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hated by his people and had no chance
of winning back his throne. But Ali Ahmad
Jan was an experienced general and had
a regular force at his back with a large
quantity of arms and ammunition, and
commanded great influence in the east.
Bacha sent a mission to Ali Ahmad Jan
asking him to swear allegiance forthwith.
The mission met Ali Ahmad Jan at Jagdilak,
where he was busy with his preparations
for the attack on Kabul. Instead of sending
the mission back with a reply he detained
it for sometime, lest they should carry
information to the Bacha regarding the real
strength of his army. But these precautions
proved of no avail. His army, recruited as
it was from different tribes, was of too
heterogeneous a character including men from
the north who could not make up their
mind to fight against the Bacha; as soon
as an opportunity offered itself were only
too willing to desert his camp to join the
Saqaoists.
Thus he committed a serious mistake
when he sent a detachment of troops towards
the Caves of Mullah Omar at a distance of
some six miles from But-Khak. the Bacha's
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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.