The Sikhs and Afghans, in connexion with the India and Persia, immediately before and after the death of Ranjeet Singh: from the journal of an expedition to Kabul through the Panjab and the Khaibar Pass online

/////,' >/yo-J ^/ /ly/r./ ,/ti/i)



c/f >////sj s~ .xy /



VS "'"// M







3



THE

SIKHS AND AFGHANS,

IN CONNEXION WITH INDIA AND PERSIA,

IMMEDIATELY BEFORE AND AFTER THE DEATH
OF

RANJEET SINGH.



THE



SIKHS AND AFGHANS,



IN CONNEXION WITH INDIA AND PERSIA



IMMEDIATELY BEFORE AND AFTER THE DEATH
OF

RANJEET SINGH:

FROM THE

JOURNAL OF AN EXPEDITION TO KABUL, THROUGH THE
PANJAB AND THE KHAIBAR PASS.



BY SHAHAMAT ALT:

M

PERSIAN SECRETARY WITH THE MISSION OF LIEUT. COL. SIR C. M. WADE, C.B.

TO PESHAWR IN 1839, AND NOW MIR MUNSHI TO THE

POLITICAL RESIDENT IN MALWA.



LONDON:
JOHN MURRAY, ALBEMARLE STREET.

1847.



... .



* r • •• . .. •









■•■■









London : Printed bv W. Clowes and Sons, Stamford Street.



PREFACE



Being a stranger to the English people, and
their language one foreign to my own, it may
be expected that I should give some account
of myself, the source to which I am indebted
for the little knowledge I possess, and the
motives which have encouraged me to publish
my Journal.

I owe my education to the benevolence of
the British Government in restoring, for the
benefit of Indian youths in Delhi and the
neighbouring provinces, the College founded
in the time of the Mogul emperors, which had
shared the fate of other public establishments
in that city on the decline of their empire.

On the 20th of October, 1832, Mr. J. H.
Taylor, the secretary to the Committee which
superintended the affairs of the college, sent
for me, and said that an application had been
received from Captain, now Sir C. M. Wade,

513259



VI PREFACE.

and then political agent at Lodiana, for one of
the students who understood both English and
Persian; and that in consultation with Mr.
C. E. Trevelyan, who was then secretary to
the Resident at Delhi, and one of the greatest
friends and patrons of the Institution,* I had
been selected as a candidate for employment.
As I was desirous, however, of prosecuting my
English studies, I hesitated to accept the offer :
but being assured by Mr. Taylor, who like a
kind friend was deeply interested in our wel-
fare, that the situation I was to fill would be
highly beneficial to my worldly interests ; and
at the same time, that if I were resolved to
continue the study of English still further, I
should find time tcf do so, and improve my
mind by reading the most approved authors ;
I willingly agreed, and have often gratefully
remembered the advice of my respected patrons
and the paternal kindness with which I was
treated by them. I accordingly left the school
on the 30th of the same month, to join the

* Appointed on his return to England, in 1839, Joint
Secretary to the Treasury.



PREFACE. Vll

Captain at Lodiana, who was then preparing
to proceed on a mission to the courts of Lahore
and Bhawlpore to form treaties with those
states for opening the navigation of the Sat-
ledge and Indus, in pursuance of the Mission of
Lieutenant-Colonel, now Sir Henry Pottinger,
to Sindh, who had shortly before visited the
Amirs for the same purpose.

Before leaving school, I will briefly state
the cause of its restoration and its progress
since it became an English institution.

The British government, which had long
been anxious to extend the benefits of educa-
tion to its subjects, resolved in 1823 to restore
the Mahomedan College in its original form,
which continued till the arrival of Mr. Tre-
velyan, in 1827, who established in it an
English class, which my friend Mohan Lai
and myself were the first to join. Some
months after his plan was enlarged, and to-
wards the end of Earl Amherst's Government
(the first Governor- General who visited the
Imperial City and saw the state of the college),
on the recommendation of the Committee, it



Vlil PREFACE.

was formed into a separate institution, now
known as "The Delhi English College." The
Committee was composed at that time of Mr.,
now Sir Thomas, Metcalfe, Dr. Rankin, and
Mr. Trevelyan. Instruction in English was
then confined to the schools in Calcutta and
its vicinity. Assisted by the late Mr. Andrew
Stirling, then Persian Secretary to Govern-
ment, it is to these gentlemen that we owe the
facilities of learning their language and the
important privileges which it has conferred on
our country.

A selection of such of the Persian scholars
as were desirous of learning English was then
made from the Persian class : some boys from
the city also applied and were admitted. Mr.
Rennell, an East Indian, was appointed as
teacher in the infancy of the school. No
sooner had it commenced than the Molvies, or
Mahomedan professors in the Persian and
Arabic college, either from jealousy or from
the excess of their prejudice, declared that, by
beginning to receive an English education, we
had lost our creed ; and all the Mussulmans re-



PREFACE. IX



garded us as infidels, and abstained from eating
and drinking with us. The consequence was,
that the Mahomedan boys, with the exception
of a youth named Hadi Hussein, myself, and
one or two others, left the English and re-
turned to the Persian school, and were imme-
diately readmitted into their caste, while we
continued for some time to be considered in
the light of Kafirs. At length, one day Mr.
Trevelyan asked the Molvies the reason of the
Mahomedan scholars having been excluded
from their faith. They could give no good
cause for it, and confessed that the study
of English was not prohibited by the Maho-
medan religion ; on which Mr. Trevelyan sug-
gested that we should be readmitted, to which
they agreed without any objection, and we were
again made Mussulmans in the superstitious
and self- founded opinion of the Molvies. This
was the only obstacle the school met with.
Afterwards the number of students was much
increased, and instruction in English diffused
on a more extensive scale than before. Mr. F.
Taylor, the son of Mr. J. H. Taylor, a person of



X PREFACE.

superior talents and learning, was appointed
the head teacher, while the scholars of the first
class acted as assistant teachers to instruct the
junior classes, being then only ten in number
altogether. There were six lads in the first
class, and they stood in gradation as follows : —

1st. Ram Kishan, a very clever and intelli-
gent scholar.

2nd. Myself.

3rd. Sheoparshad.

4th. Mohan Lai.

5th. Jawahir Lai.

6th. Hadi Hussein.

In the year 1831 my friend Mohan Lai was
taken away from the school by Lieutenant,
the late Sir Alexander Burnes, to accom-
pany him on his journey to Afghanistan,
Bokhara, and Persia. He had left the school
ten months before I quitted it in the manner I
have mentioned. Our schoolfellows, seeing us
depart to seek our fortunes in the world, were
ambitious of following us; and the kind patrons
whom I have named soon found opportunities
of providing for them.



PREFACE. XI

Before I left the school I had — besides
the rudimental books in ancient history, viz.
the Histories of Greece and Rome, and the
History of England, by Goldsmith — gone
through four books of Euclid, an Abridgment
of Arithmetic, Keith's Use of the Globes,
and Guy's Geography. The above formed the
whole stock of my instruction in the English
language, and with it I departed from the
school, with little confidence that I could be of
much use in that branch of my duty to the
officer who was about to employ me. On my
arrival at Lodiana, I found Sir Claude Wade
had already started, and I therefore hastened
through the Panjab to join him at Pind Daden
Khan, near the Salt Mines on the river Jehlam,
where he was encamped with Ranjeet Singh.
The first thing he ordered me to do was to
keep a regular diary of every place we visited,
and to note down events of importance. Thus
I not only improved myself in English, but
acquired a habit of writing a journal, and con-
tinued the practice in the various Missions on
which that officer was employed.



Xll PREFACE.

In 1837-8 I was deputed on a special duty
to Lahore, to convey some presents, and explain
the settlement of some local cases in dispute
between the two governments, on which occa-
sion I had the honour of receiving the appro-
bation of the Right Honourable the Governor-
General, Lord Auckland, for the reports I
submitted of my communications with the
Maharaja, and their satisfactory result.
, Shortly afterwards I accompanied my master
in the military expedition on which he was
sent to conduct Shah Zada Taimur, the eldest
son of Shah Shuja-ul-Mulk, with the Sikh
auxiliary force, by the Khaibar Pass to Kabul.
On that occasion I also kept a journal, which
I have been allowed to correct by comparing it
with that of Lieutenant (now Captain) J. D.
Cunningham, of the Bengal Engineers, who
kindly lent me his for that purpose, and
took much interest in encouraging me in my
studies. It is necessary to remind the reader
that the following pages having been mostly
written before the death of Ranjeet Singh, the
description of his court and its officers is no



PKEFACE. Xlll

longer applicable ; but the mode in which
he conducted his administration, and the
increasing importance of passing events in
that quarter, have suggested their publication.
It is the misfortune of India, the conquest of
which has been termed "the brightest jewel in
the English crown/' that it should be so little
known by the distant nation which governs
its millions of fellow-subjects. I hope, for the
sake of my country, that their interests may
hereafter be better understood, and more truly
estimated. After giving these personal de-
tails, I can only express a hope that my imper-
fections will be pardoned; and that, having
long wished to visit England, I may venture
to offer the humble tribute of my pen as a
passport to the indulgence of the English,
should I ever be permitted to visit their great
country ; and as a token of gratitude to those
who have enabled me to write in their lan-
guage, and assisted me through life by their
countenance and favour.



CONTENTS.



CHAPTER I.

PAGE

The Satledge — The Governor-General visits Ranjeet
Singh at Lahore — Makes a Convention with him —
Reviews — Various Festivities — Shah ZadaTaimur
takes leave of Lord Auckland — Sir Claude Wade's
Preparations for Departure — His Mission takes
leave — Ill-health of the Maharaja — His Avarice —
The Shah Zada is joined by some Afghan Nobles
from the service of Sultan Mahomed Khan, the ex-
chief of Peshawr ...... 1



CHAPTER II.

The Government of Lahore — Mode of conducting
business — System of Administration — Habits of the
Maharaja — The Darbar — Disposition of the various
Officers of the Maharaja's Court — Governors of
Provinces — Revenue of the Maharaja's Dominions —
Strength, Organization, and Expense of his Army 14

b



XVI CONTENTS.



CHAPTER III.

PAGE

The Ministers and other Officers of State, with a de-
scription of them — Raja Dhian Singh — Jemadar
Khoshal Singh — Bhaes Rham Singh, Govind Singh,
and Gormukh Singh — Faqir Azizuddin and his
brothers — Misser Beli Ram — Diwan Dinanath . 26



CHAPTER IV.

The rise of Khoshal Singh — His humble position in
early Life — He enters the Army— Embraces the
Sikh Faith — Supplants Bastee Ram in the charge
of the Deodkee — Quarrels with Misser Diwan
Chand — His nephew, Teij Singh — His son, Ram
Singh — Residences of the family — Places held by
Khoshal Singh 38



CHAPTER V.

Passage of the Ravi — Nangal — Difficulties encoun-
tered by the Mission- — Nanake — Gujranwala, the
birthplace of Ranjeet Singh — Hari Singh — He is
defeated and killed at Jamrud by Mahomed Akbar
Khan — Ranjeet Singh resumes the whole of his
Jaghir — Colony of Kashmirians — General Avitabile
— His improvements at Vazirabad — Distant view
of the Himmalaya . . . . .46



CONTENTS. XV11



CHAPTER VI.

PAGE

A Panjabee Ferry — Gujrat— The adjacent country —
Khawaspura — Kharian — Death of General Allard
—Honours paid to his corpse by the troops at-
tached to the Mission — His funeral — Delay of the
Mission at Aurangabad — Order of march — Mr.
Lord — Letters to Ranjeet Singh — Salt Mines . 60



CHAPTER VII.

The Jammoo Family — Horrible treachery perpetrated
by them — They found a town — They increase
in wealth and power — Another dreadful tragedy —
Various Chiefs of this family — Rise of the Sikhs
— Youth of Ranjeet Singh — Anarchy — He an-
nexes Jammoo to his Dominions — Rapid rise of
Golab Singh — Raja Sultan Khan of Bhimber —
Conquest of Kashmir — Jaghirs . . .75



CHAPTER VIII.

Crossing the River Jehlam — The town of that name
— Its Revenue and Population — Cultivation of the
adjacent country — Timber — Boats used on the River
— Coins and other Antiquities discovered by Gene- ,
rals Ventura and Court — Application to Ranjeet
Singh for expediting the progress of the Mission . 107



XV111 CONTENTS.

CHAPTER IX.

PAGE

Fort of Rohtas — Anecdotes— The people of Kamla-
garh — A halt — News from Kabul — The Pass of
Bakrala — Freebooters — The Festival of the Eed —
Ruins — The Ghakars — Letter to Ranjeet Singh —
Rawat Kee Sarae— Its Antiquities — Manakiala —
Researches of General Ventura — The Sohan —
Rawelpindee — Gardens of Jahanghir — Traditions
— Afghans in the hills — The Indus — Plan of the
Operations of Lieut. Mackeson and Mr. Lord . 116

CHAPTER X.

Akora — The Khataks — Firoz Khan — His battles with
the Sikhs — Sayed Bahauddin seized by Akbar Khan
—State of Kabul — Pabhi — The Momands — River
Bara — Irrigation — Superstition of the people —
Machni — A Flood — A Robbery — Retinue of the
Shah Zada — Duplicity of the Court of Lahore
—Ill-health of the Maharaja — The Khaibar Chiefs
— Assistance afforded by General Avitabile — Pir
Mahomed Khan — An overture from Nawab Jabbar
Khan— Tura Baz Khan— State of Kabul . .187

CHAPTER XL

News from Herat — Remissness of the Sikh Authori-
ties — A Darbar — Movements of Dost Mahomed —
The Khaibaris— Delays of the Sikhs—The Kha-
taks — Review of the Sikh Troops — Further Delays
—Arrival of the Sikh Army — It halts at Attok —
Force at Kabul — Excessive Heat— The Shah Zada
at Peshawr ........ 227



CONTENTS. XIX

CHAPTER XII.

PAGE

Description of Peshawr — Taken from the Afghans
by the Sikhs — Its Climate — Productions — Popu-
lation — The Usafzaes — The Khalils — Revenue —
Administration of General Avitabile — Hatred of
the Mussulman population to their Sikh Rulers —
Manufactures ...... 258

CHAPTER XIII.

Distress of the Najibs — A Review — The Khaibaris —
Sultan Mahomed Khan — A Skirmish — Measures
of Akbar Khan — General Ventura — The Khaibar
Pass — State of Kabul — Defeat of Tura Baz Khan
— Kour Nao Nihal Singh — The Mahomedan Con-
tingent — A Meeting — Proclamation of Akbar
Khan — The Amir's Family removed from Kabul . 282

CHAPTER XIV.

Preparations for advancing — Supply of Water stopped
— Stockades erected — General Sickness — Death of
Ranjeet Singh — Skirmishing near the Pass — Ac-
tion with Sadat Khan — An Affray between the
Mussulmans and Sikhs near Jamrud — Return of
Sir C. Wade — His Force — Ill-feeling of the
Sikhs to the British Power — Enemies to be en-
countered ....... 365



XX CONTENTS.



CHAPTER XV.

PAGE

March to Jubbagee — The Force is divided — View of
Ali Masjid — Gallantry of Lieut. Mackeson — An
Attack — Conduct of the Levies — Skirmishing —
Ali Masjid captured — Illness of Lieut. Barr —
Further Preparations for advancing — Dhaka —
Order issued by Sir C. Wade . . . .387

CHAPTER XVI.

The Seven Wells — Shah Zada Jamhur rejoins the
Mission — Sadat Khan refuses to submit — Lalpura
is taken — Rewards to the Troops — Flight of Dost
Mahomed and Akbar Khan — Arrangements for
securing the Khaibar Pass — Official intelligence
received of the capture of Ghazni . . . 415

CHAPTER XVII.

Hazarnao — Order of March — Pillaging of the Sikh
troops — Jalalabad — Reception of the Prince there
— Stores left behind by Akbar Khan — Intrigues of
Raja Golab Singh — Chaharbagh — Tatang — Gan-
damak — Guns and Camp Equipage of Akbar Khan
taken — Jagdalak — Rash Measures of the Shah's
Government — Pass of Khurd Kabul— Troops pa-
raded previous to entering Kabul . . .431



CONTENTS. XXI



CHAPTER XVIII.

PAGE

The Shah Zada arrives at Kabul— The City—State
of the Country — Murder of Colonel Herring —
Misconduct of the Shah — Order of Merit — An
Execution — Sir C. Wade takes leave of the Shah
and of the Prince ...... 473



CHAPTER XIX.

Departure from Kabul — Correspondence with the
Ghilzae Chiefs — Adventures of Shah Zada Maho-
med Saleh — Murder of Sirdar Cheit Singh — Com -
munication with Sadat Khan — Ill-health of the
troops at Ali Masjid — Return to Peshawr — Sir C.
Wade takes leave of the Sikh troops — Outbreak of
the Khaibaris ...... 504



CHAPTER XX.

The Khaibaris attack Lala China — Imminent Peril of
Captain Ferris— Supplies to Ali Masjid — The Sikhs
attacked by the Afridis — Further operations against
the Khaibaris — Little confidence to be placed in
the Sikh troops — Skirmishing near Lala China —
Baggage abandoned — Departure from Peshawr . 530



XXI 1 CONTENTS.



CHAPTER XXI.

PAGE

Our arrival at Lahore — Miserable condition of the
Maharaja Kharak Singh — He attempts to fly to the
British Frontier, but is overtaken and forced to re-
turn — Intrigues at the Court of Lahore — Tomb of
Ranjeet Singh — The Sikh Escort dismissed — Order
issued by the Governor-General relative to the
Operations of the Mission — Conclusion . . 543



JOURNAL



SHAHAMAT ALL



Chapter I.



The Satledge — The Governor-General visits Ranjeet
Singh at Lahore — Makes a treaty with him— Reviews
— Various festivities — The Shah Zada takes leave of

- Lord Auckland — Preparations for departure — The
Mission takes leave — Ill-health of the Maharaja — His
avarice — The Shah Zada is joined by some Afghan
Khawanin from the service of Sultan Mahomed Khan.

The Governor- General of India (the Earl of
Auckland), after meeting Maharaja Ranjeet
Singh at Firozpore, where the army of the
Indus had been assembled preparatory to its
departure for Afghanistan, was specially in-
vited by his Highness to accompany him on
a visit to Lahore via Amritsir. His Lordship
and suite, attended by a large escort,* accord-

* Consisting of a European troop of horse artillery,
one regiment of native cavalry, and two battalions of
native infantry,

B






THE SATLEDGE.



ingly crossed the river below Firozpore, by a
bridge of boats on the 16th of December, 1838.
Before, however, I proceed with his Lordship
on his tour to Amritsir and Lahore, a brief
account of the ferries and the nature of the
river Satledge will be desirable.

The river Satledge is nowhere safely fordable
between its confluence with the Bias and Fi-
rozpore ; but last year a ford was found below
Mamdot : it was used, however, with extreme
difficulty and danger, on account of its quaggy
bed. About forty-seven years ago it is related
that a party of Kasoor troops, on an urgent
occasion, forded the river near the village * of
Nalcha, six kos below Firozpore. It is a com-
mon opinion among the natives that the
Satledge is never fordable ; but I learn from
authentic sources that it is very erroneous, and
that the river can be crossed by fords every
year in many places above Harikee ; but it is
difficult to ascertain them with accuracy, as
their discovery would materially affect the
interests of the boatmen, who, being the only
persons having a knowledge of them, try their



FERRIES AND BOATS. d

best to conceal the fact. I have been told by a
native of Harikee that the Satledge becomes
fordable at a place a little distance below that
ferry ; but, as the river is liable to very great
changes in its course, it is not probable that
the ford can be always found in the same spot.
The ferries between Harikee and Firozpore
are as follows : —

Harikee, Nagarka,

Bhao, Bara,

Asyake, Bareke.

Pallee,
Above the confluence of the two rivers, as
far as Roper, there are numerous ferries, of
which Talwend, Filore, and Tihara, are the
principal. The boats are of a peculiar con-
struction, very flat and shallow, rising to a
point at the stern, and quite square at the other
end (forming in shape an acute angle), but they
are well calculated for the use to which they
are applied ; they are moved across the river
by poles, and are not suited to any other
kind of navigation.

In his progress to Lahore, as well as during

b2



4 LORD AUCKLAND AT LAHORE.

the Governor-General's presence at that place,
the Maharaja showed him every attention
due to the dignity of his exalted station. Lord
Auckland was the first of the British Indian
Governors who had stepped as a friend in the
Panjab. After visiting Amritsir, where he
was entertained in a style by the Maharaja
worthy of the magnificence of the Sikh court,
and amused by the sight of their holy temple,
which was illuminated for the occasion, and saw
the famous fortress of Govindgarh where his
treasures are kept, his Lordship, accompanied
by his host, went to Lahore. On encamping
near the celebrated gardens of Shalamar he
was again entertained by Ranjeet Singh, and
conducted thither by his son Kour Kharak
Singh about an hour before dusk. The gardens
were illuminated in a grand style, and the
fountains playing freely, and fireworks let off,
which produced a very interesting scene, and
highly gratified the party.

The following morning, the 21st of Decem-
ber, the camp moved to Lahore and pitched
to the west of the city between the river and



A REVIEW. O

the fort, on a fine green plain across a
branch of the Ravi, on one side of which are
some hunting preserves, and on the other a
succession of gardens belonging to the Ma-
haraja or his courtiers, where he inspects his
troops and passes much of his time when stay-
ing at Lahore. Accompanying each other, the
Governor-General and his Highness, on their
way to the camp, passed through the city, and
while his Lordship remained at Lahore his
time was employed as follows : —

On the evening of the 22nd of December
was a review of the Sowars, composed of the
Maharaja's own household, irregular cavalry,
and the contingents of his relatives Sirdars
Atr Singh and Ajit Singh, Sindhanwalia. In
the course of the interview a reference was made
to Sultan Mahomed Khan, who had been in-
troduced to Lord Auckland the night before,
regarding the force of his brother Dost Ma-
homed Khan and the other members of the
Barakzai family at Candahar. Ranjeet Singh
then spoke of the anxiety of his people to have
the conditions relative to the return of the



6 TREATY WITH RANJEET SINGH.

army through the Panjab settled, that nothing
might remain to be discussed or explained
when the time came. These conditions were,
First, not to permit the slaughter of kine.
Second, not to allow the present to be a pre-
cedent for the future passage of the British
troops through the Sikh country. Third, that
the usual marks of respect and consideration
to his government should be observed on the
part of the British army.

23rd. — The Governor-General, in company
with the Honourable the Misses Eden, in the
afternoon, went to see the tombs of Jahangir
and the famous Noor Mahal, across the Ravi.
He was attended by Kour Sher Singh. Dur-
ing the absence of his Lordship the gentlemen
of his suite paid a visit of ceremony to Kour
Kharak Singh.

24th. — About 9 a.m. the contingents of Raja
Hira Singh, Raja Golab Singh, and Raja
Seocheit Singh, were paraded for inspection,
and appeared a fine body of feudal cavalry.
In the evening a review of Sultan Mahomed
Khan's contingent took place, which, consisting



ENTERTAINMENTS. 7

of Afghans, formed a novel sight when con-
trasted with the showy dresses and martial air of
the others. Though he has dispossessed him
of authority in Peshawr, the Maharaja has
found it prudent to keep Sultan Mahomed
Khan and his brothers in that territory, by
conferring large jaghirs on them in lieu of
military service. After these reviews Lord
Auckland and his host conferred privately
together.

25th, — Christmas day, passed in camp. In