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 BAL UCHISTAN.

32

by Major Outram, between the British Government and Mi'r Nasfr Khan, chief of Khelat, was annulled. That Mi'r Nasfr Khan, his heirs and successors, bound themselves to oppose to the utmost all the enemies of the British Government, and ‘

in all cases to act in subordinate co-operation with that Government, and not to enter into negotiations with other States without its consent. That should it be deemed necessary to station British troops in any part of the territory of Khelat, they shall occupy such positions as may be thought advisable by the British authorities. That the Brahui chief was to prevent all plundering on the ‘

‘

part

of his subjects within,

or

in

the

neighbourhood

of,

British

territory.

That he was further to protect all merchants passing through his and only to exact from them a transit duty, fixed by schedule attached to the treaty and that, on condition of a faithful performance of these duties, he was to receive from the British Government an ‘

territory,



annual subsidy of 50,000 rupees (^5000).’ The provisions of the above treaty were loyally performed by Mfr Nasfr Khan up to the time of his death in 1856. He was succeeded

by

his brother

Mfr Khudadad Khan, the present

ruler,

then a youth of

seventeen years of age, who, however, did not obtain his position before

he had put down by force a rebellion on the part of his turbulent chiefs, first elected him, but, not receiving what they considered an adequate reward from his treasury, sought to depose him in favour of In the latter part of 1857, the Indian his cousin Sher Dil Khan. rebellion being at its height, and the city of Delhi still in the hands of the rebels, a British officer (Major Henry Green) was deputed on the part of the British Government to reside as Political Agent with the

who had

Khan

at Khelat,

and

over his turbulent

to assist

tribes.

him by

his advice in maintaining control

This duty was successfully performed until

1863, when, during the temporary absence of Major Malcolm Green, Khudadad Khan was, at the instigation of some

then political agent,

of his principal chiefs, attacked, while out riding, by his cousin Sher Dil Khan,

and severely wounded.

Khudadad

fled

residence close to the British border, and Sher Dil

and proclaimed Khan.

for safety to

Khan was

His rule was, however, a short one,

a

elected

for early

when proceeding to Khelat, he was murdered in the Gandava Pass ; and Khudddad was again elected chief by the very men who had the previous year caused his overthrow, and who had lately been in 1864,

accomplices in the murder of his cousin. Since the above events, Khudadad has maintained his precarious position with great difficulty.

Owing

to his inability to govern his unruly subjects without material

assistance from the British Government, his country

fell

into a state

of chronic anarchy; and the provisions of the treaty of 1854 having