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the capital, the real state of affairs was revealed to him. He found that the strength of his opponent was far beyond his expectations and that all the influential Durrani Chiefs had joined him. He, as well as his minister, was panic-stricken.
After some hesitation, the King marched against Mahmud at the head of such troops that he could muster. The main body of the army was under the command of Ahmad Khan Nurzai, who had innumerable grievances against the King and his Minister. Fateh Khan was not ignorant of the fact and he utilised it to his full advantage. When the two armies came face to face, Fateh Khan, seizing Abdullah Khan, Ahmad Khan Nurzai's brother, threatened to kill him if the Chief refused to come over to his side with all his troops. Ahmad Khan, who was already wavering in his loyalty and wanted but a pretext, decided to join the ranks of the insurgents. With desertion in his camp the cause of Zaman Shah became almost hopeless. The King was so disheartened, that leaving the battle-field, he fled quickly towards Kabul, with Fateh Khan at his heels. Zaman, therefore, could not stay long in Kabul,
Roughly two thirds of characters agree with a modern printed edition of the same text. Much of the disagreement is editorial, not misreading. Treat the transcription as a finding aid and read the page image before quoting. How this was measured.