Page:The People of India — a series of photographic illustrations, with descriptive letterpress, of the races and tribes of Hindustan Vol 6.djvu/16

INTRODUCTORY SKETCH OF THE HISTORY OF SIND. tribe or clan of Persian origin, and who were recognized and established by Nadir Shiah as his deputies. At Nadir Shah's death, in 1747, the province reverted to Delhi, and was bestowed as a marriage gift upon the Prince Tymoor, son of King Ahmed Shah Dooranee of Kabool and Kandahar. On his father's death, in 1773, Tymoor succeeded him, and left Sind for Afghanistan, when the viceregal authority was continued to the Kuloras.

In 1775, a British factory for trade was established at Tattah under a convention with the reigning Kulora prince; but the conditions were not observed, and it was necessary to abandon it in 1792. In June, 1799, a fresh revolution took place. The Talpoors, who were Beloch chieftains, usurped the chief authority, and the Kuloras fled to Kandahar, but speedily returned, and defeated the Talpoors. Watching their opportunity, however, the Talpoors again sncceeded in driving out the Kuloras, and finally established themselves as local rulers, increasing their dominions by attacks on their neighbours.

In 1786, King Tymoor of Afghanistan made an attempt to recover Sind, but was defeated; and the Talpoor princes having agreed to pay the usual tribute, became confirmed in their position. This payment of tribute was, however, by no means regular or punctual, and led to some dissensions; and, in 1793, Shah Shooja-ool-Moolk, having succeeded his father Tymoor, a final adjustment of arrears took place, when Meer Futteh Ali, the eldest of the four Talpoor princes, was again confirmed as hereditary ruler of Sind. At his decease, the surviving brothers divided the province into four parts, in proportion to their rank and seniority, the eldest being considered head of all; and in this condition the family were found at the period of the first mission sent under Mr. Ellis by the Government of Bombay in 1809. This mission, the object of which was to prevent the admission of the French into Sind, though suspiciously received at first, was eventually successful. The British envoy was courteously entertained at Hyderabad, the capital, and much useful information was gained, which is detailed in Lieut. Pottinger's travels, published in 1816, being the first work which threw any light upon the heretofore unknown countries lying between Persia and the Indus, or tjhe province of Sind and its people.

Very few transactions, political or otherwise, ensued between the British Government of India and the Talpoors for several years. In 1820, the treaty of 1810 was renewed; which included the exclusion of Americans, with the adjustment of some frontier disputes; and it was not till 1831, when communication was renewed, that the relations became more intimate. In that year Lieut. Alexander Burnes was dispatched to explore the Indus, and to carry presents to Runjeet Sing, ruler of the Punnjab. Burnes was received and watched with much suspicion. It was believed that the slender foundation for his journey was only preliminary to an invasion by the English: but for some years more the Talpoors were left in