But by this time the defeat of Bacsar had made a total revolution in Shadjah-ed-döula’s mind. That presumptuous man, who had never had an idea of such a reverse of fortune, finding now so total an alteration in his affairs, concluded that he had no other resource left, but that of abandoning his own dominions, and flying for shelter to a stranger’s country. He therefore sent some of his relations to Fáiz-abad* and to Lucknow, with orders to take away his family and treasures, and to carry them into the country of a Rohilla Prince, called Haafyz-rahmet, with whom he had some connections; as Ynaïet-qhan, the latter’s son, had become his companion of arms in his campaign about Azim-abad. His orders were to keep them in Bérheily, which is the greatest city of those parts, as being a place which surpassed Pylybeet and all the other towns of that country both in the salubrity of its air, and the goodness of its water. Meanwhile he repaired in all speed to Ila-abad, and having taken from thence his mother and consort, he left Aaly-beg-qhan in the citadel, and proceeded to the country of the Afghans, where leav­ing his family, furniture, and the whole of his effects and treasures in Bérheily, he sent Sidy-bashir, a trusty Habeshinian of his, to command in the fortress of Chennar, with a proper garrison, and every necessary requisite for the defence of that place. Beni-bahadyr arrived at this time; but his advice for making peace with the English, was rejected by the Vezir, who thought it derogatory to his dignity, and dishonourable to his name, family, and pedigree; and on the other hand, he reckoned upon powerful succours both from the Afghan Princes, and from the Marhatta General, Malhar-ráo. He therefore dispatched Beni-bahadyr to Lucknow, with secret instructions to keep fair with the English, and under this mask, to maintain his government in that province; whilst himself should proceed with all speed to the country of Ahmed-qhan-bangash, notwithstanding the cordial aversion he had for that Prince. Nor was this aversion of a modern date, as we already touched on the causes and progresses of sentiments in that part of our history which relates to Shah-djehan-abad, and to the neighbouring provinces. On his arrival there he had a meeting with Haafyz-rahmet, with Ahmed-bangash, and with some other Afghan Princes, as well as with the famous Mir-sheabeddin-qhan, better known under the title of Umad-el-mulk, who chanced to be there likewise. The Vezir threw amongst them the dice of consultation, and requested both advice and assistance. Every one of them promised succours, but never­theless all advised him to call to his service the Mahratta Malhar-ráo, who was a Prince of Decan, and an old General, who had once commanded-in-chief in Badji-ráo’s army. This General was then Mucasdar or feudatory Prince* of the province of Shah-djehan-abad, and went simply by the title of the Soobada?? or Viceroy. He lived retired in the country about Calpy and Goalyar; but as he had once lost all his baggage and fortune in that bloody defeat, which Ahmed-shah, the Abdalli-monarch, had given the Marhatta nation, he did not cut any great figure. Shudjah-ed-döulah sent some of his trusty servants in that country, who prevailed upon that General to come over with his troops to their master’s assistance, in whose name they promised a great sum of money, in case victory should favour his party. The man, who since the loss he had suffered, had become exceedingly covetous, greedily accepted the proposal, and soon came over with his troops to Shudjah-ed-döulah’s camp. As to the Afghans, all the instances made to engage them to come to that Prince’s assistance, in compliance with their own promises, proved useless; and they went on with a multitude of pretences, and far fetched excuses, put him off with procrastination, and with promises of to-day and to-morrow, and at last did not move a foot.

Meanwhile Beni-bahadyr, who was now arrived at Lucknow, gave notice of his master’s intentions. “Shudjah-ed-döulah,” said he, “cannot be brought to consent to a peace with the English on the conditions tendered by them. He is resolved to try another battle. As to Mir-cassem, he has escaped from his hands; nor is Somro to be laid hold of, unless by some artifice; but at any rate, my master thinks that at such a time as this measures of such a nature are very improper for him. With respect to me in particular, as I augur nothing good from his affairs, I am desirous and willing to meet the English half way, and to join their cause.” Now it must be observed, that although Shytab-ráy was unquestionably a very trusty servant of that nation, he was also much attached to Beni-bahadyr, in whose house he had found so honourable an asylum, with so many favours and so many benefits, when he fled some years before from Mir-cassem’s Singular speech of Ahmed-qhan-bangash’s to Shudjah-ed-döulah. resentment. He therefore wished to shew the high sense he retained of so many benefits; and thought himself happy in having an opportunity of serving his benefactor. This negotiation was just set on foot, when Major Monro, after defeating the Vezir, and pursuing him as far as Banares, thought proper, for reasons of his own, to go back to Calcutta, and to leave the command to Major Fooleecher (Robert Fletcher); and this too having been found fault with, and been dismissed from the command of the army, it devolved of course on Major Carnac, an officer who had once been in the Company’s service, and had commanded an army; but had lately been promoted to the rank of supreme Commander, which in their language is called a Brigadier-General. As this officer had a deal of friendship for Shytab-ráy, the latter embraced the opportunity of imparting to him the proposals made by Beni-bahadyr; and this General who esteemed the Minister’s arrival a great advance towards a peace, availed himself of the envoy’s presence, to invite the master, express­ing his desire at the same time in a polite letter fraught with expressions of high regard. Upon such an invitation, Beni-bahadyr came, and met the General; but his intention was only to keep fair with both parties. The General proposed to that Minister to bring over his whole family to Lucknow, and in particular to send his consort to Banares or Azim-abad, in which case he would be satisfied with his sincerity, and would leave the whole business and all the contributions of the two provinces of A8d and Ilah-abad to his own management. But as this proposal did not suit Beni-bahadyr, he declined it upon a variety of plausible pretences, and he kept the matter in suspense; until hearing that Shudajh-ed-döulah had taken Malhar-ráo in his service, and was preparing to fight the English, he went to a Fakyr for whom he had a high regard, and asked him what resolution he advised him to take. The Fakyr answered, “That the coming of the English was like a squall, which had brought on much blowing indeed, but which would soon be over and gone.” This answer to which the Minister paid an implicit belief, having made him conceive that victory might yet declare for his master, he resolved to continue firm in his attachment to him.

But the intelligence that had so much rejoiced Beni-bahadyr’s heart, had raised alarms in the mind of Shytab-ráy, who was his mediator with the English, and who no sooner heard of the junction of Malhar-ráo’s with Shudjah-ed-döulah, than he wrote to Beni-bahadyr, in strong terms: “If you intend to remain with Shudjah-ed-döulah, said he, speak out and act openly, that I may get you dismissed by the English, after having informed them of your inclination. But if you think it better to attach yourself to us, let me recommend to you much firmness and steadiness in your conduct. For after all, why should we pro­ceed in a negotiation that may bring a reflection upon me, and a reproach of faithlessness upon you? Or why should you bring me into an imminent danger, and expose your own character to endless shame and reproaches?” This remon­strance produced no effect; and Beni-bahadyr, who thought it prudent to conceal his mind, kept his secret even from Shytab-ráy, and left the rest to opportunity and time. But meanwhile, under pretence of putting in order some districts farthest from the English army, he got himself accompanied by some companies of their Talingas; and having proceeded with these as far as Lucknow, he carried from thence his consort and family, and took to the road that led to Shudjah-ed-döulah’s camp; his intention being to effect a junction with him at any rate. The English Talingas wanted to prevent his flight; but as they were in so small a number, they were intimidated by Beni-bahadyr’s numer­ous troops and threats, and let him escape.

All these motions could not be known to Aaly-hibrahim-qhan, who having fallen sick, had been left by Beni-bahadyr in the castle of Partab-gur; where having been kept in the dark as to that Minister’s real intentions, he was much nettled when he heard of his final departure, as such an event bereft him of all support, and left him to himself. Luckily that the consort of the Radja of that country, in her husband’s absence who had been persuaded by Beni-bahadyr to attend Shudjah-ed-döulah, thought proper to use the Qhan with a deal of kindness, and did every thing in her power to accommodate him with lodgings and with many conveniencies, which the country did not afford. By her means the Qhan procured every necessary for his voyage, and departed for Ilah-abad.