History of the Parsis : including their manners, customs, religion and present position : with coloured and other illustrations : in two volumes

24 HISTORY OF THE PARSIS. [CHAP. I.

was appointed “mamlatdar” (chief divisional officer) of Olpad, Karod, and Walwad; and in 1800, when the Honourable East India Company took Surat from the nawab, he was appointed native agent of the small neighbouring states of Sachin, Bansda, Mandvi, and Dharampor. One of the most striking acts of his life was the courage with which he joined a detachment of English troops ordered to bring to bay a false prophet who had proclaimed that he was the Mahdi foretold by Mahomed. His courage was conspicuous, and rendered his early death at the age of forty during the operations the more sad. This pretended Mahdi appeared in the year 1810 in the small town of Bodhan, belonging to the Raja of Mandvi, and about fifteen miles from Surat. He wrote to the chief of Surat, desirmg him to accept the religion of Mahomed or to fight the matter out.! The chief of Surat, Mr. Crow, who was a man of courage and resolution, at once saw that if

1 “To all counsellors and the Hakim of Surat: Be it known that the Imanmul Deen, of the end of the world, or Emaum Mehdee, has now published himself, and the name of this durveish is Ahmud ; and that in the Hindevie they call him Raja Nukluk. Be it further known to you that if the Esslaum (the Mahomedan faith) is accepted, it is better, otherwise empty the town, or, on the contrary, you may prepare for battle. This fakir is now come down from the fourth sky with four bodies, combining Adam (on whom be peace), Essah the son of Marium, Jesus the son of Mary, and Ahmud (on whom be peace), and they have all four come upon one place ; they have no guns nor muskets with them, but a stick and a handkerchief are with me: be yourself prepared. Dated 11th Zilhij, corresponding with the 17th January 1810.”—Briggs’s Cities of Gujarashtra.