YOUR kind letter, expressive of regard, arriving at a most auspicious instant, gave me infinite pleasure. It was written that you had informed his majesty of my giving up the journey to Tatta, owing to the floods and tempestuous weather; and of my design to visit Bhukker, which also, as the weather was so indifferent, he desired might be deferred. My patroness, it was my intention to move on a hunting party* towards Bhuk­ker, and inspect the state of the country on my route; but as I heard the scarcity of grain was great in that quarter, and to have gone by water would have been hazardous, and by land, (though from the bounty of my father I could have had every convenience of khusskhanes,* &c.) my followers and cattle would have suffered much from extreme heat, I laid the journey aside.

It was written with the pen of kind­ness, that his majesty had said, “What he meant to give me, he had given, which if I could not keep, what could he do!” also, that he had commanded Jumlut al Moolk to present him a list of all the presents conferred upon me since his majesty’s accession to the present day.

Health to my kind patroness! The royal favours and bounties, like the blessings of heaven, are innumerable. “If each hair of mine was a tongue then scarcely could I express thy favour and kindness.” However, God be praised! I, like other dependants, have no pleasure in buying jewels or brocades;* but whatever has been bestowed upon me by his majesty’s favour, I have expended in supporting my army. Before and after the expedition to Candahar, I, agreeably to the royal orders, entertained five thousand horse at advanced pay, and never willingly let complaints of arrears reach the imperial ear. The present distress of my troops has been thus occasioned: formerly I received ten months pay in money, but the jaghire conferred upon me since, scarcely affords the amount of seven. Exclusive of this also, in the three last harvests calamities occurred. In the last spring harvest was a plague of locusts, and in the autumn a drought. The present spring crop is destroyed by rain and floods; yet is my force still the same as ever at every station.

As, in times both of ease and diffi­culty, dependants have no asylum or shelter but in the bounty of their lord, if I represent not my situation to the kib­leh* of mortals, what must I do? It was hinted, why did I not give ashrefees* to the troops? My benefactress, I have not sufficient after the discharge of my debts, which you well know, for only one month’s pay of my followers. I have already given a part To live in this manner is intolerable. I still perceive three modes for my relief; and, if thro’ your intercession either is adopted, it i possible my troops and servants may be paid, and rest satisfied; otherwise, their discontent and my unhappiness will daily increase.

First, if they will, in lieu of the grants allotted me in Sioustaun, confer upon me in jagheer the city of Moul­taun, the product of which, except the customs, is regular, with the districts of Sukkir and Loheree in the division of Bhukker, for the expenses of the fort and palace of Tatta; and order the remainder of my allowance to be paid in money; I shall then be able to take with me about three thousand horse to Can­dahar. Secondly, if they chuse to take off the two corore of daums* in Tatta and Moultaun, and pay me money instead, it would tend to my convenience. Thirdly, let them take into the revenue the soubah of Tatta, except the palace demesne and the pergunna of Hukker­alla, which are necessary for the expenses of the new seaport, and pay me money instead.

This latter measure his majesty him­self once mentioned to me at Dhely; but as he had but lately granted the province, did not chuse to alter the arrange­ment suddenly, lest interested people, uninformed of the true reason, should make the measure a plea for disturbances.

My patroness, I make all these remonstrances merely because my force may not be broken, and thus the dissatis­faction of the sacred mind of our father be increased; for to myself it is equal whether my troops be many or few.

From my reliance on your goodness, I have presumed thus importunately to inform you of my affairs, in hopes that what is just will be done.*