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

26 HATSTORYV OF THE PARSIS. [CHAP. I.

Dhanjisha Beheremandkhan left two sons, Phirozsha and Ardeshir. They also greatly distinguished themselves in the service of the British Government, and no history of Surat would be complete without a short account of their distinguished careers.

Phirozsha attained to a high position in the British judicial service by the zealous and efficient discharge of his public duties. Commencing life as a clerk in the local chief court of justice under Mr. Crow, he was appointed in succession to the posts of “ mamlatdar,” of native political agent for the Bombay Government in Bansda, Dharampor, and other districts, of principal Sadar Amin of Surat, and finally to that of

or bar his departure till the arrival of four companies of infantry. Captain Cunningham, who commanded the infantry, Dhanjisha Beheremandkhan, a vakil of the Raja of Mandvi, and four scouts attended them.

“The dragoons arrived about daylight at Bodhan. Dhanjisha was among the first over the river and endeavoured to prevail on the fakir to surrender himself, but was killed in the attempt, with the raja’s vakil and some others near him.

“A furious engagement ensued betwixt the people and troops, in which the former had recourse to every species of sorcery and madness, and left nearly two hundred dead on the field. The cavalry lost a corporal and two privates, and several horses, and saw the town in flames when they came away. Shortly after their departure the infantry, under Captain Cunningham, renewed the attack to the destruction of many more, and amongst them the fanatic himself, Abdul Rehman, who had been wounded by the dragoons, and taken refuge with several more in a blacksmith’s hut. The raja had been two or three days confined by him, but had made his escape the morning of the attack, it was not known whither. The 56th regiment was ordered on to Mandvi; and the religious commotion was by the death of Abdul Rehman totally allayed.”