CHAP. XVII.

News how collected from Indian Durbars.—Withdrawal of Troops from Affghanistan.—Consequent Attention to the Affairs of Sindh.-New Treaty proffered to the Amirs.—British Troops march towards Capitals.—Mir Rústum flies to the Desert. Major Outram returns to Sindh.—Brings Mir Rústum to General Napier.-Principal Obstacles to Ratification of Treaty.-Extra Demands.-Delay in signing Treaty.— Signed under peculiar Expectations.-British Representative's Life saved.—Attack on the Agency.-Battle of Miani.

Surrender of Amirs.-Capture of Treasure. -Battle of Duppa, and Defeat of Shir Mahomed.—Sindh declared a British Possession. —Amirs arrive as Prisoners at Bombay. - Alli Múrad's Position.

In the East those affairs which are interesting to a whole country are not long kept secret: the native news promulgators and coteries where discussions arise on all such topics are fertile agents for disseminating intelligence; nor is it strange that these parties have generally pretty correct information. In the succeeding narrative of the late important events in Sindh most of the particulars are derived from native authorities on the spot, who were present at the durbars, and knew the feelings of the chiefs, particularly as respects those treaties and conditions proposed to the Amirs which have not yet been put forth as public documents, though their purport is well known, and has been elsewhere

fully discussed. The other events are matters of every-day history, military operations being published in Indian government manifestos, and the stirring incidents connected with them being known to all.

The state of affairs in Sindh up to the last period alluded to (October, 1842,) had appeared to be particularly quiet, and, with trifling exceptions, satisfactory, though it was generally considered by those whose long experience entitled it to respect, that certain alterations would be made in our Sindhian arrangements to secure the greater advantages required in the navigation of the Indus, some modification of transit duties, and other fiscal impediments to trade, as well as the opportunity for commencing the introduction of a better order of government in the country generally, by establishing a closer interference in its affairs. There was also a distant allusion to certain intrigues said to have been carried on by the Amirs inimical to our interest during the Caubúl disasters. However, on the return of the British troops from beyond the Affghan passes, the affairs of Sindh and the whole Indus frontier appear to have attracted the particular attention of government; for certain conditions were soon after proposed to the Amirs, which were unexpected, and to which they could not readily acquiesce. The new treaty thus presented to the Talpúr chiefs, generally including both the Khyrpúr and Hyderabad families, was

considered to have for its leading features as an ultimatum, and in supercession of all former arrangements, though why does not yet appear, the cession in perpetuity of the towns of Karrachi, Tattah, Sukkur, Bukkur, and Rorí, with a strip of land on each bank of the river;-the abolition of all tolls and transit duties of every kind throughout the Sindhian territories, and the giving over to the neighbouring chief of Bhawalpúr the whole of the Khyrpúr territory eastward of the river, from Rorí to Subzutkót, including those places, on condition of his also annulling all imposts on trade by the river through his territories. It will be seen that these measures were not calculated to be palatable to the Sindhian chiefs; for independent of the loss of revenue which the cession of such important territories as these must have occasioned, a portion being made over to a foreign and inferior power, the dignity of the whole Bilúch faction was most vitally assailed; whilst a most important point to the Amirs was at length decided against them in the infringement of their game preserves, an immediate result of our taking territory on both banks of the river. The abolition of the transit duties was an inferior question, and would have come in probably with others which it is supposed were to be mooted, for the still further advancement of trade, and other alterations, which were required to improve our relations with Sindh generally, before alluded to.

Little time was permitted the Amirs to discuss the merits of the new propositions; for a body of troops, under the gallant general, Sir Charles Napier, was in the field, and a march on the capitals was intimated, in case of any delay or excuses in signing the treaties previously transmitted to the chiefs for that purpose. Major Outram, the late chief political authority, had left the country, pursuant to the arrangements previously noticed, which placed the whole of Sindhian affairs under military control; but in the process of negotiations, the peculiar intricacies of the politics of the country were found to require the presence of an experienced head, and that officer was suddenly recalled from Bombay, and found himself on the 4th of January in the General's camp, seconding his exertions to save the effusion of blood, by bringing the chiefs to submit to the terms imposed, against which there was no appeal but to arms, and to this the Amirs were at that time considered to be preparing. Mir Rústum Khan, of Khyrpúr, with his sons and nephews, had fled from his capital on the advance of the troops, and was said to have entrenched himself in a small fort in the desert, called Imamgur, distant about 100 miles. Thither the General, with a light detachment, consisting of 300 men of her Majesty's 22d foot, mounted on camels. 100 irregular horse and two guns proceeded; but on arrival found the place deserted, though strongly fortified, and if defended,

might have offered a formidable resistance. Of a large supply of gunpowder, 15,000 lbs., part was employed in blowing up the fortifications, and the rest exploded. On the march of this body, Major Outram proceeded alone to the camp of Mir Rústum, who was in the desert, having fled through fear of our intentions, and brought the chief's son and nephew without any difficulty to the General's presence. The great obstacles to the terms imposed on the Khyrpúr branch of the family must here be introduced; and they appear, from various subsequent discussions on the matter, to have been such demands as may be considered extra to the ultimate treaties proposed, and which were considered vitally to infringe the rights not only of the Amirs, but especially of the Bilúchi Jahgirdars and feudatories of Upper Sindh, and such as considered as theirs, unalterably and inalienably, and to which they could not by any arguments be brought to submit, even though the Amirs themselves might have consented. These demands are said to have consisted in making the Mir's younger brother, Alli Múrad, as a reward, it is presumed, for his professed attachment to British interests, at once the Rais or head of the family, in supercession of the elder Mir, and apportioning one fourth of the possessions of the whole of the remaining members of the family, seventeen heads of estates, for the maintenance of the new head to be thus established. The very accession of power and property, to which there can be