Whilst Mir-cassem was passing by Mongher, a revolution took place at P8raniah. Roh-eddin-hosséin-qhan, son to Séif-qhan, and grandson to the famous Emir-qhan, Governor of Cab8l, was the contriver of it. This man, displeased with his situation at Court, where his salary being small, it obliged him to support his rank, by selling piece-meal what little he had saved of the wreck of his family’s fortune, now resolved to emerge from that state of humiliation. Under pretence of intending to follow Mir-cassem, and of his inability to do it by land, he had hired an old boat, which he kept in a brook, that fell into the Ganga; in this he passed his time, all the while attentive on what turn Mir-cassem’s affairs might take. One day he took his resolution at once; and without the knowledge of any one, friend or acquaintance, he crossed the Ganga, went over to P8raniah, and landed in the house of one Mehdy-beg, who had been his father’s director and titular saint. It was in the dark of the night. The man, sensi­ble of Mir-cassem’s severity and exactitude, found that such an arrival exposed him to the utmost danger, as well as his guest, and he advised him to quit his house, and even P8raniah immediately; and that too at that very moment, rather than at half an hour hence. The adventurer, on hearing these words, got into his boat that instant, and dropping down the stream, he concealed her in a retired place five or six cosses distant, at a spot, where the little river that passes close to P8raniah, joins the old bed of the Cossey in the rainy season. There he lived five or six days under a borrowed name, having no more with him than five or six people. He had the precaution to station some spies and messengers, or harcaras, at 8d8a, who were to give him notice of what turn affairs would take, before the event should become public. In this manner, on the English rendering themselves masters of the intrenchments at that post, he was the first that got intelligence of it at P8raniah; and, as Shir-aaly-qhan, the Governor of the country, was absent, being one of the defenders of those intrenchments, the country was left empty of troops; for, the Governor’s brother, with a few soldiers, was rather concealed within the palace, than able to govern the prov­ince. Just at that time, a sum of two lacs of rupees had been sent on board of some boats, under the guard of a few messengers, which were intended for the treasury at Mongher; and these also had come and taken shelter close to our adventurer’s crazy vessel. The latter, who had been so early informed of the defeat at 8d8a, repaired again in the dead of the night to the saint’s house; and, as the adventurer’s father had commanded in that country for forty years together, and himself had lived there in much influ­ence and splendour, as son-in-law to Sáyd-ahmed-qhan, most of the inhabitants of those parts, who had been either in the service of his family, or were beholden to it for their welfare, proved well-intentioned for his cause. He was therefore listened to with respect; so that sending for some of his ancient friends, he desired them to assemble in the night time those of their acquaintances whom they knew to be brave and well armed, and to bring them to him before day-break; as on the next morning he intended to recover possession of his father’s Government. There was no resisting the commands of one whom all revered as their Lord’s son and heir; so that in a little time they assembled to the number of about a hundred men. It was yet dark, when he sent for Goordial-sing, who had been clerk in one of his father’s offices, and was now the principal Minister of Govern­ment at P8raniah. The man came, and as he was the main hinge of all the affairs of the province, he was put under the charge of a few friends; after which, and before the dawn of the day, the adventurer mounted on the steed presented him by fortune, and, putting himself at the head of his armed friends, he marched silently to the palace, where throwing himself into it at once, he ordered the Deputy Governor, who, as well as Shir-aaly, owed his fortune to his father, to come to him directly. The man, confounded at what he was seeing, and intimidated by the presence of his old master, submitted quietly, made a pro­found bow, and presented his nuzur in token of submission and acknowledgment. Roh-eddin-hosséin-qhan, after receiving it, went and seated himself on the Mesned of Government, from whence he issued orders for the military music to play, and for the inhabitants to keep themselves quiet. These, on hearing of this revolution, thronged into the palace, where, both the gentry and people presented their nuzurs, acknowledged him for their master, and expressed their joy at his accession. Scarce was this ceremony over, when he sent trusty persons to bring back the boats laden with treasure; and these being not gone far off, were brought back in two days. After that, he appointed proper persons in every department, and dispatched a supplique to the English General, and one to Mir-djaajer-qhan, acknowledging the latter as his master, and congratulating both the one and the other upon their successes. Mir-djaafer-qhan, sensible that the war was far from being at an end, was pleased to see so much strength and revenue deducted from the enemy’s scale; and he sent to the new Governor a letter, in which he extolled his char­acter for what he had done, and bestowed upon him the Govern­ment of P8raniah. The new Governor being strengthened by this accession of authority, established his government every­where, treated both the people and gentry with the utmost benignity; and, firmly keeping his seat on the steed of fortune and good luck, he continued to ride in the fields of command and success for a number of years together; nor did he lose his seat, but when Mahmed-reza-qhan came to be promoted to the office of Deputy Governor of Bengal.

We have left Mir-cassem crossing the Kerem-nassa, and fly­ing to Balvent-sing’s country, a dependence of Sudjah-ed-döula’s. Fearful of a pursuit from the English, he did not think himself in a place of safety, until he was at six or seven cosses beyond Banares, where he encamped; and so far likewise did I go in company with my friends. There I took my leave of them, and went to Banares, where, after enjoying the honour of kissing the feet of His Highness Sheh-mahmed-aaly-hezin (whom may God place amongst the highest of his elect!) I took my abode in the house of my excellent maternal uncle, Séyd-abdol-aaly-qhan, the valiant, whom I found oppressed by poverty and dis­tress. It was there I was taking some repose from the toils of so laborious a campaign; but, I amused myself likewise with seeing often my friends at camp, and sometimes I paid a visit to Mir-cassem himself. The latter one day asked me, Why, whilst my father and brothers were in connection and in correspondence with the English, I took the unprofitable trouble of following a fugitive in his retreat? Had you not better, sir, join the English likewise? Mortified by such an address, I answered that, “Although in friendship with those foreigners, I had never betrayed him; nor had I done any thing against his service; nor had I kept any secret correspondence with his enemies; nor had I ever served them as a spy; nor was such conduct of a piece with my character. Else,” added I, “in imitation of so many others, who have deserted you, without knowing hardly where to go for bread, I could with a deal of ease turn to my right, and go to enjoy my father and self in our family estate. Generosity and friendship would not suffer it; nor could I resolve upon committing such a base action.” To all this apology, the Navvab answered, by only remaining silent, but this silence was of a bad omen; and, from that day, I ceased to go so often to see him; contenting myself with serv­ing the holy man above, and with visiting often Aaly-hibrahim-qhan, with some other select friends; and there was the more propriety in that behaviour of mine, as Mir-cassem was now thinking of dismissing great part of those that had followed his fortune.

It must be observed that, amongst the multitudes of covered carriages of all sorts that attended Mir-cassem’s harem-sera, or sanctuary, in his retreat, there were numbers of covered coaches and chairs, which passed for containing some favourite ladies, but which, in reality, contained nothing but bags of white cloth, full of gold coin, and of gems, as well as of jewels of high value. All these, together with Mir-cassem’s Begum, and his other ladies, both on going to Rhotas and in coming from thence, were entrusted to the care of Mir-suléiman-qhan, his steward; a man on whom he used to repose the highest confidence, but who being well apprised of the variety of contents in the covered carriages, stole and embezzled a number of jewels, of such a value, as could not be reckoned but by lacs. The Navvab had some notice given him of the treason, and himself soon became sensible of it; but he was sensible likewise that the unprosperous state of his affairs did not admit of his examining his effects, or of calling his servants to an account, and especially such a man as Mir-suléiman-qhan. For the latter, after this performance of his, had put on a Fakir’s garb, with which he used to go to Court and it was curious to see him sometimes planted over against the Navvab, with a handkerchief in his hand, with which he wiped the tears, that flowed abundantly along his cheeks. He Infamous hypocrisy of Mir-suléi­man. sighed and sobbed, and was saying to him, How shall my heart alas! and how shall my eyes, bear to see my good master in such a condition? And it was with such farces as these that the man went on, until the person who had come on Shudjah-ed-döula’s part to compliment and console Mir-cassem, being on his return, he was himself sent in his company, as an envoy to that Prince. In this embassy, the treacherous hypocrite took care to make his peace with Beni-bahadyr, who was Prime Minister to Shudjah-ed-döula, with Aaly-beg-qhan, his General, and with Mir-behloo, which latter had been once tutor to that Prince. With all these, as well as with all the favourites of that Prince’s, he found means to ingratiate himself by making them sharers in the treacherous booty which he had made, giving to some of them gems of an immense value. He also took care to procure himself the protection of Salar-djung, a principal favourite, whom Mirza-shems-eddin, first envoy of Mir-cassem’s, had made use of as a mediator with Shudjah-ed-döula. Mir-suléiman, after having secured all these great men, returned to Mir-cassem’s camp with letters of consolation from every one of them, all fraught with promises without bounds, and com­pliments without end. But Mirza-shems-eddin was already arrived with letters, both from the Vezir, and from the Emperor. They contained such expressions of kindness as eased Mir-cassem’s mind, and determined him to turn his views to that side, and to repair to their Courts. As to Mirza-nedjef-qhan, that officer, after taking leave of Mir-cassem, tumed to the left, and went into the Bundelcund; where the Radja, or Prince of the country, who thought that the arrival of such a man could not but prove advantageous to his own affairs, took him into his service, and shewed him the utmost honour and attention. After his departure, the fugitive Prince, who on Mir-suléiman’s return had entirely made up his mind, having picked up amongst his troops such as he thought of the best service, dismissed and paid the rest, and then directed his route towards the Emperor’s and the Vezir’s camp.