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who had been sent out to capture Peshawar from Gulistan Khan-the
governor appointed there by Shahshuja-had taken that city in the na-
me of prince Qaisar. The fall of Peshawar induced Shahshuja to
march from Shikarpour to Dera Ghazi Khan: but as soon as his
back was turned, Fateh Khan and his brother again overthrew the
allegience of Shahshuja and returned to Kandahar. Some have it
that in this fresh discord, the hand of Shair Mohamed Khan was
also operative; who is said to have written to these Sirdars to de-
sert their master and friend Shahshuja. News of this greatly distur-
bed the king, and without further recourse in this matter, he moved
on to Kohat, with all possible speed. From there he reached a
village named Mutaiz-some ten miles from Peshawar in the Mah-
mand area. Khaja Mohamed Khan and Yahya Khan Bamyazai, who
it might be recollected were sent by Shair Mohamed Khan and
prince Qaiser to evict Gulsitan Khan from Peshawar, could not face
Shahshuja in battle; so that Shahshuja once again took Peshawar
in the year 1806 A. D. and the two commanders of Shair Mohamed
Khan beat a retreat to Kabul. The time was when the former Vazir
of Shahshuja accompained by prince Qaisar having left Kabul was
nearing Peshawar. They were about to enter Peshawar near Shuqa-
dar, - town near the confluence of the two rivers-when Khaja
Mohamed Khan and Yahya Khan joined them. Some historians have
stated that near Tahkal, not far from Pashawar, the twelve thousand
troops of Shair Mohamed Khan faced the forces of Shahshuja on the
3 rd. of March 1808. and it was possible that the forces of Shashuja
may be repulsed; but the King's Guards stuck to their guns, and
Shair Mohamed Khan fell. His brother Haji Pir Mohamed Khan was
taken prisoner, and was killed by the command of the king. Khaja
Mohamed Khan, too, was slain in this engagement, so that the
apparent defeat of Shahshuja was transfered into victory. Prince
Qaiser, having lost his helpers of the Bamizais, fled towards
Kabul, and Shahshuja enterd Peshawar in triumph. As he entered
the city, troopers showed the severed head of the slain vazir
Shair Mohamed Khan-Shair Mohamed Khan, the Minister of Ministers
of the king at one time-who enoyed the prestige second to none
at the court of the one against whom he revolted and was
ultimately slain.
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.