By this time the Marhattas, after sacking and ruining Zabeta-qhan’s country, were returned to the neighbourhood of Falls out with the Mar­hattas. Shah-djehan-abad, where not content with setting an exhorbi­tant price on their past services, they had become quite overbear­ing and insolent. The Emperor applied to Nedjef-qhan for assistance, and this officer, although so inferior and unprepared, thought himself equal to the task of chastising such powerful enemies; and with that intention he marched out of the city walls and encamped in the suburbs. The next day, a skirmish took place, and was succeeded by many others, in which, notwithstand­ing his small numbers, he always came off victorious. But whilst he was fighting abroad, his enemies, amongst which Abdol-ahed-qhan, Hyssam-eddin-qhan, and Bahadyr-qhan cut so conspicuous a figure, were actually undermining his influence at home. Those men who had all along fawned to him, although Is vigorously supported by his General, Nedjef-qhan. in reality they could not bear his presence, (and there is a known adage, that cowards and braves never agree together) finding now that the field was left open by his absence, resolved to dis­appoint his views by making a peace with the Marhattas, as the only method to come at Nedjef-qhan, and to undermine a power which his personal prowess had rendered formidable. The most ardent in this scheme was that vile Hyssam-eddin-qhan, who was the man most in favor with the Emperor, and who could not bear so much as Nedjef-qhan’s presence. With­out giving that General the least notice of the negotiation set on foot, he engaged the Emperor to enter into a treaty with the Marhattas; and the latter, who were thoroughly sensible that this General was the only man of merit at Court, and the only opposer they had to dread, admitted whatever conditions and whatever terms were proposed to them; perfectly satisfied that Nedjef-qhan being once put out of the way, it would be an easy matter to manage and subdue a pusillanimous Prince, supported by a set of timorous, low-minded Ministers. They, therefore, conformed themselves to the circumstances, and sub­scribed to whatever was requested. After this treaty of peace, the guards that were upon the towers and ramparts, and at the gates of the city, received orders to admit the Marhattas, and Who is him­self in great danger from Court intrigues. these being set open, those infidels marched into the city, and took up their quarters everywhere; after which their Command­ers went to the citadel, and paid their respects to the imperial presence.

Mirza-nedjef-qhan hearing of this pacification, was astonished and confounded; but finding that all was over, he returned within the city himself, and took up his abode in his own house, where he was suddenly assaulted by a demand which he had never so much as suspected. The Emperor, eternally obseded by his three favourites, who hated Nedjef-qhan heartily, and intirely governed by Hyssam-eddin-qhan, who was the leader amongst them, and could not bear to be eclipsed by so superior a character, sent the Marhattas word, that he had assigned upon Nedjef-qhan the sum of money promised them, and that they were therefore to get it from him by enforcing payment. All this affair was conducted by that vile Hyssam-eddin-qhan, who served his two associates by serving his own aversion to that hero: an aversion which proved the main hinge of all his actions, although he was too timorous to betray any signs of it. He undertook to ruin him intirely by filling the ears and minds of the Marhatta Commanders with reports that could not but excite enmity, and nourish aversion and hatred. In one word, he gave them to understand that Nedjef-qhan, by his turn of mind equally ambitious and restless, was the only author of the dissensions that had taken place between the Emperor and them; and that this would be the case for ever, so long as that General should remain alive. The Marhatta Commander, incensed by all these instigations, sent a threatening message to Nedjef-qhan, requir­ing him to provide for the sum assigned upon him by the Emperor; and strange as seemed this message, the imbecile Monarch had the weakness to suggest almost every word of it. That brave man who saw now that his life was aimed at, resolved to sacrifice it to his honour; he refused to submit to oppression and infamy, and this resolution of his was announced by a vigorous answer. Some days were spent in messages and answers, and in sending and receiving envoys, a delay of which Mirza-nedjef-qhan availed himself to prepare for his defence. With about four hundred men, that had zealously remained attached to his cause, he resolved to repel force by force, and to perish if necessary, but not without selling his life to the highest bidder. The Marhatta General, who knew Nedjef-qhan to be a man of undaunted resolution, finding that he was resolved to shed his blood as well as that of others, became sensible at the same time that it was impossible that a soldier of fortune, like him, should really be worth so much money, as his accusers pretended. He rightly con­cluded that his insisting upon such a payment would end in much blood-shed, and in the death of thousands of brave men that must be necessarily sacrificed before a hand could be laid upon him. He, therefore, became very cool in this undertaking, being convinced, besides, that the death of so brave a man could never redound to his honour, but would remain an eternal stain on his own character, which henceforward might become an object of detestation and contempt amongst both friends and foes. Resolved, therefore, to see the bottom of this dark affair, and to live upon some terms with that General, he sent him word that he wished to have a conference with him, at the same time accompanying the message with a safe conduct in due form. Nedjef-qhan con­sented, But in the end comes out of them glori­ously. and putting himself at the head of his zealous followers, all armed as well as himself, he went to the Marhatta camp. Tagodji, for such was the Marhatta General’s name, on descrying him from afar, came out of the paling of his tent, and saw him alight; after which he embraced him with the utmost regard, as an equal, and taking him by the hand, he conducted him within the tent, where he made him sit with himself upon his own Mesned. He then apologised for the message he had sent, and professed a high regard for his person. At the end of the visit, he made him a present of elephants, war-horses, precious stuffs, arms, jewels, and gems of great value, and he dismissed him with every demonstration of regard and esteem.

This visit, having substituted acquaintance and amity for distance and distrust, produced in its consequences a reconcilia­tion between the Emperor and Nedjef-qhan. In a conference before that Prince, it was resolved to attack Zabeta-qhan in his own country, and to make an end of him by re-annexing all those districts to the Crown. After this the Emperor, with Regains the confidence of the Emperor. Nedjef-qhan and the Marhattas, departed together from the Capital. But Zabeta-qhan, informed of such a combination, did not think himself a match for it in the field, and sending there­fore his family and consort, with all the persons of his father’s Who resolves to strip the Rohillas of their usurped territories. family, on the other side of the Ganga, he resolved to make a stand on this side, having thrown his army in the Fortress of Ghous-gur and the intrenched camp under Sukur-tal. He also sent one of his brothers with a detachment on the Rohillah-side of the Ganga to secure his convoys. Whilst he was waiting for the enemy, Mirza-nedjef-qhan and the Marhattas had already taken leave of the Emperor at the second stage from the Capital, and they had marched into the enemy’s country, where they encircled the camp at Sukur-tal. A number of skirmishes taking place, Zabeta-qhan was not pleased with his situation, and hearing at the same time that the Ganga had become fordable in many places, he sent a message to his friends on the other side of the water, that is to Hafyz-rahment and the children of Doondy-qhan, as well as to Faiz-ollah-qhan, son to Aaly-mahmed-qhan, Rohillah. The purport of his representation was this: “That the Marhattas not being informed yet of the river’s having become fordable, they, his brethren, might still come down in force, cover their several countries, secure thereby his own dominions, and insure likewise his rear and his convoys. That if they retarded marching to the banks of the river, and that meanwhile the enemy should get an information of some ford, he would not fail to cross over, to ravage their country, and to intercept his convoys; in which case he would himself become an easy prey, and their own turn would follow imme­diately, after which all would be involved in one common ruin. Conceive, then, the consequences of a few days’ delay, and act accordingly.”

The rohillah Princes, convinced of the truth of such a remonstrance, became sensible of their own dangers, and every one having assembled his troops, marched down to the banks of the Ganga. Zabeta-qhan, to facilitate a communication, threw a bridge of boats upon the river, and thereby rendered the access of provisions and forage easy, and of little expense; and he intended to defend to the last the fort and camp of Sukur-tal. The Rohillah Princes likewise crossed the river, paid a visit to Zabeta-qhan, and a consultation having been held amongst them, it was resolved that such Generals as were already arrived, should extend their troops all along the shores for twenty and thirty cosses together, against the stream, so as to secure all the fords above Sukur-tal; and that such as were coming successively, should take post at those fords which were below Sukur-tal, in the same extent of country. This manœuvre, by discovering a number of fords to the enemy, of which they did not entertain even a suspicion, put them upon looking out for others. Upon examination, it was found that the river was fordable almost everywhere, and that the crossing over would prove easy. After this discovery they made no movement for two or three days, their intention being to lull the Rohillahs to Nedjef-qhan crosses the Ganga, and overcomes the Rohillas. sleep; and then Nedjef-qhan and the Marhatta General mount­ing together advanced against the current, as if to look out for a ford, and as they went on, they passed by several, which they all found guarded. But the guards thinking that the enemy intended to cross over much higher than their posts, became negligent in their encampment, and most of them believing the enemy gone some days’ journey farther, quitted their posts, and went over to the other encampments to see their friends. By this manœuvre, some posts were left without either guard or defence, and the Marhattas, who kept an attentive eye every­where, being informed of this, turned bridle at once and came back on a full gallop at one of the fords which they had passed, and which they now found unguarded. Without giving the enemy time to recover from their neglect and surprise, they pushed to the middle of the water, and were crossing over. The brave Mirza-nedjef-qhan commanded the forlorn hope, and he pushed through the water vigorously, whilst the Marhattas were shewing themselves at another ford. The Rohillah General who commanded there, forced by these circumstances, quitted his post with the few men he found at hand, marched to oppose Nedjef-qhan, and took post on an eminence. This being seen by the neighbouring Commanders, two of them flew to his assistance, and joining the third, they commenced a fire of mus­ketry and rockets upon the enemy. Mirza-nedjef-qhan, who was preceded by some Zemberecs*, ordered that kind of artillery to stand in the middle of the water, and to fire on the eminence; and he was so well served by fortune, that the very first discharge killed outright the three Rohillah Commanders; and here it must be recollected that the Rohillahs are a race exceeding covetous, little susceptible of controul, and of such a temper as to prove ungovernable on the sight of ever so little plunder. The moment they saw their three Commanders slain, they commenced plundering each other immediately; and a scene of confusion, and wounding and slaughtering taking place, they rushed furiously against each other, lost sight of every other object, and thought only of plunder and booty. Luckily for them that Mirza-nedjef-qhan and the Marhattas, satisfied for that day with the success of their trial, had returned to their camp.