Later Mughals v2.c16.s6: Sec. 89.—Increasing Encroachments of the Mahrattas (1732—1735).
Later Mughals v2.c16.s6
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Sec. 89.—Increasing Encroachments of the Mahrattas (1732—1735).
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We have already carried the story of the Mahratta invasion of India north of the Narmada to the point where Gujarat had been partly occupied, Bundelkhand partitioned, and Malwa temporarily overrun. This brought us to the year 1145 (1732) and Rajah Jai Singh Sawai's appointment to be governor of Malwa. The northern advance by way of Gujarat was now stayed, partly because that province was difficult of subjugation, partly because the Rajput principalities of Udepur and Jodhpur more or less barred the road. The Mahratta efforts to reach the heart of the Empire at Dihli and Agra were now concentrated upon Malwa and the smaller Rajput States to the north of it. It was here that the Peshwa Baji Rao found a fitting field for his genius as partisan leader and diplomatist. It was his lieutenants, Malhar Rao Holkar and Ranuji Sindhia who founded the States of Indor and Gwaliyar, the ruler of the latter wielding from 1790 to 1803 supreme power in Upper India. Let us now devote our attention to the events in Malwa and the country adjoining it from 1732 to 1738, and in so doing the narrative will be more clear if we divide it into parts corresponding to the period of Mahratta activity in each year beginning with the 1st October, about the period of the Dasahra festival, and ending with the 30th June of each year, when the rainy season had usually set in and the armies on both sides were accustomed to retire into quarters.[*]
Campaign of 1145-46 H., 15th Year of Mhd. Shah
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(1 October, 1732—30 June 1733).
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Times had changed since, as Warid notes (p. 80), two thousand Mahrattas could be put to flight by one hundred Hindustani horsemen, and the Mahratta women and children could not with safety pass two nights in succession in the same place. For several years the plunderers had not ventured outside of Malwa; but now becoming bolder they swarmed over the country up to a few miles from Agra, and the Hindu States, obtaining no help from the Mughals, compromised with the invaders by paying their demands.
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One after another the great nobles were ordered to proceed against the enemy; but all with one consent began to make excuse. [Warid 117.] At length Muhammad Shah, though wedded to ease and idleness, resolved to march in person. The tents were sent out and in Shaban 1145 H. (February 1733) he made one or two short marches and then crossed the Jamuna. After proceeding for a short distance along the river bank he crossed back again. In this cowardly and childish manner several months were consumed. The imperial camp never got beyond Faridabad, sixteen miles south of Dihli, there was confusion and disorder throughout the camp, and the open season was fast coming to an end.
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Qamar-ud-din Khan, the chief minister, knowing the Emperor's character guessed that he was in reality disinclined to take the field. To the Emperor's great relief, the Wazir offered to undertake the campaign and his offer was at once accepted. He started from Dihli on the 21st Shawwal (5th April 1733). With him went his cousin Zahir-ud-daulah and his son-in-law Firuz Jang (son of Nizam-ul-mulk). On reaching Agra they were joined by Muhammad Khan Bangash. It was reported that the Mahrattas were between Sironj and Narwar engaged in plundering the Umait landholders. An advanced division was sent on beyond Narwar to Loda Dangar, south of Kularas. There it was learnt that the Mahrattas had recrossed the Narmada in spite of a feeble attempt by Rajah Jai Singh to hinder their retreat. After this the Rajah had sent off his baggage towards his own country of Amber and had already moved himself one march in that direction. Either thinking the campaigning season was over or obeying an order from Dihli, the Wazir recalled his troops, and they rejoined him at Shiupuri. Some say that he received urgent and reiterated requests from the Emperor to return at once to Court, —one of the letters quoting the line "With you wine is lawful; without you, water prohibited." On his return march the Wazir turned down the Duaba to Ghazipur [in the Fathpur district] to punish Bhagwant son of Udaru Kichar, who in March 1732 had killed Jan Nisar Khan, faujdar of Kora Jahanabad. After the first day's bombardment, Bhagwant fled to Asothar. Here Muhammad Khan was left to settle the matter, while the Wazir hurried back to Dihli to thwart a combination against him between Samsam-ud-daulah, Burhan-ul-mulk and Mubariz-ul-mulk. He reached the capital about the end of June 1733. Warid attributes the futile nature of his proceedings to the constant use of alcohol and his addiction to the company of women. [Khush-hal 1063b, Rustam Ali 265, Warid 85, Ghulam Ali 54b.]
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∗ Warid on the Mahrattas, 76, 80-85, 91-96, 99-100, 116-127 (carrying the history down to March 1734).
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CAMPAIGN OF 1146-47 H.—16TH YEAR OF MHD. SHAH (1 October 1733—30 June 1734).
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This year the Mahrattas returned with more boldness than ever. They spread themselves from Gwaliyar to Ajmer, a distance of 220 miles. They were specially active in the Bhadawar country a few miles east of Agra. The Rajah who was at Court obtained leave to return for the defence of his country. But it was too late. Before he arrived the villages and towns had been plundered. He took refuge in his fort and resisted for a time. But he soon saw that to look for imperial help was useless. He might as well try "to measure the sun with an ell-wand or imprison the wind in his closed hand". He paid three lakhs of Rupees to the Mahrattas and thus persuaded them to retire. [Warid 118, Siyar 289.]
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At this juncture the shortcomings of Rajah Jai Singh of Amber came into special prominence. For twelve years he had been governor of Agra and for four or five governor of Malwa. From the gates of Dihli to the banks of the Narmada he was in supreme authority. But in spite of all the disorder around him, the Rajah, supported by the Court influence of Samsam-ud-daulah, sat calmly at home and did nothing, though he possessed an army of 30,000 horsemen and a still larger number of matchlockmen. Several times in previous years the Rajah had received from Muhammad Shah large sums, as much as thirty lakhs or twenty lakhs it is said, for payment to the Mahrattas. Half would be paid to them and half retained by the Rajah; the Mahrattas then went home and Jai Singh returned to his own State. After two or three years of this procedure, the Mahrattas began to expect their "breakfast", as Warid styles it, and every time grew greedier and more avaricious. But for fears for Samsam-ud-daulah's displeasure, Muhammad Shah was afraid to take away the Government of Agra or Malwa from Jai Singh. Samsam-ud-daulah himself, although well able to do so, undertook no campaign against the invaders. [Warid 119—120.]
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For years it had been the custom at Court, when the Dakhin intelligencers reported the invasion of Gujarat and Malwa to send out Muhammad Shah on long visits to the various gardens round the capital, or to distract his mind by hunting and shooting expeditions in the many royal preserves. Meanwhile the Wazir sought relaxation by a visit to his country-house on the canal about twelve miles from Dihli, where he would remain a month or longer. His time was taken up with fishing or hunting deer. All business was suspended, and the country remained practically without a Government. The pious Muhammadan could do no more than raise his helpless hands to Heaven.*
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This year (1733-34) it was the turn of Samsam-ud-daulah to be ordered out against the Mahrattas. He spent three or four months in sending out and bringing back again his advance tents, or in fruitless efforts to persuade someone else to take his place. At length, when the season was nearly over and the Mahrattas would be about to retire as usual, Samsam-ud-daulah sent for his brother Muzaffar Khan, long governor of Ajmer, from his head-quarters at Narnol in Mewat. The first orders were issued on the 28th June 1733, but it was not until the 20th February 1734 that his tents were set up in the gardens near the city. Another month was spent in further preparations and at last on the 30th March 1734 the first march of six miles was made. By this time the spies had reported that the Mahrattas had begun to retreat; and it was quite clear that before Muzaffar Khan could reach Agra they would have recrossed the Narmada. In December there had been a contest between Malhar Holkar and Yar Muhammad Khan of Bhupal, in which several lives were lost.
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Muzaffar Khan succeeded in reaching Sironj, but the enemy had disappeared, and thus without once coming into action, it would seem, the army retraced its route on the 21st June 1734. Muzaffar Khan was admitted to audience on his return to Court. [Ghulam Ali 54a, Rustam Ali 265b, Siyar 289.]
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CAMPAIGN OF 1147-48 H., 17TH YEAR OF MHD. SHAH (1 October 1734—30 June 1735).
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In this year, the Mahrattas having spread over a very wide extent of country, it was resolved to send out two armies, one under the command of the Wazir, Qamar-ud-din Khan, and the other under that of the Mir Bakhshi, Samsam-ud-
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∗ Warid (123) quotes the proverb,
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'The earth dried up, the clouds without dew,
Alas! for the poor handful of grass.'
Khak-i-khushk wa abr-i-be-nam,
Wai bar musht-i-gyah.
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daulah, the former taking the defence of the eastern and the latter of the western half of the invaded territory.
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Qamar-ud-din Khan received his audience of leave-taking on the 20th November 1734. The Wazir marched by way of Agra against Pilaji Jadon and Baji Rao, having with him his own troops and artillery and the whole of the Turani Mughal leaders. The Rajahs through whose States he passed were called upon to serve. From the 3rd to 12th February 1735 he was in contact with and fighting the Mahrattas. Apparently this was in the neighbourhood of Narwar, and his antagonist Pilaji Jadon. The army advanced as far as Sipri and Kularas on the boundary of Malwa. Pilaji Jadon continued to oppose the advance at the head of 30,000 to 40,000 Mahrattas. There were three or four encounters in which the Wazir had the advantage. As soon as the rainy season was at hand, the Mahrattas, obeying Baji Rao's order of recall, returned to the Dakhin. The Wazir reached Dihli on the 21st May 1735, having been preceded, eleven days earlier, by Samsam-ud-daulah. [Ashob 104-106, Khush-hal 1066-67, Rustam Ali 267, Ghulam Ali 54b.]
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On his side Samsam-ud-daulah marched out with all his own troops and the Wala-shahi or bodyguard, a corps distinguished by red turbans, accompanied by many nobles and Rajahs. He was joined en route by Rajah Jai Singh of Amber and his army. The objective was Ajmer, where Malhar at the head of a much smaller force was plundering as usual. Sambhar was one of the places which had suffered from his marauders. There is no record of any fighting; and Jai Singh was for a long time at Tal Kakariya. Samsam-ud-daulah was persuaded by Jai Singh that the wisest measure was to accede to the Mahratta demands. It appears that the exacting of the one-fourth of the revenues was agreed to, before the Mahrattas would retire beyond the Narmada. An annual sum of 22 lakhs of Rupees from Malwa was promised. One Mahadeo Pandit was accepted as the Peshwa's agent and the imperial army went no further than the Kota and Bundi States. All the new recruits, who had gone to great expense to buy horses, were at once dismissed. Samsam-ud-daulah reached Dihli on the 21st or 22nd May 1735. [Ashob, Bayan 532, Rustam Ali 266-67, Khush-hal 1067a.]
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SEC. 90.—CAMPAIGN OF 1148-49 H., 18TH YEAR OF MHD. SHAH. (1 October 1735—30 June 1736).
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When the Mahrattas again took the field after the rains of 1735, they displayed more actively than ever. They visited and plundered Udepur in Mewar, Mairta and Nagor in Marwar, the imperial territory of Ajmer, and the town of Rupnagar to the north of it. As in the previous year, two army corps were despatched from Dihli, that sent to the south-east commanded by the Wazir, that to the south-west by Samsam-ud-daulah. Saadat Khan Burhan-ul-mulk, governor of Oudh, was directed to co-operate in the neighbourhood of Agra. [Rustam Ali 267b ; J. A. S. B. (1878) 326-27.]
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The Mahrattas were in Bundelkhand, through which their friends Harde Sah and Jagat Raj, sons of Chhattarsal, allowed them free passage : a few hundred of their horsemen had come even as far as the Jamuna to look out for fords. It was expected that they would cross into the Duaba, plundering Kora, Kalpi and Etawa as they went. Chimnaji, brother of Baji Rao, had come near to Gwaliyar by way of Sironj and Bundelkhand ; Baji Rao himself being detained this year in the Konkan where he was carrying out an expedition against the pirate stronghold of Janjira. Pilaji Jadon had been sent north into Malwa to support Chimnaji Malhar Rao Holkar and Sindhia.
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Crossing at the ferries opposite Auruya and Sarai Ajit Mal, [in the Etawa district] the Mahrattas plundered Khanpur, Derapur, Mangalpur, Sikandra, and Shinganpur [in the Cawnpur district], while their collectors levied khandani or ransom-money from the villagers and imperial officials. The invaders were also numerous in the Gwaliyar country, Bijipur fifty-two miles south of Gwaliyar had been surrounded and the inhabitants of Antri had fled to Gwaliyar city, twelve miles away. It was feared that Agra might be invested.
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Muhammad Khan Bangash, who had been told off for the defence of Agra and Gwaliyar, began to cross the Jamuna on the 10th Jan. 1736. Reports were received that one force of Mahrattas had come beyond Nurabad fourteen miles north-west of Gwaliyar in the direction of Agra and that another was close to Antri in Bhadawar. Accordingly on the 24th Jan. 1736 a division of two thousand horse and two thousand foot advanced to Dholpur to protect the ferries on the Chambal. The local clansmen, Daudotias, Sengars and others, were sent to guard all the routes and crossing places. The enemy from Nurabad came daily to the Chambal banks but found themselves unable to cross. At length the Mahrattas renounced their attempts and retired into Bhadawar. They could make no impression on Gwaliyar itself, which was held by two thousand Pathans from Mau sent by Muhammad Khan Bangash, added to one thousand men of the local forces. [J. A. S. B. 328.]
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While Muhammad Khan had thus come to the rescue at Agra, Qamar-ud-din Khan had pushed on across the Chambal to try conclusions with Pilaji. At Narwar he left his wives and family and such portion of his impedimenta as was in excess of his needs. When he reached Orchha he encamped on the banks of Arjal lake, 12 miles east of it, which is deep long and wide, surrounded by hills, and twelve to fourteen miles in circumference. On the further side in the plain and on the hill-sides was the camp of Pilaji. To both armies the command of this piece of water was a necessity. Throughout the month of Ramzan (January 1736) there were daily skirmishes but no decisive fight. [Ashob 105-106.]
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One day both sides came out in force. In this battle the Mahrattas got the worst of it and fled. Thereupon Sher Baz Khan, a near relative of the Wazir's and proud of his fame for valour, rode out from the army attended by his two sons, mere raw boys, and made for a body of the enemy. As he galloped he cried to his two 'tigers' whelps', "I am teaching you how you must hunt your prey." In the onset the elder boy was killed and the other Mir Muhammad Azam made a prisoner. The latter a boy of ten or twelve was disarmed and carried off seated behind a Mahratta trooper. The boy drew the man's dagger from his waist and before he could turn had stabbed him three times. The man fell and the boy rode off to the Muhammadan camp. Meanwhile Sher Baz Khan had fought his way back to his elder son and lifting the body on to his horse rode off lamenting aloud for his second son. When Muhammad Azam returned the father’s weeping was turned into joy. [Ashob 106.]
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On the *Id* (13th Feb. 1736) Pilaji, having been reinforced by troops from Baji Rao’s army on the Narmada, came out early to give battle. The fight was continued throughout the day, but during the night the Mahrattas quitted their camp, and proceeding by forced marches soon crossed the Narmada. Pursuit was made to Sipri and Kularas, to Sironj and Ujjain, and when satisfied that the Mahrattas had vacated Malwa for the time, the Muhammadans under the Wazir marched back to Dihli. [Ashob 107.]
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On his side Samsam-ud-daulah started to reinforce Rajah Jai Singh in his efforts to eject Malhar Rao Holkar from Rajputana. At Toda Tank he was joined by the Maharajah by whose advice he prepared field entrenchments and took up his position within them. Malhar, who had no more than 7,000 to 8,000 men, awaited the arrival of Partap Singh Hada of Bundi. Urged by ill-will to Jai Singh and hoping to save his own dominions, this man had put his well-equipped army at the disposal of the Mahrattas. As soon as Partap Singh had joined him, Malhar advanced and took up a position 10 or 12 miles from the Muhammadan entrenchments. Every day from a little before sunrise until the time of evening prayer, the Mahrattas skirmished round the camp, and not a soul could set a foot outside the ditch of the entrenchments. The Muhammadans fired their cannon continually, but dared not come out into the open.
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In a short time all supplies of grass and grain were cut off. The men’s horses were no longer able to stand. At length the men of the Ahadi regiment, some 1,000 to 1,500 in number mostly of Baluch and Mughal race, marched out headed by their petty officers without leave or order from the general. They were about eight miles from camp and busy collecting anything they could lay hand upon in the villages, when suddenly they were surrounded by Malhar Rao and Partap Singh with their men. For some hours the Mahrattas fared badly as the imperial veterans were armed with bows and matchlocks. The Mahrattas were thus unable to close and ply their spears and straight swords. At length when the arrows and ammunition were exhausted the Mahrattas came on. Partap Singh Hada and his Rajputs being better mounted than Malhar's men outstripped their allies and poured their blunderbuss fire into the Muhammadan ranks. Many fell and the rest dispersed. The historian Ashob had two kinsmen among the wounded—one Shihab-ud-din Beg after lying three days under a heap of dead bodies was recovered and lived for forty years, but lame and without the use of his hands which had been eaten away by ants. It was three days before Jai Singh could collect the dead bodies, which was done with the permission of Malhar Rao. After their defeat the Muhammadan commander and the Rajah again gave strict injunctions that no man should leave the entrenchments without their orders. [Ashob 108-109.]
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In due course Malhar Rao returned as usual to the Dakhin, thus releasing the two commanders from their difficult position. Samsam-ud-daulah returned to Dihli, where he was received as if he were a conquering hero; and Jai Singh went home to his own State. Soon afterwards by Samsam-ud-daulah's advice the Emperor accepted the proposal brought forward by Jai Singh that he should relinquish the Government of Malwa in favour of the Peshwa Baji Rao. In pursuance of this scheme on the 6th Zul Qada 1148 H. (18th March 1736) Yadgar Kashmiri with Kirpa Ram and Najabat Ali Khan was sent off to Jai Singh to open the negotiations. On the 8th Rabi I. 1149 H. (16th July, 1736) Jai Singh and Baji Rao met at Dholpur where an agreement was entered into whereby Baji Rao became the deputy governor of Malwa under the Rajah. Accompanying Baji Rao were his son, and his chief commanders Ranuji Sindhia, Malhar Holkar, Jaswant Rao Puar, and others. [Ashob 110b; Ghulam Ali 54b; Rustam Ali 267-68; Siyar 294, 309; J. A. S. B. 328.]
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Mahratta sources throw more light than do the Muhammadan on the nature of these transactions. To start with, the Emperor had been willing to concede the following terms:
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First, an assignment to Baji Rao of thirteen lakhs of Rupees from the revenue of the country south of the Chambal, for one season, payable in three instalments. Secondly, an authority to be given him to levy an annual tribute of 10,60,000 Rupees from the Rajput States, beginning at Bundi and Kota [and extending] as far as Bhadawar. The second item would, it was hoped, create ill-feeling between the Rajputs and the Mahrattas. Documents in accordance with these proposals were secretly prepared and made over to Yadgar Khan, with orders not to produce them unless necessary. Unfortunately for the Muhammadans, the agent of Baji Rao discovered what had been done and informed his master. Baji Rao convinced now that the Emperor was at his mercy, raised his demands. He must have the whole province of Malwa in assignment, the Pathans at the same time being dispossessed from Bhupal. He must be put in charge of the forts of Mandu, Dhar, and Raisin. Next, he demanded the whole tract south of the Chambal in jagir, with the appointment of faujdars. Then he required a payment of fifty lakhs in cash or in an order on Bengal. In a little time he added to his list Allahabad, Benares, Gaya and Mathura in jagir. Finally he required the hereditary rights of a sardesh-pandya in the six provinces of the Dakhin. [Grant Duff 254.]
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Rajah Jai Singh as we have said had agreed to nominate Baji Rao as his deputy in the Government of Malwa. This was, in effect though not in form, a cession of the province. As to the other concessions the only one agreed to was the last, the hereditary appointment of sardesh-pandya. The rate of payment was the same as that of desh-pandya, namely half that of deshmukh, or five per cent. of the revenue. The object of this payment being conceded by Samsam-ud-daulah was the injury thereby done to Nizam-ul-mulk and his provinces.
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SEC. 91.—CAMPAIGN OF 1149-50 H., 19TH YEAR OF MHD. SHAH. (1st October 1736—30th June 1737).
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The concessions recently wrung from the Muhammadan Government had no deterrent effect upon Baji Rao’s plans of conquest. When the open season came round again his horsemen were once more upon the move. By Zul Qada 1149 H. (March 1737) they were swarming in Bhadawar, the country lying to the east and south-east of Agra. To repel this renewed invasion armies from Dihli again took the field, and Saadat Khan governor of Oudh was directed to co-operate. On the 8th March 1737 the tents of Samsam-ud-daulah the Mir Bakhshi were erected outside the city and on the next day (the 9th March) he began his march eastwards, his first stage being Talpat, 15 miles south of the city. The Wazir on the 21st March likewise made a start by moving into camp at the Char Bagh. Samsam-ud-daulah preceded the Wazir and reached Mathura early in the month of Zul Hijja 1149 (1st to 29th April 1737). On the 5th Zul Hijja (5th April 1737) he was at Hasanpur, eighteen reputed kos from Mathura, intending to march the next day to Shergarh and the day after to Brindaban, with a view to joining Samsam-ud-daulah and Saadat Khan who were then at Agra. It was reported that Jai Singh of Jaipur (Amber) had moved out from his capital. Although, much to the Wazir's disturbance of mind, a heavy force of Mahrattas was said to have gone towards Rewari; for two days he did not give up his intention to continue his march eastwards as he was very anxious to come into touch with the enemy before he returned. An additional piece of bad news was received, that Budh Singh of Bundi had risen. [Khush-hal 1070b, Rustam Ali 270b.]
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Baji Rao, leaving his heavy baggage at Jaitpur with Jagat Raj Bundela, second son of the late Rajah Chhattarsal, advanced to the banks of the Jamuna, forty miles from Agra. On his way he attacked Rajah Anuradh Singh of Bhadawar. The Rajah came out from his town of Ater with a well-equipped force of 7,000 horse besides foot-soldiers and 45 elephants. One of the Rajah's brothers who had long been at strife with him, went over to the Mahrattas. On this man's advice they left half of their force standing in front of the Rajah, while the other half came suddenly from Gohad and Barhad, entered the town of Ater, and began to plunder. To save his capital the Rajah retreated fighting and took shelter in the fortress at Ater. In the end he sued for terms and paid twenty lakhs of Rupees and gave ten elephants. After this opening success the Peshwa's principal officers, Malhar Rao Holkar Pilaji Jadon and Wituji Bulé, went across the Jamuna and carried fire and sword through the Duaba. [Siyar 309, Ghulam Ali.]
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SAADAT KHAN FROM OUDH DEFEATS PART OF BAJI RAO'S ARMY IN THE DUABA.
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In Zul Hijja (April 1737) the Mahrattas had crossed the Jamuna near the town of Rapri and commenced an investment of Shukohabad. Lal Jiu Khatri, the officer in charge, paid 1,50,000 Rupees and gave one elephant and thereby saved the town. Advancing up the Duaba burning and plundering as they went, the Mahrattas raided Firuzabad and Itimadpur, the latter town only 11 miles east of Agra. Leaving that place they came to Jalesar. Suddenly as day dawned the troops of Saadat Khan appeared in sight. He had come from Etawa a distance of 85 miles, by forced marches. The advanced guard under his nephew Abul Mansur Khan Safdar Jang consisted of 12,000 horse.
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Thinking the attacking force inferior to themselves in numbers, the Mahrattas, as their fashion was, tried to envelop it completely. Abul Mansur Khan retreated slowly, fighting all the time, towards Saadat Khan's main body numbering 50,000 cavalry. As the retiring vanguard drew near, Saadat Khan and his men gave their horses the rein and charged the enemy. The Mahrattas broke and fled. Each man sought a road for himself and a hot pursuit was maintained for many miles. At the edge of a piece of water in Itimadpur the pursuers overtook three chiefs and nearly one thousand men. These became their prisoners. Such horsemen as escaped the sword re-crossed the Jamuna. When crossing they had marked the ford and the depth of water at it by planting bamboo stakes in the bed of the river. But in the hurry of escape many mistook the ford and were drowned. The majority got across in safety. This affair took place upon the 22nd Zul Qada 1149 H. (23rd March 1737). Malhar Rao rejoined Baji Rao at Kotila near Gwaliyar. [Ashob 112a.]
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Saadat Khan continued his march westwards to join Samsam-ud-daulah. At Mathura, which Samsam-ud-daulah reached shortly after the 1st April 1737, they met. With the Mir Bakhshi were 25,000 horsemen and many cannon and numerous elephants. Muhammad Khan Bangash was also there with a contingent of about twelve thousand men. One day Samsam-ud-daulah had invited Saadat Khan to a banquet in his tent. In the midst of the feast they learnt that Baji Rao passing Fathpur Sikri and leaving on his right the town of Dig, in the country of Badna Jat, had managed to get as far as Dihli. In the utmost alarm the imperialists broke up camp and began a hasty return to the capital ‘placing the finger of vexation upon the teeth of shame.’ [Rustam Ali 272.]