¶ [182c] In light of this tragic event, Prince Shahpur immediately set about fortifying the Bala Hisar and prepared to hold it against assault. Mir Darwish, known as Mir Hajji, returned to the city with those who had raised the banners of jihad and (earlier) gone out to Siyah Sang. In the city, they raised the cry, “The ‘great lord’ (lārd-i buzurg) (Shah Shujaʿ) has joined the ‘little lord’ (lārd-i kūchak) (Macnaghten). As long as seedlings of love for the English are not uprooted from the land, we shall work with all our might to pull them up.”

Prince Fath Jang, en route to Jalalabad, had p…