WE have left Aaly-verdy-qhan on the other side of the Ganga. As this was a country full of game, and he was exceedingly fond of hunting, he passed forty or fifty days on that side of the river; and it is there that Seradj-ed-döulah, who could not digest the appointment of his uncle, Sáyd-ahmed-qhan, to the viceroyalty of Azim-abad, spoke some words, and committed some actions, that little became his station and his person; and it is at such a con­juncture, likewise, that he gave some presages of the hastiness of his temper, and the improvidence of his conduct. There also he gave evident signs of his influence in the politics of the Government, and of his unbounded sway over his grandfather’s mind; and this was about one of the strangest events which history ever recorded; a conspiracy of a son against his own father! An event which may be ranked amongst those that serve to awaken the attention of mankind, and to put the most con­fident upon their own guard against wickedness and malevolence. But it must be remembered first, how that pattern of mankind, the illustrious Mir-mahmed-aaly, the learned, (whose learning and merit may God continue for a length of time!)* had crossed over from P8rania to Mongher, to make a visit to Aaly-verdy-qhan. As he had some connections with Séif-qhan, the hereditary Governor of P8rania, a province which is situated just over against Mongher, and on the other side of the Ganga, he had re-crossed over to renew his acquaintance with that noble man, as well as with his eldest son, a young lord whose name was Faqhr-eddin-hossëin-qhan, but who went by the name of the Navvab-bahadyr, or valiant Navvab. On his departing from thence after his visit, this young lord gave him a petition, that is, a letter for Aaly-verdy-qhan, which enclosed a letter to himself; nor did the illustrious Séyd ever so much as dream of the con­tents; for he promised to put the letter in Aaly-verdy-qhan’s own hands at some disengaged moment, and to support the contents with all his influence; and as he was naturally of an unsuspicious temper, he carried it to that Prince, and on the very first opportunity, put it into his hands. The Viceroy having perused the contents, turned towards the Lord Séyd, and uttered these words: Well, my Lord Séyd, I shall do whatever you desire, and as you shall bid me. As the Lord Séyd knew nothing at all of the contents, he expressed some surprise at these words, and could not help answering, that he was not privy to the contents of the petition. Upon this the Viceroy put in his hands both the petition and its inclosure, that is, the letter directed to himself. On perusal of both, the poor man was struck dumb with the Stange con­spiarcy of a son against his father. contents, which proved to be no less than a proposal from that denatured son, to seize the government of the country, make his own father a prisoner, and send him down to M8rsh8d-abad; for all which performances he requested only a small military force from the Viceroy. It was on discussing this unnatural affair that Seradj-ed-döula gave specimens of his turn of mind, and proofs of his boundless influence over the Viceroy’s mind. It was on the following occasion: Amongst those that accompanied the Lord Séyd, was a simple, very plain man, called Aga-Azimái, who had once served Séif-qhan, hereditary Governor of P8raniah, as his Paymaster-General, in which office he had contracted an intimacy with some officers, and amongst others with Serdar-qhan, that Afghan Commander, who was in the same service, and had lately cut so capital a figure at the sack of Azim-abad. This simple man was now taken to task by Seraj-ed-döula, under pretence that he had been all along in close correspondence with the Afghan, had been deeply concerned in the revolution at Azim-abad, and actually was possessed of a hoard, acquired in the plunder of that city by the late Commander, but intrusted to his care and secrecy. The only proofs he adduced of so peril­ous a charge, was that in the endless plunder and continual defilements to which that ill-fated city had been a prey for full two months, Serdar-qhan, who then chanced to remember his acquaintance, and to retain some sense of the many favours he had once received at his hands, now thought proper to pay a regard to some families and some houses, recommended to him by Aga-Azimái. This intercession became his crime; and Seradj-ed-döula having now taken mighty exceptions against this particular circumstance, and even instilled his own suspicions and ideas on his grandfather’s mind, Aga-Azimái was accused, as being one of the conspirators, and as concealing the sum of eight lacs, deposited in his hands by Serdar-qhan, out of the plunder of Azim-abad. Such an accusation found credit; and matters were likely to take a very bad turn with the poor man, had not the Lord Séyd taken him under his safeguard, and obtained his liberty from the Viceroy. The man on being released, quitted that perilous spot, and repaired to Azim-abad, where Séyd-ahmed-qhan, the Deputy-Governor, gave him service. This giving service to the man, was not relished at the Court, then at Mongher; and possibly, is it from so small a subject, that some dissensions soon commenced in Aaly-verdy-qhan’s family, that gave rise to mighty events.

We have said that the Viceroy had appointed Séyd-ahmed-qhan, his second nephew and son-in-law, to the government of the city and province of Azim-abad; an office which had been promised him at the very beginning of the Afghan War, and with which he seemed to be fully invested, under the modest appel­lation of Deputy-Governor. One of the first actions of the new Governor’s was his sending for a number of persons of distinction, now out of his province, and attaching them to his service by suitable pensions. These were the flower of the nobility. They had all been in the murdered Viceroy’s service, and were only dispersed by his death. Amongst these was Mehdi-nessar-qhan, maternal uncle to the poor man; he had sought an asylum in the fortress of Rhotas. Another was Naky-aaly-qhan, younger Dissension in Aaly-verdy-qhan’s family. brother to the poor man. Next came Aareb-aaly-qhan, Qhadem-hassen-qhan, and several others. This liberality was not relished by Aaly-verdy-qhan’s consort, who observed, “that as the province of Azim-abad was so situated, as to be the main gate that afforded an entrance into Bengal, to which country no army could penetrate without its Governor’s concurrence, it was improper to leave so important a post in the hands of a person which she styled a stranger; that her eldest son-in-law, Nevazish-mahmed-qhan, being a man of a weak conduct, and of weaker intellects, it became evident that on her husband’s demise, Sáyd-ahmed-qhan, although her son-in-law likewise, would become a sworn enemy to her other daughters, and of course to her two grand children, Seradj-ed-döula, and his younger brother Ecram-ed-döula. After such a chain of reasoning she concluded that so important a Government ought to be lodged in such hands as she might trust entirely.” The Princess having said so much, lowered her tone of voice, and with an air of concern and affliction, “she mentioned the high salaries and expensive pensions which her nephew had been bestowing upon the prin­cipal nobility of the province; and she glossed over them as upon so many misdemeanours, which took their rise in deep schemes, and concealed remote views and high-flown designs.” Such a speech from a Princess, that had given her husband the highest opinion of her wisdom, could not but make a deep impression on his mind; but the Princess, as if doubting her own influence in instilling her own jealousies in her husband’s mind, took care to employ another engine, still more powerful. She taught Seradj-ed-döula to mutter publicly, “that if the Viceroy­alty of Azim-abad was bestowed on Séyd-ahmed-qhan, he (Seradj-ed-döula) would not survive the affront, but would make away with himself. He used to say that the Bahar was his father’s property. That it came to him by hereditary right, as a paternal estate, and ought not to be given away to others.” Words to that effect, from a youth who had now become the old man’s whole delight, and his very soul, could not fail to sink deep in his mind, on the first moment of their being reported to him. His whole soul centred in that young man; and to give him the least uneasiness, was a thought which he could not bear. On the other hand, he was accustomed to pay the highest deference to his consort’s advice, and the tenderest regard to her wishes; and he also confessed, that after all, her opinion tended to the completion of a scheme which he had set up with her concur­rence, namely, that of declaring Seradj-ed-döula heir to his estate, and his successor in all his dominions. No wonder then, if over­come now by the intreaties of a beloved consort, and unable to withstand Seradj-ed-döula’s displeasure, he altered his mind with respect to his other grandson and nephew, and totally declined to fulfil his promise to him. The latter, who thought himself shockingly wronged by such a proceeding, and moreover exposed to ridicule, was stung to the quick at such an unexpected reverse; and giving way to the emotions of his resentment, he abstained from going to Court, and lastly resolved to quit Bengal, and to repair to Shah-djehan-abad, where he intended to seek his fortune at the Imperial Court. The old Prince, wounded by his nephew’s discontent and secession, attempted several times by notes in his own hand, and also by letters, to apologise for his conduct, and to sooth his nephew’s mind; but all was to no purpose. Matters went so far, that the nephew proved inexorable; and in one of his answers he protested, that he was bound by a solemn oath to quit Bengal, and to go to the Imperial Court, should the matter fail of taking the turn he wished. This was answered by a note in the hand of Aaly-verdy-qhan himself. It contained these two short sentences: To atone for such an oath, is easy; and to quit a loving uncle, imprudent. After dispatch­ing the note, he went to pay him a visit, where he addressed him in these words: “Son, it is out of love to you that I stoop to these entreaties, and possibly to these importunities; else, you know yourself, that my custom is to speak once to a man, and to inform him of my mind; after which I leave him to his ownself, never to speak to him again. If this resolution of yours arises from some other matter of discontent, speak out, I am here to afford you redress, and to oblige you to the utmost extent of your wishes; and if you do not choose to speak your­self, here is Hekim-begh, and some other gentlemen, your friends; make use of their channel, and cease to torment your­self and me any more on that head.” The visit being over, Sáyd-ahmed-qhan made use of the channel pointed out to him, to ask the confirmation of some revenues he had acquired in his new Government; and his request having been complied with, this disagreeable affair was immediately brought to an end. But as the rainy season was setting in, the Viceroy resolved to spend it at Azim-abad, in order to arrange some matters of importance, and to settle every part of a province, which required his presence; he also sent orders to M8rsh8d-abad for bringing Seradj-ed-döulah’s consort to Azim-abad under the charge of Radja Djankiram, whom he really intended to appoint Deputy-Governor of the province. Djankiram being arrived with his charge, a public day was appointed, in which a rich Qhylaat was put on Seradj-ed-döula’s shoulders, in token of investiture for the Govern­ment of Azim-abad, and another of inferior value, on Djankiram, as his deputy, who was besides complimented with a fringed Paleki, and a kettle-drum. And to regain Sáyd-ahmed-qhan’s good will to this arrangement, as well as to soften his mind, Djankiram received orders to wait upon him, and to ask his consent in a respectful manner. Sáyd-ahmed-qhan graciously granted it, although highly humbled by a transaction that exposed his character; and he gave him a Biry* of Paan, according to the custom of India, in token of that consent; his intention being to avoid everything that might disoblige his uncle; and it is remarkable that Djankiram went by the Viceroy’s order, in company with Sadr-el-hac-qhan*, to give more weight to his submission. Matters being now settled to his mind, Aaly-verdy-qhan quitted Azim-abad at the end of the rains, and taking with him both Sáyd-ahmed-qhan and Seraj-ed-döulah, he displayed his victorious standards and took the road of Bengal.