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78 Sind, into signing a treaty which made the English temporary masters of Bakhar, the island-fortress which guarded the Indus where it rushed down between the opposite towns of Sakhar and Rohri. The poor old man also agreed to pay his share of the twenty-seven lakhs — £270,000 — which Sháh Shujá and Ranjít Singh were to divide between them in quittance of all claims on the Sind Amírs. The news of this arrangement did not improve the temper of the Haidarábád princes, who saw no end to the spoliations of which they were the destined victims. It was feared that their wrath might explode at any moment, and the march to Kandahár be thus indefinitely delayed.

But by the middle of January, 1839, the Bengal column had crossed the frontier of Upper Sind, not without some loss of camels and camp-followers. Ten days later it was encamped at Rohri, prepared in due time to cross the river and march on towards Shikárpur, where Shujá's force was awaiting its advent. On the 29th the British flag waved over the fort of Bakhar. By that time Keane had moved on to Jarakh, two marches only from the capital of Lower Sind. His troops were quite ready for the struggle which seemed impending.

But the expected was not to happen. On the 27th Cotton had received his orders to march with the bulk of his troops towards Haidarábád. On the 30th the march began, while a brigade of Shujá's force moved down the right bank of the river towards Larkhána.