Page images
PDF
EPUB

HISTORY

OF THE

ROHILLA S.*

IT appears, that about the year 1720, Bifharut Khan, and Daoud Khan, of the tribe of Rohillas, accompanied by a small number of their needy and adventurous countrymen came into Hindoftan in queft of military service. They were first entertained by a Madar Saha, the Hindoo chief of Scrouly,+ who, by robbery and predatory excurfions, maintained a large party of banditti. In the plunder of an adjacent village, Daoud Khan

* This appellation, I have been informed, is derived from Rob, a word in the Afghan language fignifying a hill or mountain; and is the name alfo of a certain tract of territory, the native country of the Rohillas, fituated between Pefhour and Cabul. + A small town in the north-weft quarter of Rohilcund.

captured

captured a youth of the Jatt fect,* whom he adopted, and brought up in the Mahometan faith, by the name of Ali Mahomet; and though he had children born to him in marriage, Daoud Khan diftinguished this boy by pre-eminent marks of parental affection. Madar Saha affigned to the body of Rohillas, which foon increased, certain lands for their maintenance. Goolareah and fome other villages, were given to Bifharut Khan; and Daoud Khan obtained Burneah and Beouly.‡

L

WHILST the Rohillas were yet in this limited state, Shah Alum Khan, an Afghan Mollah, § visited his countrymen in India; and it is said that he had particular claims of friendship on Daoud Khan, being either the adoptive father of that chief, or having afforded him in his youth the means of subsistence. In whatever relation the Mollah ftood to Daoud Khan, it is allowed that he was hofpitably treated at Beouly; and on returning to Afghanistan, was furnished with a fum of money for defraying the expences of his journey. Shah Alum came a fecond time to Kuthair,|| where

This fect, a numerous and powerful one in the northern parts of India, is claffed in the fourth, or Sooder, tribe of the Hindoos.

+ The Rohilla officers who stood next in authority to those chiefs, were Caim Khan, Shadie Khan, Permaul Khan, Sultan Khan, and Azum Khan Dhunghiah.

Villages fituated in the districts of Sullaufee, a divifion of Rohilcund, which lies

40 computed miles to the weftward of Bareily.-See Rennel's map.

§ Mollah is an appellation given to those who are skilled in the religious doctrine and laws of Mahomet.

The original name of a part of Rohilcund, previously to the period of the Rohilla conqueft, and still adopted in the public regifters of the country.

he

he again experienced the generofity of Daoud Khan; but on going. back to his country, he was killed, and his effects were plundered. It has been said, that this affaffination was committed at the instigation of Daoud Khan, in revenge of fome haughty expreffions of the Mollah to that chief. I have been wholly prompted to make this mention of Alum Khan, from his being the father of Hafiz Rhamut, who in latter times became fo confpicuous and unfor

tunate.

*

THE Rohillas, quarrelling with Madar Saha, retired from his country, and affociating themfelves with Chand Khan, the chief of Bareily, they jointly entered into the fervice of Azmuth Khan, the Governor of Moradabad. They did not remain long attached to this officer, but moving towards the northern mountains they made incurfions into the territory of the Rajah of Cummaioun. Chand Khan had previously refused to proceed on this expedition with the Rohillas, who after various fuccefs, were wholly worsted. The Rohilas had penetrated into the interior country, but being furrounded on all fides by the mountaineers, who cut off their fupply of provifion, they were compelled to fubmit to difgraceful terms of releasement. The perfons of Daoud

[ocr errors]

map.

*Bareily, a fpacious well built town, in the centre of Rohilcund. See Rennel's

+ A town formerly of great note, fituate in the northern part of Rohilcund. - See Rennel's map.

A spacious tract of mountainous country, fubject to a Hindoo Chief; and forming the north-east boundary of Rohilcund.

Khan,

Khan, and Ali Mahomet, were delivered to the Rajah, who put the former to death; and the like fate would have awaited the fon, had he not made his efcape. The Rohillas fay, that Daoud Khan was not furrendered to the chief of Cummaioun, but flain by a party of mountaineers, who had attacked him by furprize. The Rohilla party after this disaster withdrew to Beouly and Burneah, where they had, antecedently to the Cummaioun expedition, lodged their families; and in a fhort space of time it is seen, that they feized on the diftricts of Madar Saha, their first master, who fell in one of the defultory actions that followed this invafion. Ali Mahomet, after the death of Daoud Khan, had been declared chief* of the party; nor did he, though then a youth, feem unworthy of the charge. He was brave, enterprizing, and never failed to improve the occafions of advancing his power and enlarging his territory.—An eunuch who refided at Munounah,+ and managed the affairs of thofe omrahs of the court who held granted lands in Kuthair, had incited Ali Mahomet, from fome motive of refentment, to invade the poffeffions of the chief of Owlah ; which were foon reduced by the Rohillas, and ultimately an

* Mahomet Khan, the fon of Daoud Khan, either from being fuperfeded in his father's affection by Ali Mahomet, or at the period of Daoud Khan's death, being excluded by the Rohilla officers from the fucceffion, retired to Furruckabad, where he was received into the Bunglish family. It is mentioned also in a manuscript which I have seen, that at the time of his father's death, Mahomet Khan was an infant, and that he remained some years in the family of Ali Mahomet.

+ A town in Rohilcund.

« PreviousContinue »