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solemnly assuring them, that there were Jews at Ladak whose favorite food, amongst other horrors, was human flesh. But all the offers and assertions of Sikhs were of no avail against the counterstatement of the faithful emissaries of Ahmad Shah, who I have no doubt promised them both protection and emolument; and when I told them the contents of Runjit’s letter, they only stipulated for double wages during the time they were absent from the Valley, which of course I instantly agreed to give them.

“When all was ready for a start (from Bonakot) on the morning, I was informed, that a messenger from Ahmad Shah, of Iskardo, had arrived, and wished to speak to me. He proved to be Nasim Khan. Who approached me, bare headed, with the look and manner of a captive brigand, glancing suspiciously on my Sikh guard; and after making a most respectful salaam, informed me, that his master had sent him to welcome and attend upon me and after handing me a letter of invitation from Ahmad Shah; he drew back and remained stationery. Upon my return from Little Tibet, I took him with me to Lodiana, where he could pick up intelligence for hi master, and render assistance to him, by merely remaining in a British Cantonment, as the Sikhs would be sure to think him an ambassador, and would not dare to invade a country whose king they imagined to be in treaty with the English, in spite of all my assertions to the contrary.”

Ahmad Shah welcomed Vigne when he visited Baltistan in 1835 considering him to be some important member of the East India Company.

Vigne has described the sons of Ahmad Shah and disinheritance of Mohammad Shah and his flight to Purik (Kargil) in following words.

“When I was at Iskardo, Ladak was in possession of the Sikhs, under the Jamu Rajahs Vuzir. The territories of Ahmad Shah are extended from Chorbut to Husara (Astore) inclusive. Chitral, the country of Shah Kator has long been independent of Little Tibet, and the Rajahs of Gilgit, Nagar, and Hunza by no means owned him as their superior. But besides those already mentioned, Ahmad Shah was monarch of Khopalu, Shigur, Keris, Katakchund, (Kharmant), Tolti, Parkutta, and Royal or Rondu. On his seal, as that of a Shiah prince, are inscribed the following words:-

“All Sher and dawur dagur krz-o-yaft