Travels in India (Tavernier) 52.2

52.2

Dara Shah, having had notice of the treason of Raja Rup, and seeing all his friends abandoning him to join the side of Aurangzeb, left Lahore in order to retire into the Kingdom of Sind. Before leaving the fortress he ordered all the gold, silver, and jewels which were in the treasury to be embarked on the river in the care of a strong escort, in order to send them to Bukkur, which is in the middle of the river Indus, where he took possession of a fort. He left there, as governor and guardian of his wealth, a eunuch who was faithful to him, and six thousand soldiers, and all the munitions necessary to sustain a siege, after which he went to Sind, where he left many large cannons. He then went into the country of the King of Kachnagana, who made him magnificent promises which proved of no effect; next he entered the Kingdom of Gujarat, where he was received by the people with great acclamation as the legitimate King and heir of Shah Jahan. He issued his commands in all the cities, and especially in Surat, where he established a Governor; but the Governor of the fortress, who had been appointed by Murad Baksh and was a Raja, would not submit to Dara Shah. He protested that he would not give over charge of the place into the hands of anyone except on the express order of Murād Bakhsh; and as he continued firm in this resolve, he was allowed to remain peaceably in the fortress, without, on his part, causing any trouble to the Governor of the town.