Rebellion of Mohammad Yaqub Khan [‎210v] (110/174)

AMEEU’S ASSISTANCE IN TOOREE-WEFZEEREE AEEAIR.
[ 1870.
on the 17tli February was signalled by a grand entertainment given by Abdoollah
Jan, which was opened by prayers and the distribution of delicacies. re overnor
of Cabul, Uslum’s brother, entertained the Ameer at this place on the 25th
February.
In the diary of the 24th February there is the following entry:
“ A coal mine has been discovered in some place in Toorkistan, and His Highness the Ameer,
after giving some coalas asample to Ursullah Khan, Ghdzai (Governor of Zoormut), has direct-
ed him to search for the same in Ghilzai territory also, m order that, if another mine be dis.
covered there, coal may be sent to British teiritoiy.
564. In the diaries of 17th and 21st March there were the following
entries :
Snow lias fallen comparatively little this winter in Cabul, and no rain-fall has taken
place. A proclamation was therefore issued yester-
Diary ending 17th March 1870. by order of the Cabul authorities, to the effect
that the people of Cabul, between the ages of seven and seventy, should come out three days
successively for prayers for rain to the south of Cabul near the grave-yard. Consequently,
many persons came out to-day to perform the above prayers, and clouds having collected, a few
drops of rain fell.
On Saturday, the 19th instant, the Ameer himself attended the place where the
" * _ people of Cabul had assembled for prayers for
Diary ending 21st March 1870. rain, and he also took part in the ceremony. No
rain has fallen yet, and grain is getting dearer every day. Owing to no rain having fallen
in Candahar, grain is sold there at 1^ maunds ‘ Tub-
* i. e., Tubrezee maund = 6 sears English. rezee;* (=4 i seers Peshawuree, or about 6 seers
English) a rupee.”
565. Faring this period, the Punjab frontier officers received useful assistance
from the Ameer in dealing with a difficulty on the frontier. Between the Toorees
who acknowledge allegiance to the Ameer, and the independent Wuzeerees, there
had long been outstanding differences, which had led the Wuzeerees in April
1869 to commit a raid on the British village of Thull, the inhabitants of which
were allies of the Toorees ; consequently, in the end of October 1869, the Deputy
Commissioner of Kohat proceeded to the frontier to adjust the differences which
led to disturbances on the British border, and at the request of the Commissioner of
Peshawar the Ameer directed Wullee Mahomed, Governor of Koorum, to send to
the Deputy Commissioner any Tooree headmen whom he might wish to see.—
[Diary ending 1st November 1869.]
In the presence of the Deputy Commissioner, it was settled that the Toorees
should pay the Wuzeerees a sum of Rs. 3,872, i. e., blood-money at the rate of
Rs. 560 for a man killed, and 50 for a man wounded, and compensation for the pro
perty plundered ; and at the request of the Punjab Government, the Ameer, 22nd
March 1870, desired Wullee Mahomed to collect that sum from the Toorees and
to make it over to the Punjab frontier authorities.—[Diary ending 24th March.]
Here it may be mentioned that in February 1871, Wullee Mahomed wrote to
the Ameer that the Zymust Wuzeerees had been much oppressing the Toorees, and
that he had written to the Deputy Commissioner of Kohat with a view to punish
ment being inflicted on the Wuzeerees. The Ameer desired Wullee Mahomed to
report whether the offenders lived in British territory ©r not,—diary ending 13th
February 1871, an extract of which was sent by the Punjab Government to the
Deputy Commissioner of Kohat with a view to his reporting on the matter. It is
not known what action followed. 566 *
566. On the 7th April the Belooch refugees, Meer Azad Khan and Moolla
Mahomed, reached Cabul, were hospitably received, and, on the ground that they
were originally residents of Afghanistan, urged the Ameer to interest himself to
procure the restoration of their property which Khodadad Khan, of Khelat, had
confiscated. I he Ameer represented the case of Moolla Mahomed to the Govern
ment of India. The entry in the diary of 7th May regarding these men is as