Indian Antiquary Vol 01

SR No.: 032493
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Jas Burgess
Publisher: Swati Publications
Publication Year: 1984
Total Pages: 430
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 22 MB

Page 213

JUNE 7, 1872.]
THE DARDS.
187
China Ganjam, and stating that as far back as A.D. 1224, some Frangalu or European foreigners, probably Portuguese, carried on considerable traffic with Masulipatain for a time on the coast, and raised a town called Frangalupatnam, the remains of which are still to be seen in certain existing muunds Fringalu dinne.
The Dutch were the first European settlers in Masulipatam, but the old Dutch burial ground at Masulipatam is all that remains to tell of their connection with the country. The Dutch Chapel has been converted into a private house, and that in time has been allowed to fall into ruing. The old Dutch tombs are finely carved with inscriptions and coats of arms in relievo letters. The dates of the tombs are from 1649-1725. In 1621 the English factory at Bantam attempted to open & trade with Palikat, but were opposed by the Dutch. In the following year, however, they succeeded in establishing a trade at Masulipatam. In 1628 the English were driven from Masulipatam by the oppression of the native Governors, but five years subsequently the place was established as a factory through a Firman of the Nizam of Golconda. In 1689, owing to misunderstanding between the
English and the great Mughal, the latter seized the factories at Masulipatam and Vijayapatam. In the following year an imperial Firman permitted the Company to re-settle in the district, and the following year the kowle for the Madras settlement, including the English factories of Masulipatam, Madapalam, Vijayapatam, etc., within the territories of the Golconda country, was granted, which emanated from Zulfakar Khan, the Mughal General in the Dekhan.
There is a French burying ground in the Town of Masulipatam, but the only tomb that has any inscription left is one to the memory of John Rowland, 1701. The Northern Sarkars were obtained by the French in 1753, and remained in their possession till 1759, when they were transferred to the East India Company, to whom they were finally ceded in 1765. The fort at Masulipatam was built by the English, but the greater part of the ramparts have, within recent years, been entirely levelled. It was designed by Sir Charles Trevelyan to level the walls, and lay out boulevardes and a people's park, but this idea was frustrated by the cyclone of 1864 that carried off some 30,000 souls and depopulated the fort.
FORMS OF GOVERNMENT, &o., AMONG THE DARDS.
By G. W. LEITNER M.A., Ph.D., &c. CHILAS, which sends a tribute every year to Kash- late ruler of Chitral, Goubar-Amán, who had conmir for the sake of larger return-presents, rather quered Ghilgit, made it a practice to sell them into than as a sign of subjection, is said to be governed slavery on the pretext that they were Shiahs and by a council of elders, in which even women are infidels. Yassin was ruled by Mír Wali, the suppceed admitted. When I visited Ghilgit, in 1866, it was murderer of Mr. Hayward, and is now a dependenpractically without a ruler, the invading troops of cy of Chitral which is ruled over by Amán-ul-mulk. Kashmir barely holding their own within a few The Hunza people are under Ghazan Khan, the son yards of the Ghilgit Fort-a remarkable construct- of Ghazanfart and seem to delight in plundering ion which was blown up by accident last year. their Kirghiz neighbours, although all travellers There is now a Thanadar of Ghilgit, whose rule through that inhospitable region, with the exception is probably not very different from that of his of Badakhshan merchants, are impartially attacked rapacious colleagues in Kashmir. The Ghilgitis
by these robbers whose depredations have caused are kept quiet by the presence of the Kashmir
the nearest pass from Central Asia to India to be army, and by the fact that their chiefs are prisoners almost entirely deserted. At Ghilgit I saw the at Srinagar, where other representatives of once young Rája of Nagyr, with a servant, also a Nagyr. reigning houses are also under surveillance, Man
He was a most amiable and intelligent lad, sur Ali Khan, the supposed rightful Raja of Ghil
whose articulation was very much more refined git is there ; he is the son of Asghar Ali Khan, son
than that of his companion, who prefixed a guttural of Rája Khan, son of Gurtam Khan-but legitimate
to every Khajunk word beginning with a vowel. descent has little weight in countries constantly
The boy was kept a prisoner in the Ghilgit Fort as disturbed by violence, except in Hunza, where the
a hostage to Kashmir for his father's good supreme right to rob is hereditary. The Ghilgitis,
behaviour, and it was with some difficulty that he who are a little more settled than their neighbours
was allowed to see me and answer certain linguisto the West, North and South, and who possess the tic questions which I put to him. If he has not been most refined Dardu dialect and traditions, were sent back to his country, it would be a good opconstantly exposed to marauding parties, and the portunity for our Government to get him to the The only record is the drawing published in the Illus
animal. I ww however unable to find out its meaning." trated London News of the 12th February 1870
The word is Ghazanfar [which means in Aralic: lion+ Maior Montgomerie remarks "the coins have the word herol and is the name of the former ruler of Bunza, whose Guiantar on them, the name, I suppose, of some emblematic Damo is on the coins