National Institute of Informatics - Digital Silk Road Project
Digital Archive of Toyo Bunko Rare Books

of that place, who had bought over the Ambán with a bribe of eight chárak of gold, P.
equal in weight to a hundred and sixty pounds. Afridún Wáng, on being deposed,
returned to his home at Lukchun, near Turfán, and there joining the nascent Tungani
revolt came back to Kúcha, and took an active part in setting Ráshuddin Khoja at
the head of affairs there. He subsequently submitted to Yákúb Beg, who squeezed
him of all his wealth, for he was one of the richest men in the country, and made him
reside at Káshghar; where the decrepid old man died, and left two sons in poor cir-
cumstances. Afridún was thoroughly Chinese in his interests, and aided Ráshuddin
to found a Tungáni government under Khoja leaders of his own family at Aksú,
Yárkand, and Khutan in opposition to the Khokand party who had got possession
of Káshghar. But his efforts failed owing to the jealousies dividing the Tungáni,
the Khoja, and the Musalmán Chinese officials parties, and he finally succumbed to
Yákúb Beg, who rose on ruins of this house divided against itself.

Rustam Beg on assuming his dear bought office at once commenced to recoup
his outlay, and squeezed the people by severe punishments, fines, and exactions of sorts.
They endured his tyranny for three months, and then rose in riot to expel him from
the city. He at once called in the aid of the Ambán, who marched a party of
Chinese soldiers from the adjoining Yángíshahr Fort into the city; but quiet was not
restored till Rustam Beg was deposed, and Nyáz Beg, a candidate put forward by the
citizens, was appointed in his place.

Following this, an ill-feeling arose between the Musalmán Tungáni and their
Budlist Khitáy comrades in the garrison, and many quarrels broke out amongst
them. Just at this time, too, the Ambán received secret tidings of the Tungáni
mutinies in the eastern cities. He kept the news secret for some time, and then his
communications with the head-quarters at Ila being cut off by the rebels, he held a
private council of his principal officers, and by the consent of all it was decided to
disarm all the Tungáni troops. Some delay and hesitation occurred in carrying out
the decision, and in the interim the intention was secretly conveyed to the Máh Dáláy
who commanded the Tungáni by one of his spies; and he determined to be before-
hand with the Ambán, and set a strict watch upon his palace.

Shortly after, a second private council was held by the Ambán, and the Máh
Dáláy, learning that the morrow had been fixed for the disarming of his men, imme-
diately took his measures to frustrate the decision. Accordingly, that same night
he summoned a number of his officers privately to his quarters, briefly informed them
of the Ambán's design against them, and told them to go off to their quarters and
at once inform their men of the part they were to act in the plan he had arranged to
prevent its execution, and to seize the government for themselves. Having done this,
he left his quarters with some 50 men, surprised the Khitáy guard sleeping outside
the fort gate, and cut the throats of all as they lay more or less drugged with opium.
By this time he was joined by about 400 others who, according to instructions, had
followed in his track, and he then set fire to the gates and dispersed them inside the
fort to rouse the garrison with the alarm of fire.

The Khitáy and Tungáni troops were quartered together in the outer part of the
fort, whilst the inner part or citadel was occupied by the Ambán and principal officers
and their Khitáy guards. And this inner fort was shut off from the outer by walls
and gates of its own. As the garrison in the outer fort was roused by the alarm of
fire, the men, Tungáni and Khitáy, came running out of their quarters together, but
for very different purposes. The Tungáni were all armed, and each now, according to
his instructions, slew his Khitáy comrade as he issued from his quarters.

By this stratagem the Tungáni killed 2,000 of their Khitáy brethren before the
day dawned, when those in the inner fort, being roused by the tumult, attacked
and expelled them from the Yángíshahr.

The Máh Dáláy and his mutineers then entered the city just as the gates were
opened with the rising sun, and with white scarves tied round their heads and droop-
ing in lappets over the shoulders dispersed through the bazars, calling on the