NARRATIVE OF VARIOUS JOURNEYS IN BALOCHISTAN, AFGHANISTAN, AND THE PANJAB 1826-1838 by Charles Masson
Volume 3 [144 of 332]
CHAPTER IX [7 of 11]
It may here be noted, that besides depending up¬ on the assistance of the Peshāwer sirdārs, the Nawāb Māhomed Zemān Khān had been willing, by the assassination of Dost Māhomed Khān, to have ridden himself of apprehension from him, and commissioned a desperate man in his employ to commit the deed. This man vent to Kābal where his family resided, and one night, by means of a ladder, ascended into the apartment where Dost Māhomed Khān was sleeping with one of his ladies. He relented of his fell purpose, as, he said himself afterwards, he thought it a pity to kill such a man, and carried off his shawl, trowsers, &c. as trophies of his visit, which he presented to the nawāb, and claimed his reward. The ladder was left standing, and was of course discovered in the morning. Subsequently the man came to Kābal, resided openly in the Bālla Hissār, made no secret, or very little, of what he had done, and was unnoticed by Dost Māhomed Khān. In course of time he was shot one evening as he came from a Hindū’s house, by some Rikas. His friends demanded the blood of the Rikas at the hands of Dost Māhomed Khān, who manifestly favouring them, pretended there was not evidence enough against them.