Whilst Mir-cassem was consuming his days in the dungeon of a reverse of fortune, his unworthy steward, Mir-suléiman, was coming out from the corner of infamy, with Solomon’s ring at his finger;* and not content with becoming a favourite of the Vezir’s, he turned out informer, and gave his new master advice: “that Yaacob-qhan, the Commandant of the troops in the fortress of Rohotas, as well as Sahomul, the Governor of it, were both dependent on him, as men that owed their fortunes to him; he added that the seraglio and wealth and effects lodged there, were thoroughly known to him (Suléiman) as having been lodged there by himself; and that if the Vezir were pleased to issue some orders, he had a scheme ready by which that fortress with all its dependencies and contents might be brought under his power, and be annexed to his dominions.” As the Vezir himself had a turn of mind for such adventurous expeditions, he very much caressed Mir-suléiman on his project, and gave him such letters as he desired; some to Rahim-qhan, Governor of Saharseram, on the Vezir’s part; and some to the principal persons of that district, besides those to Yaacob-qhan himself, and to Sahomul, who commanded in Rohotas.

Mir-suléiman, trusting to the former connections which he had with the Governor and Commandant, and to the important services which he had rendered them (ties which after all are never minded by the man of the world, but at the moment of need), arrived at Rohotas, with all his letters. Just at this very time it happened that Major Monro, a King’s servant, who had been appointed by the Council of Calcutta to the Command-in-Chief of the English forces, was just landed at Azim-abad, from whence he had wrote me by the channel of Doctor Fullarton, “That if I could contrive to put the fortress of Rohotas in the hands of the English, I would entitle myself to their friendship and gratitude.” Upon this intimation I applied to Radja Sahomul, a man who had the greatest obligations to our family, (our Djaghiry estate forming the territory of that fortress) and I informed him, “that it was not in the nature of things that the English should not prevail, shortly, and shortly should not overthrow and ruin the Vezir, and his confederates; that it was incumbent upon him therefore to examine the respective circumstances of both parties, and to take his resolution betimes; but in such a manner, by all means as not to deliver the fortress to his master’s enemies, and still less to a traitor, who had trampled on every thing sacred amongst mankind.” Sahomul, who was a shrewd man, having examined my proposals, together with those of Mir-suléiman’s, soon took his resolution, and he desired me to manage in such a manner, as that an officer with some English troops might be sent to those parts; and whilst he kept Mir-suléiman in suspense, he put in my hands a paper, containing his requests, and the conditions on which he was willing to surrender the fortress; desiring me to return it, signed and approved by the English Commander. This paper having been transmitted to Doctor Fullarton, the Major returned it, signed and approved; and I put it in the hands of Sahomul; who, on Captain Goddard’s approaching from Ticary with a force, surrendered the fortress, with all its contents. Mir-suléiman, informed that an English battalion of Talingas was coming, com­prehended what was the matter; and making the best of his way to the Vezir’s army, he represented the whole transaction to that Prince with the most dismal colours; nor was I without great apprehensions, lest some body of cavalry should come from thence to carry me off, or to do us some great mischief. I entertained therefore some thoughts of retiring to a place of safety; when Sahomul, who soon had fallen out with Captain Goddard, and was now upon the worst terms with him, represented to me that not one of the stipulated conditions had been observed with him; and that as he had been evidently and greatly injured, I must repair to Azim-abad with him, to represent his case to the English Rulers. I had already applied myself to Doctor Fullarton for leave to repair to Azim-abad; and having got from thence a safe conduct, I shewed it to my father, to whom I represented the danger of his remaining at Hosséin-abad in such a time of trouble and confusion. I advised him therefore to let me depart; and to answer all the enquiries which the Vezir might make on my account, with some excuse framed to this purport: “That Gholam-hosséin-qhan was indeed his son, but a son quite indepen­dent, who was these many years in connection with the English, and for whose actions he would not be responsible.” I added, that such an excuse would prove valuable in case the Vezir should prevail; and as to myself who would be then with the English, I was resolved to take my chance with them, and to share their fate; but that, if the English should prevail, no danger would result to my father from their victory; so far from it, that my attachment to them would be productive of some obligations and some return. After having settled this matter with my father, I took Sahomul with me, and went to Azim-abad. Major Munro was already returned thither, and it was there I learned some particulars relative to the conduct he had held with regard to the mutiny which happened amongst the Talingas stationed in the District of Sarun. These men, quitting at once their station upon some discontent, had deserted into Balvant-sing’s country, and had also carried away their Captain, who, however, had found means to get out of their hands; but they had met at last with a condign punishment for their desertion. I heard also, how the Major had marched against the proud Vezir, and how the negotiations between this Prince and the English had ended in nothing but a complete defeat, which they gave him, and which domolished him totally. All these particulars I got a full information of, and they shall be mentioned in the following sheets.

Shudjah-ed-döulah, after raising the siege of Azim-abad, had returned to Bacsar in the Bodjp8r country. It was a town on the Ganga, and over against Ghazip8r, which district is of his own dependence; and it was there he resolved to pass the rainy season in a camp. Mir-djaafer-qhan being informed of this, resolved also to return to Calcutta, to settle certain matters with the English. He had some time before appointed his own brother, Mir-cassem-qhan, to the Government of Azim-abad, a man of much goodness of heart, and great simplicity of manners, but of little capacity or knowledge. And he had given him for his Deputy a Gentoo called Durdj-naráin, who was brother to the deceased Ram-naráin: a man unfit for so cumbersome and so intricate a charge, and indeed unfit for any thing at all. After having, as he thought, provided for the government of that country, he set out for Calcutta, a voyage that proved his last, and which carried him to the confines of eternity. But should it be asked, what then could be Durdj-naráin’s merits for being promoted to so important an office, the answer would be, that he was possessed of the merit of having had a brother drowned by Mir-cassem, and of the greater one of being himself in dis­grace with that Prince; for it had become a standing rule of Mir-djaafer-qhan’s politics, to depress to the utmost every one of those that might have been in favour with his rival, although ever so worthy of promotion, and likewise so remarkable for abilities; and on the contrary, to raise and promote all those that had been in disgrace with him, although ever so unworthy or so incapable. It was on such a principle, that the old man seemed averse from suffering such a number of noblemen and gentlemen of the best families of the country, to return to their homes and possessions; although it was notorious they had followed his predecessor’s fortunes, solely to screen themselves from the oppression of a prevalent party. Of this number were Mirza-abdollah and Mirza-bakyr, (both sons to Aga-mirza) and Gholam-aaly-qhan and Y8ss8f-aaly-qhan, and several others, who were hovering on the outskirts of Bahar and Bengal, and went on enduring distresses and miseries, until at last their mis­fortunes were put an end to, by the old man’s demise; at which time the exiled and the dispersed found means to return to their homes and to enjoy their families. On the other hand, any one that had proved a traitor to Mir-cassem, never failed, whether at Azim-abad or at M8rsh8d-abad, to become an object of regard, to be promoted to offices, and to enjoy the old man’s confidence. And it was on so laudable a plan that he settled every thing at Azim-abad; after which he set out for Calcutta, where he became endlessly occupied in discussions, and even in altercations with the members of the English Council. For Governor Vansit­tart, who was thoroughly apprised of the baseness of his char­acter, and thoroughly sensible of the supineness and imbecility of his mind, strongly feared lest he might fill the city, and even the whole province, with proscriptions and blood, should he be suffered to repair to M8rsh8d-abad with an uncontrouled author­ity; he knew that in such a case he would not fail to make use of his power to torment every considerable man in the country, and to deluge the city with blood; and his anxieties were so strong on that head, that he had purposely suffered the negotiation with him to take its own course in the alter cations of the Council, where after a length of time nothing was yet concluded finally.