My father all this while had been in the army, where he had paid his respects to the Emperor and to the Vezir; and as I had myself taken service with the former, on my proving so dissatisfied with Mir-cassem, we both remained at camp for a full fortnight more; the army having tarried so long on the banks of the Sohon, after having forded that river at Calver, the capital of the Bodj-poor country. From thence my father resolved to return to his estate; and as I was myself so disgusted with the endless disorders which reigned in the Vezir’s army, that I thought it improper to remain any longer in it. I resolved to attach myself to the English, for whom I had this longwhile conceived an affection. I had even some connections with them; especially with Doctor Fullarton, who had so luckily escaped from the sanguinary hands of Mir-cassem’s. Some correspondence had also subsisted between him and me; and it was by that means he had informed me that the Emperor inclined to the English party in his heart. He had likewise advised me early to provide for myself and for that Prince’s reaching the English camp. This intelligence I imparted to my father, and I exhorted him “to take the lead in an affair that would establish our family, and intitle him to the gratitude of that nation. I added, that it was evident that so long as the Vezir continued to com­mand such unruly troops, and to be at variance with his con­federates, as well as to turn a deaf ear to every sober advice, he would not be likely to prevail against the English; that matters standing in such a predicament, it would be advantageous to join a nation that seemed to entertain a veneration for the Imperial person, and an inclination for its interests, both which they expressed everywhere in their correspondence with me, in such a manner, as rendered it proper and expedient for that Prince to write to the ruler of that nation, such a letter as they seemed to wish for.” My father having listened to all this, imparted the whole to Munnir-ed-döulah, with whom he waited on the Emperor. This Prince, who was sick of his dependence on Shudjah-ed-döulah, as well as tired with his obstinacy and his airs of superiority, was desirous likewise to shake off the yoke that had insensibly slipt upon his neck; and he approved the advice. After which, he wrote to the English Commander a letter in the style his Ministers desired; but, when it was brought signed to him, he added these words with his own hand: Know, that whenever such a letter, and in such a hand, shall come to you, the English Commander, by the ministry of the present bearer, (meaning me, the poor man) you are to giva an implicit belief to the same; but if any other hand­writing should come to hand by any other person, then you are to think it spurious, or, at least, written with intent to keep some terms with the Vezir, but without the Emperor’s real con­sent. The intent of the addition was to put the English upon their guard against another negotiation set on foot by Ráo-shitab-ráy’s channel. The Emperor, who knew the latter to be in Shudjah-ed-döulah’s service, and an intimate friend of Beni-bahadyr’s, recommended to me to manage in such a manner, as neither the Vezir nor his agent should know any thing of the conténts of his letter.

After receiving these credentials, I set out with my father, who took the road to his estate, whilst I took that to Azim-abad. At that time I reckoned upon my enjoying some share in Major Carnac’s good opinion, and was much connected with Doctor Fullarton, who loved me, had rendered me many services, and really was an excellent man. But it was my ill luck that the Doctor, who had hitherto been my mediator, and my channel of conveyance with that Commander, was now upon the worst terms with him; and unfortunately I knew nothing of the matter as yet. I therefore sent him intelligence of my coming; and he conveyed it to the General, who sent some of his messengers or harcarahs with a written order to some Captains of his, stationed with a party upon the road, to procure me a free passage. Being arrived in town, I went to Doctor Fullarton’s, from whom I learned that he was upon ill terms with the General. But, as I had already informed him of the errand upon which I had come, I intreated him to be upon his guard with Sadoram, agent of Shitab-ráy’s, and to take care that he should not come to the knowledge of the business which had become my task; for that such a discovery would prove of great disservice both to the Emperor, and to Munnir-ed-döulah, and could do no good to either my father or me. The Doctor answered, that he would serve me with all his might, but that he doubted much whether my business would succeed at this time. Be it as it may, on the second day I was sent for by Major Carnac, upon whon I waited in company with the Doctor. I found the Major sitting with Mir-djaafer-qhan; and I shewed him the Emperor’s letter. The Major kissed it, put it upon his head, and having stepped aside with Mir-djaafer-qhan to hear the contents, he returned; and his answer was, “That at present the Emperor did not dispose of his own actions. He was under another’s controul, and intirely dependent on the Vezir’s pleasure and will; and that this being the case, the English could not obey His Majesty’s commands.” This is what he said; but, it becomes highly, probable, that after having said so much, he sent for Sadoram and shewed him the Emperor’s letter, of which that agent took a copy, which he sent to Radja Shitab-ráy. The Major, after these words, dismissed me, and then sent me a supplique for the Emperor; but as I had concluded that all my trouble had answered no purpose, I sent the supplique by one of the Emperor’s messengers, and retired to our estate at Hosséin-abad. There I lived with my father, with whom I found both Mirza-bakyr and Mirza-abdollah, two friends, who had come over to pass the rainy season with him.

It was during my stay at Hosséin-abad, that I heard of Mir-cassem’s having been arrested by Shudjah-ed-döulah’s order, and confined; so that I shall faithfully relate this event in the same manner as I had heard it related afterwards by Aaly-hibrahim-qhan, who cut a great figure in that whole transaction. It must be observed, that Mir-cassem, who had promised to pay eleven lacs of rupees per month to the Vezir, and had been hard pressed for payment at the siege of Azim-abad, of course wanted to get out of the grasp of a man who gave him no rest and no respite on that subject; and he once sent the following message to him, after having reflected for a while on some expedient to extricate himself: “I conceive that you ought to send me towards Bengal and M8rsh8d-abad, to the end, that by establishing contributions, I may distress the collectors set up by the English, and prevent their fixing their government in these countries; an operation, which may be thoroughly per­formed with ease, as their force is now very small, and they cannot afford to defend all their possessions; and, as I am thoroughly acquainted with those parts, and am remembered still there as one that has commanded, I have, to all appear­ance, a better chance for performing this service than any one of your dependants.” This message was sent by the channel of Aaly-hibrahim-qhan. The Vezir heard the whole of it, and, What! broke the forth, if Aaly-djah* should not come back again? What is to be done? Aaly-hibrahim-qhan answered, “That such a conjecture could not but be groundless, as Aaly-djah had no other place of shelter, and no other resource than the gate of the Vezirial palace.” This answer did not pacify the Vezir. He spoke like one that had conceptions and sus­picions of a high nature, although quite foreign to the subject; but at last he added, That if he chose to be surety for him, and to rémain as an hostage, he had no objection to the scheme. Aaly-hibrahim-qhan replied, “That he had no objections to his remaining as hostage, but not for the payment of the promised money. That, as to the last article, whenever Aaly-djah should establish contributions all over the country, he, Aaly-hibrahim-qhan, would not fail to press him for the payment of the money; nor would he prove dilatory in sending to the Vezirial treasury, whatever would be transmitted from thence.” Not so, Sir,—not in this manner, interrupted the Vezir. “Then,” replied the Qhan, “it shall be as your Highness shall please. But, if that chance to be the case, people will naturally ascribe to your Highness what­ever good or whatever ill may result from this affair; nor will they fail to charge on your Ministry, and not on Aaly-djah, every disgrace, if any, that may chance to happen. That Prince has done every thing in his power to get to the gate of your palace, which he thought would afford him an asylum against his enemies, and a comfortable retreat, after all his toils. The question is now, how to contrive some expedient that may conserve unsullied, both the honour of command, and the lustre of dominion, and may again bring the water to its bed.” This discourse seemed to make an impression on the Vezir. (which he endeavoured to smother, although he was not endowed with much power of dissimulation;) and he answered, That he would appoint some other person for that business, The Qhan replied, “That he wished for nothing more than for what might prove fittest for attaining the intended purposes, and would best conduce to His Highness’s welfare.” One would think that the proposed scheme was of importance enough to engross the attention of a man who was marching to the con­quest of Bengal; nevertheless it was soon forgotten by a Prince immersed in his pleasures; and the Qhan returned to Mir-cassem, to whom he made a faithful report of the whole conversation.