To return to our narrative, the Governor of Bombay gave notice of all these troubles to Governor Hushtín; and it was at a time when the disputes between the French and English, dis­putes which were of old standing, were revived again on account of the assistance which the former had given to the men of America. These men, who are of the same race with the English, had these two or three hundred years past settled in Amercia, which is a New-found-land called. Yengbi-D8nia*, much resembling England, and where those men lived, bred children, spent their lives, and died. Only they were under the jurisdic­tion of the King of England, and yielded obedience to his orders, These men since some time, (which cannot be more than four or five years ago) had revolted from their King, on account of his demanding more of them than was customary. They had fought his troops; and having killed the people that had exercised in the King’s name the power of binding and loosing, that is, the members of the Council of that land, they had set up of them­selves a government like a Council. Not content with all that, they had more than once given battle to the King’s troops, had come off victorious, and had occasioned to the King and Company losses to the amount of corors. The French, at all times sworn enemies to the English, resolved to ingratiate themselves with the Americans, and to turn their revolt to some account for themselves; and with that view they furnished them with cannon, muskets, powder and ball, and all the necessaries for warfare. The King of England, incensed at such an assistance given at a time, when the term of peace between two nations was not yet expired, declared war against the King of the French also.

It was at a time when the English nation secure on every side in Hindostan, felt some inquietude on the side of the Marhattas and from Háider-náik. This Háider-náik had, ten or twelve years ago, waged war with the English in such a manner as to come off victorious, and to make some advantage of it. The Marhattas were full as dangerous; as they have a way of fighting of their own, and will ten times a day attack, and as many times again retreat or take to flight; and they are accustomed to reduce to great straits, for want of water and necessaries, such troops as are less handy than themselves at this work of plundering and running away. The English on those accounts reckoned a war with them to be a difficult piece of work; and they knew very well that Háider-náic was in correspondence Governor Hushtin’s project. with the French. On those two considerations Gov­ernor Hushtin who is by excellence the man of genius of his nation, and who displays everywhere a consummate skill and wisdom, thought it expedient to close with Ragonat-ráo’s pro­posals, an ally that put in his hands the great advantage of fighting the Marhattas in their own country; so great was his foresight. His project was to send an army into Decan, on pre­tence of assisting Ragonat-ráo whom the English were to bring over to their camp; and by his means to engage the Marhatta nation to a peace and an alliance with them; which alliance would have put it in his power to grant Ragonat-ráo the comple­tion of his fondest wishes. After having brought the Marhatta rulers to submit and agree, he intended to draw both Ragonat-ráo and his adversaries into such an alliance, as should bind them to a pact of never joining the French; and such a treaty he intended to strengthen by a paper signed and sealed by both Ragonat-ráo and the Marhatta rulers, who were to secure it under their most solemn oaths. All that was intended to be done by art and persuasion. But in case the matter did not succeed to his wishes, then he hoped that so soon as he should have effected a junction with ragonat-ráo, he might force the Marhatta rulers to a compliance with his views. For he knew that this Prince being himself a man of importance, and the son of a man of importance in that nation, there was no doubt but some great men would join him of themselves, and that some others would easily be brought to do the same, whether by per­suasion or by force; and as the English led by a destiny, (that designed to make use of that nation for punishing a wicked, thoughtless race of men, unmindful of their God) had so suc­cessfully fought battles, made such amazing conquests, and with a deal of ease pushed their victories as far as almost within sight of Shah-djehan-abad, the Capital of Hindostan; so the Governor thought that the war in Decan would prove full as easy; and that after beating and dispersing the Marhatta armies, it would prove an easy task to reduce Háider-náic to straits. After which operation he might without any anxiety from the French, or other European Powers, and without much hindrance from the Princes of India, bring in a certain number of years, and with proper management, all Hindostan into submission; and then sit down in ease and content to enjoy his prosperity. All this scheme was founded upon much foresight and much knowledge of India; for the enmity of the French is of old standing, and that nation by joining the Americans had acquired so mighty an accession of hatred and power, that were they now to listen so far to their jealousy against the prosperity of the English in these countries, as to land in India with some thousand Euro­peans to the assistance of Háider-náic and the Marhattas, they would raise such commotions, as would be very difficult to quell; and there is no doubt but in such a case not a man from the Marhattas, and not a man of consequence from Hindostan, would side with the English. Whereas now Ragonat-ráo himself, the pretender to the Marhatta Empire, was ready to join them of his own accord; and it was probable that those schemes of the Governor’s would take place of themselves, and would be followed by further victories and by the subjection of all Hindo­stan, without much expense or trouble. In fact, the Governor’s piercing genius having beheld as present all those contingencies, which were yet in the womb of time, had resolved to sow dis­sensions, and to encourage and nurse them by sending succes­sively numerous troops towards Decan. It was reported that this scheme of the Governor’s not having met with Mr. Francis’s and Mr. Wheeler’s approbation, two Members of the Committee, they contended that they ought to remain satisfied with so much dominion as they had already acquired, without stretching their feet out of their frontiers; and it may be that such likewise were the orders from the Council of Europe, and such the safest party. But the Governor disapproving of such timid opinions, took upon himself singly all the risks of this business, and set out in earnest with this war.

A.D.1779-80,

It was at this time, that is, about the end of the year 1192, of the Hedjrah, that Colonel Godard, who had always shewn me a deal of friendship and attachment, having set out from Lucknow for Calcutta, to put an end to some questions and answers of his own, I availed myself of that opportunity and of the Colonel’s countenance, to repair from Azim-abad to Calcutta, in order to push an affair that concerned me greatly; and great were the hopes I had conceived; when the poor Colonel by a sudden stroke of chance, was obliged to give up his own schemes for returning towards Lucknow, and to prepare himself for an expedition in Decan. For he was appointed to a command in the army which was to march from Lucknow and Ilah-abad; a dis­appointment that affected already his affairs as well as his spirits. This departure of the Colonel’s having left me alone and without support, I lost all hopes of succeeding in my own business, especially as the English, immersed in disputes amongst them­selves, and in preparatives of war, did not pay any attention to the affairs of Hindostanies. To mention such matters in these historical sheets, would be improper. What for to go on sing­ing dirges upon my destiny, and uttering complaints against the world? Whatever is predestinated to happen in a certain time and in certain circumstances, will certainly come to pass.

“Let us will or not will, what is in our destiny shall come to pass assuredly.”

The cause of Colonel Godard’s discontent was the appoint­ment of Colonel Lesley to the command of the above army, in consequence of his superior rank in the service, to whom of course he would be obliged to obey. Now Colonel Godard was upon very bad terms with him; nor had Lesley the least capacity or fitness for such a command. But according to the Colonel Godard appointed to serve under Colonel Lesley much against his will. rules of seniority, customary amongst the military of that nation, Colonel Godard had been obliged either to resign entirely the service, or to submit to him. As I had long conceived an attach­ment for that officer, I used to tell him, that the expedition in which he was embarked, was an object of the utmost importance. But he was so proud of the easy conquests and the repeated victories of his nation, that he thought the whole an easy matter; and he would often answer that two regiments of their Talingas were enough to beat all the Hindostanies put together. Such high-flown notions of his, rendering it improper and useless in me to insist upon my admonition, I chose to be silent.