By an event singular enough, it happened that the very day before the engagement, Shudjah-ed-döulah had thought proper to set Mir-cassem at liberty, although he gave him no better carriage than an elephant which proved lame. By another even, full as singular, and one of those which cannot be accounted for but by admitting the interference of a particular Providence, that very animal enabled the prisoner to get out of that scene of confusion and slaughter, and to save his life from more than one sort of imminent danger. Doubtless he was predestinated to a longer life; else, in that scene of terror and consternation, which parted the son from the father, and the brother from the brother, who would have thought of an unfortunate being, kept this long­while in confinement, and deprived of all intercourse with man­kind? Let us adore the secret workings of that watchful Provi­dence, Providential escape of Mir-cassem’s. which on the very eve of such a scene of danger and confusion, put it into an enemy’s heart to provide a carriage for his prisoner.

“Even an enemy will prove serviceable to thee, if it pleases God.”

This release had been announced to Aaly-hibrahim-qhan in the evening; and at midnight he had sent secretly to inform him that he had ready at his service a bag of a thousand rupees, and an excellent horse, which would carry him anywhere he pleased; adding, that if he made but a sign of the head, both would be sent him immediately. The messenger professed that the only reason why this had not been done already, was out of fear least the Vezir coming to hear of it, should become again as severe as ever. Such a tender in such a conjuncture could not but prove highly acceptable to Mir-cassem’s afflicted mind. He bestowed on the Qhan all the encomiums he deserved for having remembered of past obligations, and proved grateful at so criti­cal a moment of total dereliction; but he answered, that at present he did not think it proper to accept of his offer, as they had promised to bring him a carriage. But that if they should fail, then he would by all means avail himself of his generous offer. And really a little before day-break, they brought him a female elephant that limped; and it was upon such a carriage that Mir-cassem made his escape with the runaways, and saved his life.

A few days before the engagement, Aaly-hibrahim-qhan had had the precaution to send his heavy baggage under the charge of his brother, Aaly-cassem-qhan, to the Emperor’s encampment, which was on the other side of the Durgáoty, the little river that parted it from the Vezir’s camp, and upon which they had formed with some boats a bridge of communication. By such a precaution he had remained quite light and disincum­bered. So that in the general deroute, he advanced expeditiously to the bridge; but finding it so thronged, and the runaways pour­ing in immense shoals, so as to bar all passage, he became extremely uneasy. Moreover the bridge had broke down; the danger increased fast; and the English Talingas were pre­paring to fire. No time was to be lost. He put spurs to his horse, ran a little higher up the banks of the river, and throwing himself in the water with his horse, he swam over to the opposite side. Being arrived on the other side, where a number of people had stopped awhile both to take some refreshment, and to wait for such of their friends as were yet on the other side of the water, he observed a body of English advancing with a field-piece, loaded with small ball called Churras, which they fired; whilst a body of their Talingas were making discharges of musketry. The cannon swept both sides of the river; nor is it possible to describe the terror and confusion that seized the runaways. They poured upon each other’s shoulders in the miry shores of that very muddy river, and sticking in the mud, they perished in shoals.* Others having found means with infinite trouble to get over, fled in the most dismal condition, every one taking to what road chanced to be before him. Most of these were set upon by the peasants who stripped them to the skin. Others having found means to join the runaways, that had preceded, returned graces to Heaven, as if they had returned from the very gates of death. The Vezir having passed the river, and got all his family together, took the road which leads to Ilah-abad; but Mir-cassem upon his limping carriage, made a shift to get as far as six or seven cosses beyond Banaress. As to Beni-bahadyr, he tarried upon the banks of the Ganga, by the Vezir’s order, with intention to bring away the Emperor, who was encamped over against that city; and Aaly-hibrahim-qhan, sick, as he was, found means, with no more than a dozen of followers, to advance close to Beni-bahadyr’s encampment, where he intended to take some rest, and to inquire after his brother, with whom he wished to encamp. A servant of Ghalub-qhan having descried that nobleman by chance, went and gave notice of it to his master, who was a great friend of his, and then in Beni-bahadyr’s retinue. Ghalub-qhan no sooner heard the intelligence, than he expressed his satisfaction, and getting up directly, he requested leave of Beni-bahadyr to meet his friend. The Radja on observing Ghalub-qhan’s eagerness, asked him what kind of a man was his friend, that he seemed so eager to see him. The other having answered by a short eulogium of Hibrahim-qhan, added that if ever he commenced an acquaintance with him, he might then get some knowledge of his merit. The Minister who had often been present at that nobleman’s valuable conversation with the Vezir, conceived a desire of attaching him to his own person, and he asked Ghalub-qhan whether he could bring his friend to him? The latter undertook the business, and prevailed upon his friend to wait upon the Minister, just in the undress in which he was. The Radja happy to reckon so valuable a man amongst his friends, requested his friendship, proffered his own, and desired to reckon himself henceforward amongst those of his family. This proposal could not but please Hibrahim-qhan, who thought that in a time of so much confusion, the very tarrying some days with that Minister, would prove of some advantage to himself. After this acquisi­tion, the Radja received orders from the Vezir to bring up the Emperor, and he was urging the propriety of marching forward. But that Prince, who in his heart was dissatisfied with the Vezir, and had resolved to part with Beni-bahadyr, thought proper to temporise under a variety of pretences, having sometime before conceived the design of joining the English. For that nation had already made overtures, on that subject, and rendered him desirous of joining them, as well as intent on availing himself of their assistance; and on the other hand, they expected that the Vezir, informed of their being forbidden by the Company to make any new conquests in India, would of himself come to terms of peace and friendship with them. They had therefore thoughts of meeting Beni-bahadyr, whom they knew to be the Vezir’s confidant, and Mir-cassem’s enemy. But as Beni-bahadyr had then discovered the Emperor’s defection, and his back­wardness from marching farther, he continued his own journey with his own troops, and crossed the Ganga.

As soon as the Minister was seen on the other side of that river, the Emperor, who was thereby left at liberty, sent for the English; who finding so fair a pretence for advancing their own affairs, doubled their pace, and joined him in a few hours. They paid their respects to him, crossed the Ganga with him, and from thence invited Beni-bahadyr to a conference. The Minister who wanted to attach Aaly-hibrahim-qhan to his person, and who had a high opinion of his genius, applied to him for advice; and having perpended his counsel, he from that time admitted him to all his secrets, and associated him to the nego­tiation; for he became at last convinced that his meeting the English would redound to his master’s advantage; and with that view he proceeded to their camp. The English shewed a willing­ness to come to terms with the Vezir, if he would but deliver in their hands Mir-cassem, and Somro. The Minister who was upon bad terms with the fugitive Prince, and saw his own advantage and that of his country and master in this proposal, answered in a respectful manner, “That Somro being master of a good body of troops, and such as had not broke their ranks in the last defeat, but had retreated in good order, the seizing that man’s person would not be free from danger. But that Mir-cassem might be arrested; and if the Vezir should approve of it, his own endeavours would not be wanting in that business.” The conference ended here; and Beni-bahadyr having heard the proposals of the English, took his leave, and returned to his own camp, where he disclosed the whole negotiation to his confidants, amongst whom was Aaly-hibrahim-qhan. The latter thought it incumbent upon his gratitude and upon those ancient ties of friendship, that bound him to Mir-cassem, to send him immediate notice of the matter in agitation; and this fugi­tive, who was encamped only at a few cosses distance, no sooner heard the intelligence, than he fled to Ilah-abad, with a swiftness and a rapidity that could be compared to nothing but the wind or to the lightning; and having there managed in such a manner as to get possession of his family and women, which had been plundered by the Vezir’s people, and confined in that castle, he marched on without stopping as far as Bérheily, which is the principal city of that colony of Afghans, who call themselves Rohillas; and there only he commenced to take some test. There likewise we shall leave him, until we come to close his history; and this shall take place when we come to give an account of the revolutions that have happened at the capital of the Empire.