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were introduced in their veils. The ambition of Mher-ulNissa aspired to a conquest of the prince. She sanghe was in raptures; she danced — he could hardly be restrained in his place. Her stature, her shape, her gait, had raised his ideas of her beauty to the highest pitch. When his eyes seemed to devour her, she, as by accident, dropped her veil, and shone upon him at once with all her charms. The confusion, which she could well feign on the occasion, heightened the beauty of her face. Her timid eye fell, by stealth, upon the prince, and kindled his soul into love. He was silent for the remaining part of the evening; she endeavored to confirm, by her wit, the conquest which the charms of her person had made.

JEHANGHIRE-CHAJA AIASS AND HIS DAUGHTER.

played in the sequel. The nobles attempted to place Jehanghire's son on the throne; but the result was the execution of many of them, and the confinement of the king's son. One of the first acts of the king involved his whole life in remorse. The romantic story is thus told:·

A poor Tartar, named Chaja Aiass, whose imagination had been kindled by the reports of Indian magnificence, left his native country, in the hope of bettering his fortunes in that land of promise. His whole property consisted of a sorry horse, and a very small sum of money, which had proceeded from the sale of his other effects. Placing his wife upon the horse, he walked by her side. Their scanty pittance of money was soon exhausted; they had even subsisted for some days upon charity - when they arrived on the skirts of the great solitudes which separate Tartary from the Mogul dominions. No house was there to cover them from the inclemency of the weather, no hand to relieve their wants to return, was certain misery; to proceed, apparent destruction. They had fasted three days.

In this distressing situation, the wife of Chaja Aiass gave birth to a daughter. They tarried for some hours, in the vain hope that travellers might pass that way; but they were disappointed: human feet seldom tread these deserts. The sun declined apace; they feared the approach of night; the place was the haunt of wild beasts; and should they escape these, they must die of hunger. In this extremity, Aiass, having placed his wife on the horse, found himself so much exhausted that he could scarcely move. To carry the child was impossible; the mother could not even maintain herself upon the horse. A long contest began between humanity and necessity; the latter prevailed, and they agreed to expose the child on the highway. The infant, covered with leaves, was placed under a tree, and the disconsolate parents proceeded in tears. As long as the tree, at the foot of which the child was lying, remained in sight, they persevered in their resolution; but when that disappeared, the heart of the mother failed her, and she refused to proceed without her babe. The father returned, and beheld, with horror, an enormous black snake coiled above and around the infant. His cry of anguish alarmed the reptile, which slowly uncoiled itself, and glided away, leaving the destined victim unhurt.

Selim, bewildered with his passion, knew not what course to pursue. Mher-ul-Nissa had been betrothed by her father to Shere Afkun, a Turcomanian nobleman of great renown. Selim applied to his father, Acbar, who sternly refused to commit a piece of injustice, though in favor of the heir to the throne. The prince retired abashed, and Mher-ul-Nissa became the wife of Shere Afkun.

But Acbar died; Jehanghire was raised to the throne, and, giving way to the dictates of his passion, the husband of the woman whom he coveted was murdered by his order. No obstacle now interposed ; but, apparently smitten with remorse at the baseness of his crime, the emperor refused even to see the object of it, and she lived for four years neglected in his harem. Here she was so scantily provided for, that she was compelled to exert the accomplishments she possessed in needlework and painting, for a liveli hood, and her productions became objects of general desire and admiration.

The emperor's curiosity was at length aroused;

purpose,

all of which failed.

* Before resolving to murder Shere outright, the emperor had taken several disgraceful methods of accomplishing his haunt of an enormous tiger to be explored, and appointed a At one time, he ordered the day for hunting. Shere was invited to the hunt. He was quite unsuspicious of the sinister designs of the king, especially as Jehanghire had received him with favor at court, and conferred upon him new honors. Having, according to the Tartar custom, surrounded the place which the monster frequented, for many miles, the hunters began to move towards the centre from all sides. The tiger was roused; his roaring was heard, and the emperor hastened to the scene

of action.

feet, and begged permission to try their strength, singly, the circle, and, sacrificing fear to shame, fell at the emperor's against the formidable animal.

The nobles being assembled, Jehanghire called aloud, This almost miraculous preservation instilled fresh "Who among you will advance singly and attack this hope and energy into the hearts of the parents: they tiger?" They looked on one another in silence; then all struggled on, and at last were relieved by some other eyes turned upon Shere Afkun. He seemed not to undertravellers. They reached the court of the Grand Mo-stand their meaning. At length, three omrahs started from gul, and Aiass was admitted into the service of an omrah, or prince. Here he soon attracted attention by his abilities, and was at last noticed by the emperor, Acbar, who gradually raised him to high favor and distinction. The daughter, who had been born in the desert, received the name of Mher-ul-Nissa, or thesun of women." She had some right to the appellation, for in beauty she excelled all the ladies of the East. She was educated with the utmost care; in music, dancing, poetry, and painting, she had no equal among her sex. Her disposition was volatile; her wit lively and satirical; her spirit lofty and uncontrolled.

Selim, the prince royal, afterwards called Jehanghire, paid a visit one day to her father. When the public entertainment was over, when all except the principal guests were withdrawn, and wine was brought on the table, the ladies, according to custom,

The pride of Shere Afkun arose. He had imagined that none durst attempt a deed so dangerous. He hoped that, after the refusal of the nobles, the honor of the enterprise he offered to attack the tiger unarmed. The monarch made a would devolve on him. Afraid of losing his former renown, show of dissuading him from the rash enterprise; but, secretly delighted, yielded, at last, with a well-feigned reluctance. Astonishment was painted in every face; every tongue was the intrepid warrior prevailed; and, though mangled with silent. After a long and obstinate struggle with the tiger, wounds himself, the monster was at last laid dead at his feet. Thus the emperor was foiled in his base attempt, and the fame of Shere increased.

After several other covert attempts on his life, the king at succeeded in despatching him with many bullets and arrows, last sent assassins, who, attacking Shere on the highway, though not till after he had killed six omrahs and several of their soldiers.

NOOR MAHL-EQUITABLE GOVERNMENT OF SHAH JEHAN.

he visited her, and from that moment Noor Mahlthat is, "light of the harem," for such was the name she assumed-exercised the most unbounded sway over his mind. Chaja Aiass was raised to the distinguished position of vizier, and his two sons, brothers of the sultana, Noor Mahl, were made omrahs; and what is equally extraordinary and gratifying, they all filled with honor the posts they occupied. The affairs of the empire were never better conducted than under Chaja Aiass his administration is still looked upon as one of the few luminous spots in the dark history of Indian domestic government.

Several European embassies, having commercial objects, arrived at the court during Jehanghire's reign. But, although these were received with great favor, the vacillating disposition of the sovereign-now granting their requests, and now withholding them again, or changing the condition of his grants, at the wish of his nobles-caused them all to eventuate in disappointment. After the death of her father, who had held her haughty and imperious disposition under some control, Noor Mahl plotted to place on the throne the emperor's youngest son, who had married her daughter by her first husband, the omrah. Her brother, Asiph Jan, was vizier; with qualities scarce inferior to his father. Shah Jehan, the emperor's third son, and eventually his successor, was Noor Mahl's most determined opponent. This man had murdered his brother Chusero, and, to escape the emperor's resentment, took up arms against his father; but he was unsuccessful, principally through the abilities of Mohabet, a noble-minded, heroic spirit, general to the emperor. The empress hated this general, of course, and endeavored to ruin him with the emperor, who seems himself to have properly appreciated his character and services.

Through Noor Mahl's influence, Mohâbet was now summoned to court; but he took the precaution to bring as an escort five thousand devoted rajpoots. He was ignominiously refused an audience till certain alleged peculations were accounted for. His son-in-law, sent to the emperor to protest Mohabet's devotedness to his sovereign, and to explain matters, was sent back stripped and cruelly bastinadoed. Seeing that decisive measures were called for, Mohâbet planned a bold scheme. The imperial army had to cross the Jhylum: when the greater part had passed to the other side, Mohabet galloped with two thousand horse to the bridge, destroyed it, left a body of his determined friends to prevent the return of the troops across the river, and, appearing in the emperor's tent with a countenance pale but determined, secured the person of Jehanghire.

Every attempt, on the part of the army under Asiph Jan, to recross the river to the assistance of the sovereign, was resisted, and with great slaughter, by Mohâbet's few but resolute troops. Noor Mahl herself, the author of all the mischief, who had already crossed the river, was half frenzied at the success of the general's manoeuvre: she rushed into the water, emptied with her own hand three quivers of arrows, had three successive drivers killed on the back of her elephant, and thus inflamed to a high pitch the courage of the soldiers.

But Mohabet crossed the river, and drove all before him. He ultimately obtained possession of Noor Mahl's person, who was accused by him of high treason and other crimes, and an order obtained for her execution. She begged to see Jehanghire once more, and, on being

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admitted to his presence, stood before him in silence. Jehanghire burst into tears. "Will you not spare this woman, Mohâbet?" he said, at length. "See how she weeps." "It is not for the emperor of the Moguls to ask in vain," was the reply, and Noor Mahl was instantly set at liberty.

The loyal Mohâbet now restored to the emperor all authority, and dismissed his guards. But the sultana was base enough to demand his death, and, on the refusal of her request, sought to assassinate him. Warned of her intentions by the emperor, Mohâbet fled, and was proclaimed a traitor, and a price set on his head. Of a lofty and fearless character, he now decided on a most extraordinary step. Disguising himself, he went to the camp of Asiph Jan, the brother of his mortal enemy, and succeeded in obtaining an interview.

Appreciating his mercy to his sister, and his present generous confidence, Asiph received him in his arms, and took him to a secret apartment. "Purvez, the elder of the princes, is virtuous and my friend," said Mohâbet; "but we must not exchange one feeble sovereign for another. I have fought Shah Jehan, and know his merit: though his ambition acknowledges no restraint of nature or justice, his vigor will prevent intestine disorder, and give power to the laws." Asiph concurred cordially in these views; but their schemes were rendered unnecessary by the death of Purvez and Jehanghire, which occurred shortly after, A. D. 1628.

A measure of unequalled atrocity secured Shah Jehan from competitors to the throne. This was the murder, by him, of every other male descendant of the house of Baber, except his own four sons, Dara, Sujah, Aurungzebe, and Morad. Asiph was made vizier, and Mohabet commander-in-chief. Lodi, a descendant of the Patan emperors, and who had formerly fought against Shah Jehan, was now his chief enemy, but surrendered himself on condition of receiving a province. Being sent for to court, shortly after, he was received with such studied insult, that he shed tears and fainted away - strange effect on so brave a man! He again rebelled unsuccessfully, and perished in despair, having attacked, with but thirty followers, a considerable body of the enemy, in order to procure an honorable death." The emperor exhibited the most indecent joy at his decease a compliment to his formidable abilities and courage. Some troubles occurred at this time in the Deccan, but were soon quieted.

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During Shah Jehan's reign, his numerous subjects enjoyed tranquillity and happiness such as had rarely been enjoyed in that part of the globe. His governors were closely watched, and brought to strict account, and his reign is celebrated for the strict execution of the laws. The collection of the revenue, with which the comfort of the subject is so much connected, was even better managed than in Acbar's time. To Shah Jehan India is indebted for some of its noblest architectural structures. He built, for his own residence, Jehanpoor, a city near Delhi, and erected a palace, said to be one of the finest in the world. The mausoleum of his favorite queen, Noor Jehan, is one hundred and ninety yards square, on an elevated terrace, in the midst of a beautiful garden. It is built of white marble, inlaid with precious stones.

The illness of Shah Jehan encouraged his sons to strike for the empire. The most dangerous among them was Aurungzebe, a man of craft, courage, and energy. He professed to be deeply religious, and

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anxious to restore the purity of the Moslem worship, | to wear no more; wear them with dignity, and, by which, to conciliate the Hindoos, had become wisely your own renown, make some amends to your family tolerant. He cajoled his brother Morad, inducing him for their misfortunes." When this was repeated to to place money and forces at his disposal. He suc- the emperor, he burst into tears. ceeded also in attaching to his fortunes the immensely wealthy emir of the prince of Golconda. Dara, the eldest son of Shah Jehan, being called to administer the government for his father, whose illness incapacitated him for its functions, commenced his administration by forbidding his brothers to approach the palace, on pain of death. The brothers broke out into open rebellion; the hostile armies met, and a stoutly contested battle ensued. During the engagement, one of Dara's captains deserted his sovereign, and went over to Aurungzebe with thirty thousand men, thus securing the victory to that prince.

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Aurungzebe now got possession of his father's person, and kept him in captivity the rest of his life. The father had previously endeavored to inveigle his son into the harem of the citadel of Agra, where he had stationed some powerful Tartar women, ready to fall upon and crush him. Morad, too, found himself a hopeless and helpless captive. Sujah was driven from the country, and basely killed by the king of Arakan, with whom he had taken refuge. Dara, after enduring every hardship, was treacherously betrayed to Aurungzebe, who had him paraded about the streets of Delhi on a miserable, filthy-looking elephant, habited in a dirty cloth. At this lamentable sight, piercing shrieks, and cries of distress, as if some great calamity had befallen themselves, were heard from men, women, and children, on every hand. This popular commiseration sealed the fate of the wretched Dara, who was murdered by his brother. Morad, not long after, shared the same fate.

These family dissensions, arising from the want of a fixed rule of succession, indicate a declining empire. Shah Jehan, by murdering his relatives, struck the first blow at Mogul sovereignty. Aurungzebe, by similar atrocity, shook it to its very centre. The principle became established, that on the death of an emperor, "there was no place of safety but the throne, the steps to which must be the dead bodies of unsuccessful competitors ;" and these victims were generally the nearest relatives of the aspirant to sovereignty.

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Sikhs Jehander Nadir

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Aulum II. The Mahrattas Gholam Khadur Scindia. AURUNGZEBE'S character seems to have undergone a remarkable change for the better, when he found himself undisputed master of the empire. He treated his father with all attention and respect, consistent with his captivity. Wishing to adorn the throne with some of Shah Jehan's jewels, the emperor sent to ask them of his father, who told him that hammers were ready to pound the jewels into dust, if there were any more importunity for them. "Let him keep his jewels," replied the emperor; "nay, let him command those of Aurungzebe." This remark being repeated to Shah Jehan, he sent a number of the gems he had refused, saying, "Take these, which I am destined

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Aurungzebe.

Another event gave occasion for the display of the ready sagacity of Aurungzebe. A wealthy old woman, by her liberalities, had collected around her a vast crowd of religious mendicants, — fakirs,—who, having been successful in several enterprises beyond their expectations, were easily persuaded by their female chief that she had charmed their lives against death by powerful enchantments. Some twenty thousand of the fakirs, having been collected, and thus fortified by fanaticism, entertained the wild scheme of usurping the throne.

Instead of despising this enemy, Aurungzebe, a religious knave himself, pretended to get up, by his incantations, a counter charm of greater potency, which he wrote with his own hands upon little slips of paper, and had his soldiers fasten them on the tops of spears, borne before the several divisions of the army. The mystic power was confided in by the soldiers, who fought the enemy with heroism, and the fakirs were cut to pieces. This story is more fully given in our history of Hindostan.

Aurungzebe died in 1707, at the age of ninety-four, after reigning forty-eight years, over about eighty millions of people. His revenue is said to have equalled four or five hundred millions of dollars. The poisoned chalice of filial ingratitude and rebellion he had made his father drink of, was proffered to his own lips by his son, Acbar II., who caused him much and deserved anguish. His personal habits were regular, pure, and simple. "Of his domestic administration it is impossible to speak too highly: it was liberal, enlightened, and just.' Under his rule, the Mogul empire is said to have reached its highest grandeur and dignity; though, at his death, the symptoms of inherent weakness became but too apparent.

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Aurungzebe's latter hours were imbittered by remorse: may we not hope they were elevated by repentance? A passage in one of his letters to his son, written in the prospect of death, is exceedingly impressive. "Old age has arrived," he says, "weakness subdues me, and strength has forsaken all my limbs. I came a stranger into this world, and a stranger I depart. I

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MAHOMED-DELHI SACKED BY NADIR SHAH.

know nothing of myself, what I am, or for what I am destined. The instant which passed in power hath left only sorrow behind it. I have not been sufficiently the guardian and protector of the empire. My valuable time has been passed vainly. I.had a patron in my own dwelling, [conscience,] but his glorious light was not seen by my dim vision."

In the third year of this reign, a dreadful famine desolated India, producing most appalling scenes of suffering. The emperor immediately remitted the rents of the land and other taxes. He bought corn where it was most plentiful, and sold it at reduced prices where it was the least so. The means for doing this were furnished from his own treasury, which had grown rich under his economical and able manage ment, and which he opened for the benefit of the people without limit. An historian of the Grand Moguls well remarks, that it is a most extraordinary, but at the same time consoling and gratifying fact, that men like Shere, Shah Jehan, and Aurungzebe, all of them stained with execrable crimes, committed in the pursuit of power, should, when their objects were attained, be so justly famous for the vigor, skill, and impartiality of their administrations.

The remaining history of the Mogul empire is but the melancholy record of one miserable struggle after another for the imperial sway, among the descendants of its noble founders, while the empire itself was continually becoming less and less worth the contest. After the usual quarrel of the sons of the emperor, at his death, for the throne, Shah Aulum - his two brothers being severally defeated and slain-succeeded his father, Aurungzebe. He had to contend with a new power, the Sikhs, whose descendants, after a space of more than one hundred and thirty years, are now (1849) struggling vigorously for independence against the British power in India.*

Shah Aulum reigned but five years, and died in A. D. 1712, leaving behind him the reputation of an accomplished, liberal, and humane prince.

Of the four sons of Shah Aulum, the eldest gained the throne for a few months, through a distinguished general of his grandfather, and called himself Jehander Shah. His chief adviser was a concubine, one of the impure class of public dancers, and he was frequently seen near Delhi, walking with such abandoned females. His nephew, Feroksere, seized the throne, after defeating and killing his uncle. He slaughtered, without compunction, every person in his power from whom he could apprehend any possible danger. He was dethroned, after six years, by one

The origin of the Sikhs is thus stated: In Baber's time, Nanek, the beautiful son of a merchant, having attracted the attention of a dervis, was taken home by him and educated in Islamism. The youth selected for himself, from time to time, in the course of his studies, such doctrines, expressions, and sentiments as suited him, and the result was a book, written in a very elegant style, called Korrint. This, by degrees, became the text-book of a sect, which, under a military organization, rose to empire, under the name of Sikhs; but they seem latterly to have given up their religious pretensions. Rejecting, as he did, much of the absurdities of the two great religions of India, Mahometanism and Hin

dooism, and preserving some of the good of both, Nanek had many followers. After his death, nine chiefs successively governed the body of the Sikhs, who lived very peaceably and inoffensively. But in Aurungzebe's reign, one of the chiefs was put to death, and another banished. The Sikhs now carried rapine and slaughter among the Moguls, but were checked by Shah Aulum, though not destroyed. Their history is given in a subsequent chapter.

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who had helped to elevate him, and died. Two other emperors reigned, one five, the other three, months. Mahomed then came to the throne. He was weak and devoted to luxury instead, therefore, of opposing a bold front to the Mahrattas, now rapidly rising to a considerable power, he bought peace with these marauders, by paying them a fourth of his resources; and with a weakness still more fatal, finding it troublesome to collect this fourth, he gave the ruthless Mahrattas leave to collect it in their own rough fashion; thus abandoning his people to the spoiler. The disorganized state of the country, under its weak and worthless rulers, had before opened India to Tamerlane's plundering inroad, preparing the way for Mogul power. So Nadir Shah's similar invasion opened the way for British rule in India.

This Nadir Shah, who has been noticed in another place, was, according to some, a common laborer; according to others, he was the son of a shepherd in Khorasan, and by selling his father's sheep, obtained money and hired a band of robbers. He now took service under the son of the sophi of Persia, who desired to recover his throne from an Afghan usurper, whom Nadir overthrew. He then put out his employer's eyes, and caused himself to be proclaimed king of Persia, in 1736. He marched upon the Afghans; and afterwards into Hindostan, where he gained possession of Delhi, through the treachery of Mahomed's officers, who were rewarded by the following speech of Nadir, exhibiting a singular medley of the monarch, the ruffian, and the fanatic. "Are not you both most ungrateful villains to your king and country, who, after possessing such wealth and dignities, call me from my own dominion to ruin them and yourselves? But I will scourge you with all my wrath, which is the vengeance of God."

A Persian seized a pigeon-seller's basket, who cried out that Nadir had ordered a general pillage. The streets of Delhi were soon filled with an excited populace; the Persian was set upon; a report spread that Nadir was dead; before nightfall, two thousand Persians had been slain. Nadir was shot at himself. This incident unchained the tiger, and the consequence was, a general massacre, in which, before two o'clock, one hundred thousand of the Delhi people were killed — men, women, and children upon the same bloody heaps.

During this dreadful scene, the king of Persia sat in the mosque. None but his slaves dared to come near him, for his countenance was dark and terrible. At length, the unfortunate emperor, Mahomed, attended by a number of his chief omrahs, ventured to approach him with downcast eyes. The omrahs who preceded Mahomed bowed down their foreheads to the ground. Nadir asked them, sternly, what they wanted. They cried out with one voice, "Spare the city." Mahomed said not a word, but the tears flowed fast from his eyes. The tyrant, for once touched with pity, sheathed his sword, and said, " For the sake of the prince Mahomed, I forgive." In a few minutes, so instantaneous was the effect of his orders, every thing was calm in the city.

But the pillaging was now to begin; and its amount is variously estimated at from one hundred and fifty to three hundred and fifty millions of dollars. During its continuance, the gates were shut, and the populace reduced to famine. Tucki, an actor, was playing before Nadir, and so delighted him that the shah promised him whatever reward he should ask. Falling on his knees, the noble Tucki cried out, O king, com

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AULUM II.-GHOLAM KHADUR.

mand the gates to be opened, that the poor may not perish." The request was granted, and the blessings of his fellow-creatures were the priceless reward of the actor's benevolence.

Nadir quitted Delhi, having taken the provinces between Persia and Hindostan from Mahomed, and given him some good advice. The emperor died in 1747, after reigning thirty years. Ahmed, his eldest son, succeeded; and during his reign he lost, to the rising Afghan power, the north-western provinces, Moultan and Lahore. The Mahrattas and Rohillas, too, were very troublesome. At last, a rebel seized Delhi, and put out Ahmed's eyes, setting up another emperor, Aulumgeer II. The Sikhs now rose into importance; and the Afghans marched to the very gates of Delhi, which were opened to them, and the city was again at the mercy of an enemy. The emperor had sunk so low, that he begged the Afghan chief, Abdallah, not to leave him to the mercy of his own vizier, the rebel who had put out Ahmed's eyes. Aulumgeer fell into the wretch's hands, however, and was assassinated, in A. D. 1759.

The Mahrattas now attempted, by one bold stroke, to seize the empire; but Abdallah, the Afghan, being again on Indian territory, met their army of one hundred and forty thousand horse, commanded by their best generals, and after a contest of almost unexampled severity, at Paniput, (A. D. 1760,) obtained the victory-only a few of the army and three of the generals escaping. Abdallah gave the sovereignty to Aulum II., who was never really master of his dominions, and experienced a great variety of the most cruel disasters. The next half century offers to the historian of India a perplexed chronicle of violent revolutions, occasioned by the various chiefs who successively rose to more or less power, and their contests with Great Britain. The story, however, of the last revolution that occurred to the Moguls of India, previous to their becoming pensioners of Great Britain, is both interesting and instructive interesting as a picture of Orientalism, instructive as an example of the instability of human grandeur, and the precarious state of despotic governments. The author of this revolution was Gholam Khadur, disinherited by his father, and driven from his presence, for vice and crime. Shah Aulum II., or Allum, the king of Delhi, and last of the Moguls, took him under his protection, treated him as his own son, and conferred on him the second title in the kingdom-emir of emirs.

He lived with the king, and raised a body of about eight thousand troops of his own countrymen, the Moguls, which he commanded. Gholam Khadur was of a passionate temper, haughty, cruel, ungrateful, and debauched. In the latter part of the year 1788, the king had formed suspicions that some of the neighboring rajahs would attempt the conquest of his territories. This was confirmed by the approach of a large army toward his capital, commanded by a chief named Ismael, and assisted by the warlike Mahratta sovereign, Scindia.

Gholam reassured his king, who was discouraged at the array of his formidable enemies; he urged him to march out, give his troops a supply of money, and he would lay his head on the enemy's being repulsed. On the king's reply that he had no money, Gholam offered to advance enough. Only head the army," said he "the presence of the monarch is half the battle." The king seemed to consent, and requested

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Gholam to assemble the army, pay their arrears, and inform them of his purpose to lead them in person. Great, therefore, was Gholam's astonishment, when, the next day, he intercepted a letter from the king to Scindia, the hostile chief, desiring him to make all haste and destroy Gholam; "for," said the letter, "he urges me to act against my wishes, and oppose you." On this discovery, Gholam marched out with his troops, crossed the Jumna, and encamped on the other side, opposite the fort of Delhi, the residence of the king. He then sent the king the intercepted letter, asking him if such conduct did not merit the loss of his throne. After a few days' siege, Gholam carried the fort: entering the palace in arms, he flew to the king's chamber, insulted the old man in the most barbarous manner, knocked him down, and kneeling on his breast, dug out one of his eyes with his knife, ordering a servant of the king to thrust out the other!

He then gave up the palace to pillage, and, going to the zenana, where the king's women resided, insulted the ladies, and tore their jewels from their noses, ears, and limbs. As he had lived with the king, he was well acquainted with the different places where his treasures were hid; he dug up the floor of the king's own bedroom, and found there two chests containing in specie one hundred and twenty thousand gold mohurs, — nearly a million of dollars,-which he took, and vast sums besides. To get at the hidden jewels of the women, he practised a nefarious trick, of the meanest kind. He ordered that the king's ladies and daughters should come and pay their respects to him, promising to free those who could best please him by their dress and appearance. The innocent, unthinking women brought out their jewels, and adorned themselves in their richest attire, to please this savage. Gholam ordered them to be conveyed into a hall, where he had provided ordinary dresses for them: these dresses he made them put on, by the assistance of eunuchs, and, taking possession of their rich dresses and jewels, sent the women home to lament their own credulous vanity, and curse his treachery. He did not stop here, but insulted the princes by making them dance and sing. The most beautiful of the king's daughters, Mobaruck ul Moolk, was brought to the tyrant, but she stabbed herself, rather than submit her person to him.

Scindia, the Mahratta chief, soon after this, came to the king's assistance, ostensibly, but his real purpose was to make the remnant of the Mogul empire his prey. Gholam fled, and took refuge in the fort of Agra, a large city, one hundred and fifty miles south of Delhi. Here Scindia's troops besieged him, and he, perceiving that he must be taken if he tarried, took advantage of a dark night, stuffed his saddle with a large stock of precious stones, and with a few followers fled toward Persia. Unluckily for him, the wretch fell from his horse on the second night of his flight: by this means a party of horsemen, which had been sent in pursuit, came up with him, and took him prisoner. He was brought to Scindia, who, after exposing him some time in irons, and some time in a cage, ordered his ears, his nose, his hands, and his feet to be cut off, and his eyes taken out, in which state he was allowed to expire!

Scindia seized on the kingdom he came to protect; and all that was left to Shah Allum, the nominal emperor, was the city of Delhi, with a small district around it, where, deprived even of sight, he remained an empty shadow of royalty. In the early part of

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