The history of this country, subsequently to the accession of Kumbur, is involved in the same ob scurity as during the Hindoo dynasty. It. woid4 pear, however, .hat the sceptre was quietly trans• mitted to the descendants of that chief, who semis to ' have persevered in a peaceable system of govern ment, until the time of Abdoolla Khan, the fourth in descent from Kumbur ; who, being an intrepid and ambitions soldier, turned his thoughts towards the conquest of Kutch Gundava, then held by different petty chiefs, under the authority of the Nuwwabs of Sinde.
Alter various success, the Kumburanees, at length, possessed themselves of the sovereignty of a consi derable portion of that fruitful plain, including the chief town, Gundava. It was during this contest, that the famous conqueror, Nadir Shah, commonly called Thames Koolee Khan, advanced from Persia to the invasion of Hindoostan ; and while at Kanda har, he dispatched several detachments into Beloo chistan, and established his authority in that pro vince. Abdoola Khan, however, was continued in the government of the country by Nadir's orders ; but he was soon after killed in a battle with the forces of the Nuwwabs of Sinde. He was succeed ed by his eldest son, Hajee Mohummud Khan, who abandoned himself to the most tyrannical and licen tious way of life, and completely alienated his sub jects by his arbitrary and oppressive system of taxa tion. In these circumstances, Nusseer Khan, the se ' cond son of Abdoolla Khan, who had accompanied the victorious Nadir to Delhi, and acquired the fa vour and confidence of that monarch, returned to Kelat, and was bailed by the whole population as their deliverer. Finding that expostulation had no effect upon his brother, he one day entered his apart ment, when the prince was alone, and stabbed him to the heart. As soon ite the tyrant was dead, Nue / seer Khan mounted the =mud, amidst the univer sal joy of his subjects, and immediately transmitted a report of the events that had taken place to Nadir Shah, who was then encamped near Kandahar. The shah received the intelligence with satisfaction, and dispatched a furman, by return of the messenger, appointing Nusseer Khan, Beglenbeg of all • Belooebstan. This event took place in the year 1'789.
Nusseer Khan proved an active, politic, and war like prince. He took great pains to re-establish the internal government of all the provinces in his do
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minions, and improved and fortified the city of Ke- lat. On the death of Nadir Shah, in 1747, he acknowledged the title of the king of Caboul, " Ahmed Shah Abdalli. In 1758, he declared him self entirely independent ; upon which Ahmed Shah dispatched a force against him, under one of his ministers. The khan, however, levied his troops, and totally routed the Afghan army. On receiving in telligence of this discomfiture, the king himself marched with strong reinforcements, and a pitched battle was fought,. in which Nusseer Khan was worst ed. He retired in good order to Kelat, whither he was followed by the victor, who invested the place 'with his whole army. The khan made a vigorous defence ; and, after the royal troops had been foiled in their attempts to take the city by storm or sur Mise, a negociation was propmA by the king, which terminated in a treaty of peace. By this treaty, it was stipulated that the king was to receive the cousin of Nusseer Khan in marriage; that the khan was to pay no tribute, hilt only, when called upon, to fur nish troops to assist the royal armies, for which he was to receive an allowance in cash, equal to half their pay.
Subsequently to this period the khan frequendydis tinguished himself by his gallantry and judgment, in the wars carried on by the monarch of Caboul, and, as a reward for his eminent services, the king bestowed upon him several districts, to hold in perpetual and entire sovereignty. Having succeeded in quelling a dangerous rebellion, headed by his cousin Belle r= Khan, this able prince at length died, at an ex treme old age, after a happy and prosperous reign, in the month of June 1795, leaving three sons and five daughters. He was succeeded by his eldest son, Muhmood Khan, the present chief of Kelat, then a boy about fourteen years old. During the reign of this prince, who is described as a very humane and indolent man, the country has been distracted by sanguinary intestine broils; the governors of se veral provinces and districts have withdrawn their allegiance ; and the dominions of the khans of Ke lat have so gradually diminished, that they now comprehend only a small portion of the provinces which were formerly subject to Nusseer Khan.