wounds. Thus fell Sooltan Moyiz-ood-Deen Mahomed Ghoory, in the year 602, after a reign of 32 years from the commencement of his government over Ghizny, and three from his accession to the throne. The Vizier, Khwaja-ool-Moolk, secured some of the assassins, and put them to a cruel death. Then calling the chiefs together, and having obtained their promise of fidelity in protecting the King's property, which loaded 4000 camels, he prevented the army and the slaves, who had proposed to plunder it, from carrying their scheme into execution. The body was conveyed in mournful pomp towards Ghizny; but when the army reached Pishawur, a contest arose about the succession to the throne. The chiefs of Ghoor claimed it for Baha-oodDeen, the King's cousin, governor of Bamyan, and one of the seven sons of Eiz-ood-Deen Hoossein; while the Vizier and the officers of the Toorky mercenaries espoused the cause of Mahmood, son of the late King, Gheias-ood-Deen, the elder brother of Mahomed Ghoory. The Vizier wished to march by the route of Kirman, where he knew the governor, Taj-ood-Deen Yeldooz, was in the interest of Mahmood, hoping, through his assistance, to secure, at least, the treasure for his own party. The chiefs of Ghoor, on the other hand, insisted on proceeding by the route which lay nearest to Bamyan, that they might the sooner be supported by Baha-ood-Deen. Both parties |