which this oppression produced. Nor is much said of the social history of the era, though occasional paragraphs describe the material welfare of the populace under the good government of some of the kings, and the zeal which some of these displayed in providing for the due teaching of Mahomedan doctrines, and some of the tales also afford slight glimpses of the manner in which the people lived.

Of these numerous anecdotes scattered throughout the book a very few only have, for various reasons, been omitted, though some of the others which are narrated at tedious length in the original have been slightly condensed in the translation.

It is difficult to say what was the style of the author, for the varying texts employ very various language. Six texts have been used in the translation; of these, by far the most clearly written is one from the Library of the Royal Asiatic Society, to which it was presented by the late Sir A. Malet, and which has been described at length in Mr. Morley's catalogue of the Persian historical MSS. belonging to that Society. It is quoted hereafter as MS. A. Its language is full of stilted tautology, such as distinguishes certain styles of Persian composition. On the whole, however, I am disposed to think it approaches most nearly to the author's own words, for in some passages the language of the other copies is so condensed that its true meaning is only to be elucidated by reference to MS. A. The language of the other MSS. is simpler, and has been generally followed as best suited for translation into English. There are some serious lacunæ in MS. A, though it affords generally a full text, and is especially valuable for the plainness of its writing when readings are doubtful. Of the other MSS., the best is one which was liberally transmitted by the late Sir Sálár Jang from Hyderábád, where he had it copied specially for the purpose of this work. It is fairly well written by different hands, and gives, on the whole, a fuller text than any of the others, especially as regards the anecdotes recounted. It

supplies some obvious deficiencies in MS. A, though itself still occasionally imperfect. In one or two cases this MS. gives matter which, perhaps, did not belong to the original work, and which may have been borrowed from some other source. These passages will be further noticed in their proper place. This MS. will be quoted as MS. B, or the "Hyderábád MS." The other MSS. belong to the Library of the India Office, and will, doubtless, be fully described in the forthcoming catalogue of the Persian MSS. of that Institution. They are, for the most part, more condensed, both in style and substance, than the other two, though some of them occasionally contain particulars which these omit, and they afford also considerable assistance in reading doubtful names. They will be quoted, No. 404 as MS. C, No. 970 as MS. D, and No. 1,038 as MS. E. The lithographed edition published at Bombay has also been employed with much advantage, and where quoted has been indicated as L, or the "Lithographed Edition." As a rule the translation mainly follows this last, the Hyderábád MS., and MS. D, which are nearly identical in their wording. The writer gives a distinct account of the mode in which he prepared his work. He relied on authorities, as far as he could get them, and undoubtedly made use of the two works, both entitled Táríkh-i-Muzaffar Sháhí, dealing respectively with the history of Muzaffar Sháh I. and Muzaffar Sháb II., the Táríkh-i-Ahmad Shahí, the Táríkh-i-Mahmúd Sháhí, the Táríkh-i-Bahádar Sháhí, with the Tuhfat-i-Sándál of Arám Kashmírí, a work composed apparently during the earlier part of Mahmúd III.'s reign. Some of the lacunæ in his narrative are probably due to the deficiencies in these authorities, especially those at the close of the reigns of Ahmad Shah I. and of Mahmúd Bigarha. The writer says that his narrative, after the final re-establishment of Mahmúd III. on the throne, is derived from family recollections and from information derived from others. But he also speaks as an eyewitness of several of the later events which he relates, for he

expressly says that he was present in several of the engagements which took place after the escape and revolt of Muzaffar III.

One very curious characteristic of this writer's style is that he often gives one version of a story-evidently derived from the authority which he is for the moment following-and supplements it by one or more different and sometimes incompatible versions derived from other sources. Indeed, he seems to have followed his main authorities very closely, and to have depended much on them. As said above, the Táríkh-i-Ahmadí and Táríkh-i-Mahmúd Sháhí do not seem to have been continued down to the deaths of the monarchs whose story they relate, and the account of their later years given by our author is, therefore, but meagre and imperfect. It has been endeavoured partially to remedy this by facts drawn from other works, and it is hoped, in the next volume, to add a few valuable particulars as to the last years of Mahmud Bigarha, from a history supplemental to the Táríkh-i-Mahmúd Sháhí, also furnished by the kindness of the late Sir Salar Jung.

CHAPTER III.

RISE OF THE MUHAMMADAN POWER.-REIGN OF SULTAN

MUZAFFAR.

THE first among the rulers of Gujarat who obtained the honour of Islám was Sadháran, to whom the name Wajíh-ulMulk was given. He belonged to the caste called Tánk. It is stated in Hindu books that the Tánks and Khatrís are brothers. One of them was addicted to the use of strong drinks, and the Khatrís expelled him from their caste. Men so expelled are, in Hindí, called Tánkí,* which means outcasts. From that time forward the customs and rules of the Khatrís and Tánkís have differed, and each of them pursues the course it prefers.

The name of the father of Sadháran was Har Chand, who was the son of Bír Pál, son of Gúr Pál, son of Har Pál, son of Man Pál, son of Dhínda, son of Bíl Pál, son of Kunwar Pál, son of Daríman, son of Kunwarí, son of Trilók, son of Súláhan,

* See Elliot's "Memoirs of Races, &c.," vol. i. p. 109; Tod's " Rájasthan," vol. i.; Cunningham's "Archæological Reports," vol. ii. p. 8. It seems probable that the Hindí equivalent meant is some form of the Sanskrit Tyágí, "abandoned"; indeed, the copy of the "Mirát-i-Sikandarí" used by Sir H. Elliot seems to have given the word in this shape, but that copy is not to be found among his MSS., and is not, therefore, available for reference. The lithographed version and four out of the five MSS. used for this translation (the fifth is defective at this passage) give. As to the probability of the explanation in the text, see note on "Badar 'Alá," infra.

son of Júláhan, son of Mandan, son of Abhí Mandan, son of Bhukat, son of Nákat, son of Abhí, son of Trilók, son of Dúlah, son of Mahsú, son of Sahsú.* But the line extends upwards to Ráma Chandra, whom the Hindus worship as a god.

The first of the race who was established in the government of Gujarat was Zafar Khán, son of Wajíh-ul-Mulk, and the first who ascended the throne was Sultán Muhamad, surnamed Tátár Khán, son of Zafar Khán.

It is recorded that the great and beneficent Sultán Ab'ul Muzaffar Fíróz Sháh, cousin of Sultán Muhamad bin Toghlak Shah, sovereign of the realm of Dehlí, was very fond of hunting. No one of ancient or modern kings has been so devoted to sport since the days of Bahrám Gúr, no one has pursued the beasts in the forest with equal ardour; and even at the present time, hunters when they enter on the chase invoke the memory of this glorious king, and seek aid from his beatified holy spirit.†

One day, before Fíróz attained the throne, he went out into the country to hunt deer, and, as he pressed on in pursuit of his game, became separated from his attendants. When the shades of evening began to fall, and the silvery deer (the moon) displayed its brightness in the field of the sky, the bird of his heart sought for a nest; and he perceived in the distance a village which was one of the dependencies of the town of Thánésar. He turned his horse in that direction. Outside the village he found a party of the landholders seated, and he got off his horse and joined them. At his request one of them pulled off his boots. That man was a master of the science of interpreting signs and appearances; when his eye fell upon the sole of the foot of the Sultán, he perceived the marks of royalty and the signs of imperial power. He told his companions that such marks were only found upon the feet of

* These names vary in the different MSS., but are not material. This passage is somewhat obscure and difficult to render literally.