Such violences and extortions soon came to the ears of the citizens of Azim-abad, who became distracted with fears and apprehensions. They assembled in great numbers about my honoured father’s house, and the principal of them represented “that he was the only man of weight and authority in the city; and of course, the only one that could exert himself so effectually as to provide for the honour and safety of those multitudes of honest folks that lived within those walls.” For all answer Hedáiet-aaly-qhan, who had already sent his family on the other side of the Ganga,* advised them all to secure their properties and families in the same manner; after which he promised to stand by them at all events. This advice having been complied with, that nobleman waited anxiously with all the inhabitants in expectation of what might come to be their fate. In this general consterna­tion Heaven seemed to have suscited a Saviour for them. There happened to be in those very days, at Azim-abad, a very extraordinary man (to whom may God have granted letters of naturalisation in the kingdom of Paradise!) This man was Sëyd-aalim-ollah-Tebateba, grandfather of me, the most inconsiderable of mankind, who chanced to arrive in that city at a time when nothing was to be heard of or seen, but uproar and consternation. In vain did his son, our honoured Hedáiet-aaly-qhan, supplicate His Highness to cross the Ganga with the others, and to take his abode on the other side. The venerable nobleman refused to listen to such an advice, both because it was derogatory to his personal dignity, and because it would betray a lack of confidence in the resources of Providence. But as in consequence of his skill in the interpretation of the word of God, he seemed to be taught and inspired by God himself, so as to have some fore-knowledge of his ineffable ways; he was far from taking fright, as others had done; and he incessantly exhorted them to tarry in the city, as no harm would befall any one of them. One day he mounted very early his horse, and against his custom, he went alone, and so far as to take a circuit of the whole extent of the walls; and on his return, as if he had made some discovery, or had received some inspiration from above, he bid my father be of good cheer, exhorted him to encourage the inhabitants, and steadily assured them, that no one amongst them would feel anything of the storm which was drawing near. Thanks, infinite thanks be to God, that the event happened precisely as it had been foretold! Such was that admirable personage; and were we to mention everything we know of the dignity of his behaviour, and of the wisdom of his words, that mention would soon swell into a com­plete volume. But as the humblest and most inconsiderable of mankind, has ventured to write a piece of verses under the title of the Priest’s Humanity, in which I am endeavouring to give a feeble and very unadequate idea of his extraordinary character, and of a few of his very singular sayings and actions, I flatter myself that the curious shall condescend to recur to that small performance. At present our business is to mention the singular manner in which an attentive Providence has vouchsafed to interpose a finger in this unexpected event. It happened by the emanation of Divine mercy, and the merits of His Majesty the Prince of Messengers, as well as those of his pure and immacu­late offspring, that a gentleman, named Govind-dji-nàic, who was a distant relation of Baladji-räo’s, chanced then to be occupied by merrcantile matters, and in the banking business at Banares, from whence he had extended his concerns to Azim-abad and to the country adjoining; in both which capacities he had chanced to be several times employed by my honoured father in his times of power and prosperity. In this manner he had made no incon­siderable gains, and had obtained a variety of benefits that had produced an honourable well-being for him. This man who had never forgot the many favours he had received, and was thoroughly sensible of the truth of that adage, that benefit is not to be requited but by benefit, resolved to avail himself of his relation­ship, in order to procure some advantage to his ancient benefac­tor. Full of this idea, he made haste to quit Banares, and to repair to Baladji-räos camp, where he exposed to that Generalis­simo, his kinsman, how much he had been benefited by Hedáiet-aaly-qhan’s patronage, and how much it was incumbent upon his gratitude to avail himself of the present opportunity to make some return. He ended his request by supplicating the “Generalissimo to use that nobleman in such a manner, as that the load of gratitude that rested so heavily on his kinsman’s shoulder, might become lighter at least, if not taken away altogether.” The request pleased the Generalissimo; he praised the motives of his kinsman’s eagerness, and he wrote immediately to Hedáiet-aaly-qhan a letter full of kindness and encomiums, in which he exhorted him to stay fearlessly in the city, and to tranquillise the minds of the inhabitants, as for his sake, he was resolved to offer no injury to any one of them. Not content with that, he accom­panied his letter with several articles of the richest and most curious manufactures of Decan; and thanks be to God, he proved as good as his word; for it pleased His Divine mercy out of regard to the merits of my pure minded and immaculate bodied ances­tors, to keep at a distance that hurricane of evils which was going to break upon the city of Azim-abad. Thanks be to the Divine The city of Azim-abad rescued from impending devastation and plunders. mercy, and to the merits of His Messenger, that the venerable personage we have been mentioning with so much respect, having in his many peregrinations chanced to make a long sojourn at Azim-abad, every tongue became busy in publishing adequate encomiums on the purity of his morals, and the benignity of his behaviour and deportment. Nor can it be denied but that it is to the merits of that venerable personage, and to the opinion entertained by all ranks of the benefits derived from his presence, that the world must ascribe that constant regard and attention everywhere shewn to me the most inconsiderable of mankind, but his grandson, and to every one of his relations and descendants. It is to the influence of those merits of his, that I ascribe the many signal deliveries and providential escapes through which I have been more than once rescued from the most imminent dangers.

“It is before his death that the worthy man’s merits must be known, and placed

to his account;

For none deserves to be deemed such, but he that carries such a character to

the very grave.”

After a digression which the reader shall set to the account of the importance of the personage, and the singularity of the event, we shall return to the thread of our history. Baladji-räo, sensible that an army of Marhattas would never remain under control at the sight of plunder, and anxious to approve himself as good as his word, quitted Dá8d-p8r; and striking to the right, he continued his route by Ticarry and Gáya, behind Azim-abad, and at some distance from that city, through Manp8r and Bahar, from whence he came again into the high road by Mongher and Baghalp8r, two populous towns, the territory and inhabitants of which suffered exceedingly from the passage of his troops. Num­bers had fled to the other side of the Ganga; but a lady of dis­tinction, relict of Ghö8ss-qhan, (a General of great character whom we have seen slain at the battle of Gheriah) being unable for want of means to cross the river with her numerous family; and having it not in her power to provide otherwise for her safety; resolved to stand her ground and to defend her honour to the the very last drop of her blood. This heroine called her relations and dependants together, exhorted them to perish rather than to behold their women defiled or even attempted; and finding them Singular resolution of a lady at Baghalp8r, who defends her quarter and house against the Marhatta army. willing, she shut up the doors of her houses, harricaded her quarter, and arming her dependants with a small number of rusty musquets then at hand, she prepared to defend herself against that mighty host of foes. All the inhabitants had fled, or had submitted to defilement, and sack, and plunder; and it was only from that cluster of ruinous dwellings, that some opposition was exhibited, and a report of some firing was heard. The plunderers surprised at so unexpected an appearance, surrounded the refractory quarter, and were in doubt whether they should force it or not; for the firing went on, and some of their men were fall­ing. But meanwhile intelligence of this strange event having reached the ears of the Marhatta General, it excited a sense of admiration mixed with curiosity. Upon enquiry about that strange event, he was informed “that the widow of a renowned General, being through poverty unable to provide herself with lodgings and subsistence on the other side of the water, had resolved to bury herself under the ruins of her house, rather than to suffer any defilement. That she had barricaded her quarter, and with a handful of dependants, whom her resolution had roused, she was defending it so well, that the plunderers, little accustomed to find so much resistance, had not dared to attempt it, and were only looking at it from afa. The intelligence pleased Baladji-räo. He was astonished to find so much daringness in a woman; and not content with praising her resolution, he sent her a kind message, which he accompanied with a present of some curious stuffs of Decan, and some curious brocades; and to put her house and quarter out of all danger, he sent a detachment of his bodyguards to take charge of it, with orders not to stir from thence, until the whole army should be gone and far off. He added, that they would answer to him for any insult she might suffer. After giving this order he continued his route by the hilly country; and the guards having strictly executed their orders, took a respectful leave of the heroine, and rejoined their main. The Marhatta General continued his route through hills and woods, and after some days’ march, he emerged in the plains of the Birbohom, which is a tract in the neighbourhood of M8rsh8d-abad.