Rebellion of Mohammad Yaqub Khan [‎186v] (62/174)

104
PRIS'CE ABDOOE HtTLEIK.
[ 1869;
Moonshee Buklityar Khan (a} in a letter of the 23rd August to the Com
missioner of Feshawur, thus described what happened :
“ The Ameer received the rebellious son of the Ameer of Bokhara by advancing 50 paces
from his throne, and after allowing him the second cushion (< musnud ) close by him to sit on,
he repeatedly said three times— f Welcome to you, consider ^is country as your home. It
will not be less comfortable to you than Bokhara, and you willfully find success m all your
undertakings/ The Prince replied that it was owing to his considering the Ameer s dominions
as his home he has ventured to come to it. Subsequently, the five courtiers of the Prince who
attended the durbar A public or private audience held by a high-ranking British colonial representative (e.g. Viceroy, Governor-General, or member of the British royal family). , kissed the Ameer s hands. .
-When the durbar A public or private audience held by a high-ranking British colonial representative (e.g. Viceroy, Governor-General, or member of the British royal family). was concluded, the Ameer accompanied the Prince to the end of the
musnud and then sent him to Fort Aliabad, in company with Sirdar Leader of a tribe or a polity; also refers to a military rank or title given to a commander of an army or division. Mahomed Yaeoob
Khan, on his elephant, magnificently equipped with litter, &c. which was granted to him at
the late Umballa conference. On his return form fort Ahabad, Sndai ilahomed \acoob
Khan represented to the Ameer that the Prince had no experience of riding on an elephant, and
consequently he felt somewhat uneasy as he went on; also, that when sowars drew their swords
to salute him, he seemed afraid, and did not converse on the way, fuithei than saying that the
Ameer had shown much courtesy towards him, and he considered the (AmeeFs) home as his
own. Sirdar Leader of a tribe or a polity; also refers to a military rank or title given to a commander of an army or division. Mahomed Uslum Khan stated that the Prince is at present like a person under
surveillance, but as soon as he becomes reconciled to his lot, he will probably make some
important disclosures. The Ameer concurred in thinking with me that the arrival of
the Prince had done much towards his prestige, and that it is incumbent on him to treat
a man of so eminent a family with the greatest respect and hospitality, and believed that by
doing so the Prince might feel himself under obligations to him as regards future eventualities.
“ Sirdar Leader of a tribe or a polity; also refers to a military rank or title given to a commander of an army or division. Mahomed Uslum Khan, however, maintains a different opinion. He desires that
the Prince be summarily treated, and being dissatisfied, may retire to his country. The
Ameer then enquired from the British agent and myself whether or not to send the inform
ation of the Prince's arrival to his father. I advised him to write to the following effect, and
assured him that by writing so, the King would feel gratified and abstain from interfering with
Toorkistan affairs. ‘ Your son has been my guest, and I will entertain him with due honor on ac
count of our mutual friendship. It is a matter of rejoicing that by my doing so, you have been
exempted from the anxieties you have been feeling hitherto on account of his moving here and
there against you, and your son, instead of sustaining the trouble of wandering , is now settled/'
The Ameer concurred in the above, and directed me to draft out a letter accordingly.
“ The Prince is a well-looking, quiet, intelligent lad, of middle size, weak constitution,,
small eyes, and small-pox marks in his face. It is said that while in Kohistan, he had spoken
to some persons that he had rebelled against his father, through religious enthusiasm on
account of his having joined the Russians, and that he would not have sought the protection
of the Ameer had he been previously informed that he had made friendship with the British.
“On the 27th of the same month Prince Abdool Mullik was entertained by the Ameer in
a splendid manner in his garden in Deh-Afghanan, and the British agent at Cabul and his two-
Moonshees were also invited. The entertainment was attended with a great display of fire
works and illuminations until 10 p. m. The Prince was received by the Ameer at the entrance
ot the garden under a salute of 11 guns, and was granted presents on his departure to Fort
Aliabad where he resides."
He was entertained in turn by all the leading nobles.
456. The occasion of the Bokhara Prince’s arrival was seized by the
* His letter to the Commissioner of Peshawar, British Moonshee 7 Buklityar Khan,* te
. tatod -ist August 1869.. . g’ ve an talents for diplomacy.
Being, with the British agent, consulted by the Ameer, he recommended him
to write and tell the Prince s father that the Prince would be treated with due
honor, and that his coming to Cabul would result in the cessation of the anxieties
v.iici, so long as the Prince was restlessly moving to and fro, the Ameer of
’Bokhara could not help feeling.
further than^hB 1 - ^ ^ nte Hig ence sent by Bukhtyar' Khan went
“The Ameer," he said, “intended to prepare a detail of all the injuries done to the
Punjab Political Proceedings, October 1869, No. 6. Cabul Government by that of Bokhara from the
np -co- i n commencement of Afghan rule, and to ask the
peirmssion of the British Government to proceed himself to Toorkistan with troops under
of Sumundar Khar/oovernor of Ghoreo”’amarrSje'wWoh h/a’ C "’ h 2m \ AngMt ’ was bet ™ | lied to the daughter
nobles congratulated him in durbar A public or private audience held by a high-ranking British colonial representative (e.g. Viceroy, Governor-General, or member of the British royal family). . ^ cl1 tlie Ameer had much promoted, and the Ameer and all the