DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.3909#0181
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over the Jamu rocks,® which on account of their difficulty, we call " akho" (Atsho ?),
one fell into the Indus and was never again seen, whilst the other slipped down and rose
again to the surface—an event never known to occur with any one who falls into the Indus
at that place where it is very rapid. He, however, made his way over to Bunji and just as he
was reaching it, a stone fell on his head and he was drowned.
A year had scarcely elapsed after the battle of Chakark6fc, when, in the spring, about
20,000 Kashmir troops with the former General came to Astor. He sent a letter of defiance to
Gauhar Aman, challenging him to do his worst, to assemble the mountaineers and to meet him on
an open plain. Gauhar Aman at once told tbe mountaineers that they should quietly get into
Jalkot (Sai District) by way of the valley of Kamberi, over the mountain Hudurga, to the village
Kirinjot, and get out by the mountains of Puhut. This was done. Gauhar Aman again fell ill at
Min6r. His son just got there in time to meet the Sikhs (10,000 in number) near the Niludar,
the mountain ridge which is between Gilgit and Sai. It was night and so both armies
encamped; in the morning the fight began. 7,000 Dareylis and. Tangiris had come under
Jeldar, and Lala Khan of Gaya in Dareyl and Izzeti, Patsha Khan of Phogutsh of Dareyl—also
Matshar Khan of Samagial—Bitori, Kalashmir of another Samagial, Kusuti of Manekyal,
Arzennu of Dareyl—Rustami, Kami of Tangir, Muhammad Mir, Adab Shah of Gali,
Khairulla of Jagot—Karim, Moya Shah, Maweshi, Matti of the Deyamur village—Merdumi
of Lurak—Akbaro of Sheikho—[2,000 come from Tangir, 5,000 from Dareyl). Gouhar
Aman's son had 3,000 infantry and 6,000 horsemen. The Sikhs were on the roads below
the mountains, whilst the Taghistanis were firing from tae tops. The Sikhs neces-
sarily wasted their shot in such an encounter, whilst the mountaineers had it all their
own way. This lasted the whole day, All (10,000!!) were destroyed—only one sepoy
escaped to Bunji to tell the news to the other half of the army. The General was not pre-
sent in this as in the Cbakarkofc battles, but stayed at Bunji. The Yaghis only lost 2 men,
one from Phugutsh and the other from Samagial, viz : Shahbaz, also called " Osmin," and TJzet
Shah. The mountaineers then accompanied the victorious army back to Minor and Gilgit'
where they consulted regarding the future safety from the Sikhs. Gauhar Aman thought that
the Gilgit Fort could not stand a siege and that it should therefore be strengthened and the walls
made higher. This view was shared by the mountaineers who looked upon Gilgit as their centre ;
so they all set to work to improve the fort and raised it twenty yards in height and gave six yards
of depth to the walls. Bullocks were constantly treading down the stones as the walls were being
raised. The Zafnindars also helped. The Mountaineers assisted and were fed during the month
that it took to strengthen the place. Then all left, when Gauhar Aman fell very ill.
He sent Mulk Aman, with 5,000 horsemen against Ya^in to fight Mahtar and A'smat Shah,
[* The stones are so loosely embedded in sandy soil, that treading on or catching hold of one, often'brings down nn
avalanche of stones. When the path is narrow and a river flows beneath, it is, generally, impossible to escape. Stones
are often placed in such a way as to cause avalanches to come on the invader who steps on them.]
over the Jamu rocks,® which on account of their difficulty, we call " akho" (Atsho ?),
one fell into the Indus and was never again seen, whilst the other slipped down and rose
again to the surface—an event never known to occur with any one who falls into the Indus
at that place where it is very rapid. He, however, made his way over to Bunji and just as he
was reaching it, a stone fell on his head and he was drowned.
A year had scarcely elapsed after the battle of Chakark6fc, when, in the spring, about
20,000 Kashmir troops with the former General came to Astor. He sent a letter of defiance to
Gauhar Aman, challenging him to do his worst, to assemble the mountaineers and to meet him on
an open plain. Gauhar Aman at once told tbe mountaineers that they should quietly get into
Jalkot (Sai District) by way of the valley of Kamberi, over the mountain Hudurga, to the village
Kirinjot, and get out by the mountains of Puhut. This was done. Gauhar Aman again fell ill at
Min6r. His son just got there in time to meet the Sikhs (10,000 in number) near the Niludar,
the mountain ridge which is between Gilgit and Sai. It was night and so both armies
encamped; in the morning the fight began. 7,000 Dareylis and. Tangiris had come under
Jeldar, and Lala Khan of Gaya in Dareyl and Izzeti, Patsha Khan of Phogutsh of Dareyl—also
Matshar Khan of Samagial—Bitori, Kalashmir of another Samagial, Kusuti of Manekyal,
Arzennu of Dareyl—Rustami, Kami of Tangir, Muhammad Mir, Adab Shah of Gali,
Khairulla of Jagot—Karim, Moya Shah, Maweshi, Matti of the Deyamur village—Merdumi
of Lurak—Akbaro of Sheikho—[2,000 come from Tangir, 5,000 from Dareyl). Gouhar
Aman's son had 3,000 infantry and 6,000 horsemen. The Sikhs were on the roads below
the mountains, whilst the Taghistanis were firing from tae tops. The Sikhs neces-
sarily wasted their shot in such an encounter, whilst the mountaineers had it all their
own way. This lasted the whole day, All (10,000!!) were destroyed—only one sepoy
escaped to Bunji to tell the news to the other half of the army. The General was not pre-
sent in this as in the Cbakarkofc battles, but stayed at Bunji. The Yaghis only lost 2 men,
one from Phugutsh and the other from Samagial, viz : Shahbaz, also called " Osmin," and TJzet
Shah. The mountaineers then accompanied the victorious army back to Minor and Gilgit'
where they consulted regarding the future safety from the Sikhs. Gauhar Aman thought that
the Gilgit Fort could not stand a siege and that it should therefore be strengthened and the walls
made higher. This view was shared by the mountaineers who looked upon Gilgit as their centre ;
so they all set to work to improve the fort and raised it twenty yards in height and gave six yards
of depth to the walls. Bullocks were constantly treading down the stones as the walls were being
raised. The Zafnindars also helped. The Mountaineers assisted and were fed during the month
that it took to strengthen the place. Then all left, when Gauhar Aman fell very ill.
He sent Mulk Aman, with 5,000 horsemen against Ya^in to fight Mahtar and A'smat Shah,
[* The stones are so loosely embedded in sandy soil, that treading on or catching hold of one, often'brings down nn
avalanche of stones. When the path is narrow and a river flows beneath, it is, generally, impossible to escape. Stones
are often placed in such a way as to cause avalanches to come on the invader who steps on them.]