Nedjef-qhan, after this glorious victory, requested of the Emperor the Government of Acber-abad-Agrah. The Emperor, who had never received the least revenue from that province, and who saw even now the Imperial Palace and the Citadel of Acber-abad in the hands of the Djatts, consented to invest him with that nominal Government, and the Ministers, like Hyssam-eddin-qhan and Abdol-ahed-qhan, with their party, who did not love the proximity of the new hero, made haste to send him as ample Beginning of Nedjef-qhan’s fortune a patent as he could wish. As that extraordinary man’s fortune seemed to have just risen as from a long sleep, and every one of her limbs was glowing with vigour, she soon gave a full existence to that nominal Government of his, and he forced the Citadel of Acber-abad to a surrender. Nedjef-qhan, sensible that his strength consisted in the number and goodness of his He takes Acber-abad-Agra. troops, and in the attachment of his Commanders, conceived that his situation forbade his thinking of hoarding up money, or of accumulating treasures. He therefore abandoned the whole booty found in the castle to his troops, and contented himself with such a share as had fallen to the lot of any of the Generals of his own army. By putting himself thereby upon an equality with his troops, he endeared his person to such a degree, that he soon found himself at the head of a powerful army, with which he undertook the siege of Dig, a fortress built with so much strength and expense, that it was spoken of all over the world as a wonder of the age. It cost him a siege of fourteen months, but its capture raised his power to a pitch, and so much enhanced his character, that the Emperor thought proper to invest him with the office of “Prince of Princes”, vacant by Nedjib-ed-dowlah’s demise, and Zabeta-qhan’s flight; and he also decorated him with the titles of “The Ever Victorious Two-edged Sword of the State”*. Meanwhile the son of Sor8dj-mull, who had retired to another fortress of his, finding himself unable to stand before the new conqueror, sent to ask a peace; and the latter, unwilling to bring matters to an extremity, and to drive to despair a whole tribe, who although vanquished, might, for want of subsistence, give him a deal of trouble and harass his new conquests, agreed to very moderate terms, that secured the victor’s dominions, and gave him an undisputed sway, but left to the vanquished enough to restrain their restlessness from the temptation of exciting troubles. Nedjef-qhan, by such a peace, entirely pacified the Djatts, and solidly established the foundation of a power that henceforward brought him to a par with the greatest Princes of Hindostan, and the most illustrious names existing.

Whilst fortune was raising one man to the skies, she was in that same territory depressing another in the deepest abyss of misery and grief. This was no less a man than Mir-mahmed-cassem-qhan, heretofore Viceroy of Bengal, who having departed this world about this time in that very territory, naturally furnishes a short article to our history. He had retired to the country of the Rohillahs, and having been well received by them, he was this long time availing himself of their protection to repose from the toils he had hitherto endured. But his character sticking close to him everywhere, and his suspicions inclining him to mistrust and ill-use others, his people were tired of living with him, and commenced deserting one after another. Mirza-shemseddin, his faithful friend, died in confinement. Nor was Sandul-aaly-qhan, an eunuch of an approved character and fidelity, much better used. This man, who had been and was still superintendent of his sanctuary, had been in pilgrimage to Mecca, from whence he had repaired to Gohud, on hearing of his master’s being there, and he had continued to serve him ever since. Even this man became an object of suspicion, and under pretence that if he had not been worth money he would not have come back from Mecca, he was daily tormented with reproachful expressions. Such a disposition of mind alienated all the hearts to such a degree, that his very menial servants and his slaves quitted him one after another. Himself disgusted with his residence, quitted Ater­chundy in the Rohil-cund, and repaired to the Rana of Gohud’s dominion*, from whence he went to the country of the Radjp8ts, and at last he fixed himself in a town between Acbar-abad and the Capital. There in a little time he departed this life in the utmost poverty and distress, leaving to the world a memorable instance of the instability of human things, and fixing an everlasting stain on Shudjah-ed-dowlah, the author of all the miseries he had undergone.

This last Prince had entered into such solemn treaties with the English rulers, as had established the strongest ties of union, with a community of concerns between them and himself; for they had bound themselves to assist each other in case of an attack by an enemy. However, whilst Nedjef-qhan, with the assistance of the Marhattas, was ruining the Rohillah power, he had thought proper to remain a quiet spectator of the operations of the war; but after that General’s departure, he conceived that this was the time to act in his turn, and to give the finishing blow to that inimical nation. As a hatred to that name was hereditary in his family, he forgot the friendship and union that Shudjah-ed-dowlah avails himself of what the Rohillahs had suffered from Nedjef-qhan, to put an end to their domi­nation. had intervened between him and Saad-ollah-qhan, as well as with Ynaïet-qhan, son to Hafyz-rahmet, and he undertook to put an end to the Rohillah domination. Full of these ideas, he applied to Governor Hushtin for his consent to that expedition, and promised a sum of money to the English for their assisting him vigorously. That Governor had no orders from the Company to send troops out of the English dominions, or out of those of Shudjah-ed-dowlah’s, for the purpose of making conquests; nor had he their consent for undertaking any new conquests, either on the English account, or on account of Shudjah-ed-dowlah, who was now their vassal. The orders from the Council in England were to assist Shudjah-ed-dowlah with all his might, against any one that should attack his dominions, and likewise to call that Prince with all his power to the assistance of the English, should the latter be attacked in their dominions of Bengal and Azim-abad. The policy of that mixture of liberty and restraint consisted in this, that as the Rohillahs were a natural barrier to all these dominions, and their country afforded the only easy passes to them from Hindostan, it was expected that those people of course would be obliged to stand upon their own defence, and would oppose, for their own sakes, any invader that should undertake to attack the dominions of the two Allies. Shudjah-ed-dowlah, however, having pointed out to the Governor several advantages that would accrue to both parties from the success of this expedition, prepared himself for war, with a promise of being supported by the English. Neverthe­less, with a view to put an end to his disputes with the Rohillahs, or to demonstrate to the world the natural perverseness of their temper, he sent word to Hafyz-rahmet, the principal ruler amongst them, desiring him to remember “How he had come in time to the assistance of his nation against the Marhattas, and how he had rescued it effectually from the destruction intended Sends a message to the Rohillah Princes. them, by paying in their stead from his own treasury a mighty sum of money, which had saved their country from devasta­tion and ruin; he added, that all the return made him for his effectual interposition, was only a variety of tergiversations and delays on the repayment of a sum due to him, and which they had not yet thought of providing for. So that matters standing as they were, the Rohillahs must prepare themselves for war, or pay, without delay, the sum advanced for their sakes.”

This message did not fail to make great impression on Hafyz-rahmet, who was a man of great sense and much fore­sight. He sent word to Fateh-ollah-qhan, and to the other children of D8ndy-qhan, as well as to Faiz-ollah-qhan, son to Aaly-mahmed-Rohillah, and even to all the principal men of the Rohillah nation, and informed them that he wished to see them assembled at a certain place, as he had something of importance to impart. When they were assembled, he sent them the following message:—

“Shudjah-ed-dowlah, who has disciplined his troops, and mounted his artillery, in the Frenghi (European) manner, and who, besides, is supported by the English power, intends to attack you, and to make a conquest of your country, as well as of mine. My opinion is, that we shall never be able to stand before people that pour a shower of fire in the ranks of their enemies. Is it not better, then, to avert so great an evil by repaying him without delay the money promised, and which, after all, is nothing but his due? For I inform you that we shall never be able to resist his attack.”