'Travels in Beloochistan and Sinde; accompanied by a geographical and historical account of those countries, with a map.' [‎386] (428/476)

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386
HISTORY OF SINDE.
during that period. The native Hindoo princes are not even men
tioned by name, in all the manuscripts I have perused, until the
time of the celebrated Khoosroo (usually called Nousherwan), King
of Persia *, who sent a large army and ravaged the western frontier
of Sasee Rajah's dominions; which are described, including his tri
butaries, to have extended on the north to the present provinces of
Kashmeer and Kabool, southward to Surat and the island now called
Dieu, westward along the sea coast of Mukran, and eastward to
the provinces of Marwar, Bickaneer, &c. The Rajah, whose name
is stated to have been Suheersingh, opposed this invasion in person
at the head of his troops, and a pitched battle was fought in
Mukran, in which he was killed and his forces totally routed. The
Persians, however, seem to have had no further object than plunder,
for having loaded themselves with spoils they marched back,
carrying with them some thousands of the most beautiful of the
women whom they had made prisoners. After this event, two
princes of the same dynasty, neither of whose names are given, suc
ceeded to the throne, and we are told that they governed their ex
tensive dominions with great judgment and equity ; the fiist of them
made many wise regulations for the defence of this kingdom, and in
lieu of paying revenues he obliged his subjects to build some forts,
and repair others that had fallen to decay during the peaceable
reigns of his progenitors, t The second Rajah was, in the early part
of his government, equally attentive, but the prospeiity of his empire
soon became so great, and appeared so well established, that he gave
himself up to sensual pleasures, and passed whole weeks in his
seraglio, leaving the conduct of public affairs to his minister. About
the period of this change in the policy of the prince, the minister fell
sick, and a young Brahmin, who had been appointed to an inferior
* Nousherwan flourished about the middle of the sixth century of the Christian era.
He was contemporary with the Roman Emperors Justinian and Justin.
f The names of some of these forts are mentioned: such as Sehwan, Moo, Oocha,
Naraen Kott, or the Fort of Naraen, &c. See. the three former of which are still known
by the same designations.
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