NEDJEF-QHAN, after the conquest of Acber-abad and the Fortress of Dig, had now become a Sovereign Prince. Intent Conquests of Nedjef-qhan, who is become a Sovereign Prince. only on whatever could establish and increase his power, his army, which he was augmenting incessantly, became so numerous, that there is hardly mentioning its numbers without seeming to deal in exaggerations. His two favourite Commanders alone, that is, Nedjef-c8ly-qhan and Afrasiab-qhan, were at the head of two corps that could not amount to less than ten or twelve thousand cavalry and as much infantry. It is true they had both been his slave-boys; but it must be acknowledged that their personal prowess and their military talents were such as warranted all that elevation: the former, especially, who bears a distinguished character for a headlong courage, and an irresistible impetuosity; insomuch that it has been more than once observed, that leaving all the other Generals behind, he seemed intent upon equalling his master himself. Another valorous Commander of Nedjef-qhan’s army and as good a soldier as himself, was Mahmed-beg-qhan the Hamadanian, a General who, by the nobility of his race and the frankness of his character, seemed another Nedjef-qhan: two qualifications in which he was superior to all the Commanders of the army, and especially to the two persons just mentioned. There were several other officers of character in that army, most of them being those that had served with honor under Shudjah-ed-dowlah, and had fled from his son’s capital or from his camp; for instance, the two Ghossains, who had under their commands a body of six or seven thousand Fakyrs, as brave as themselves. Morteza-qhan, son to Mustepha-qhan, that famous General who had cut so great a figure in Bengal, served also in Nedjef-qhan’s army at the head of five thousand men; and one could see in that camp most of Ab8l-mans8r-qhan’s descendants, all men of distinction, who tired with the inattention and vile behaviour of Assef-ed-dowlah, had fled from that court, and taken shelter in Nedjef-qhan’s army, where they were promoted to commands, every one according to his merit and abilities. To insure the payment of all these numerous troops, Nedjef-qhan divided his dominions and conquests into so many parts, the revenues of which were assigned to each Commander’s management. With such an army, Nedjef-qhan was always in motion, constantly busy in making conquests upon Radja Dehi-sing-sevai, and Radja Dehi­radj-sevai, on one hand; and on the other, upon the Radjp8t Princes of Kedjvaha. He beat these Princes in several engage­ments, and made himself dreaded far and near, about the out­skirts of the provinces of Shah-djehan-abad and Acber-abad. But although he was so successful in the field, he had enemies at Court; and these were Abd8l-ahed-qhan the Cashmirian, Prime Minister, and all the Grandees of that dastardly Court, who were all timorous and all cowardly, but who possessed so far the Emperor’s ear, that he did just as they bid. All these, unable to bear Nedjef-qhan’s influence and prosperity, were exciting Zabeta-qhan to a revolt. It was the same Zabeta-qhan, who after the death of Hafyz-rahmet and the ruin of his nation, had become the head of it, the Rohillahs and Afghans flocking to him from all parts, impressed with a sense of respect for his illustrious pedigree, and a warm admiration for his personal character. He is the same man who had been requested from Shudjah-ed-dowlah by Nedjef-qhan, and the same who had owed the highest obligations to that conqueror’s partiality and patron­age; but there was too much of the Afghan in him, not to set all those ties at nought on the most distant prospect. In a moment he forgot how highly he was indebted to Nedjef-qhan; Is abandoned by Zabeta-qhan and his Afghans. and listening only to the suggestions of Abd8l-ahed-qhan and his confederates, all men as cowardly and as envious as that Minister, he parted from his friend and benefactor, and marched off at the head of his national troops, which were considerable.

Nedjef-qhan, amazed at his defection, thought his honor concerned in punishing it immediately. The two armies met. A bloody battle ensued, in which the two parties fought with the utmost bravery; and numbers of brave men fell on both sides, after exhibiting feats of valor and prowess. At last the zephyr of Divine assistance blowing directly over Nedjef-qhan’s standards, unfurled their folds, and stretched them open on the gale of victory. A vast number of Rohillas were put to the sword, with very small loss to the victorious; and Zabeta-qhan with the remains of his troops, which even now did not amount to less than thirty thousand men, fled to Ghöus-gur, and shut himself up in that fortress. From thence he wrote to the Principal rulers amongst the Sycs to request their assistance. He even concluded a treaty with them, by which he subscribed to such articles, and entered into such close connections with those people, that a report spread everywhere, as if he had forsaken the Musulmanism*, and made himself a member of their com­munity. Whilst he was connecting himself by such odious ties with these people, Nedjef-qhan was advancing upon him. That General, after giving some repose to his victorious troops, besieged him in Ghöus-gur. The Rohillas had fortified an intrenched camp under the walls of the fortress; and now sure of a retreat, Beats Zabeta-qhan, and besieges him. they for a whole month together kept Nedjef-qhan at bay, sally­ing out every day to skirmish, and even coming several times to a general engagement. It is true that they were always beaten, but as true that they always made good their retreat within their intrenchments. By this time, however, their numbers were so thinned, that Zebeta-qhan thought proper to submit, and to propose terms. He received some officers for hostages, and went to visit Nedjef-qhan; but the latter having declined the pro­posals he had brought, the other asked leave to return, which being granted immediately, he returned to his camp. There he assembled his own Commanders as well as those of the Sycs that had just come to his assistance, and he informed them of his being resolved to perish rather than to submit. This declara­tion having been received with applause, and with promises of standing by him with their lives, the next morning, he came out of his camp, preceded by his artillery and a body of men armed with such rockets and such other missiles as remained to him. Nedjef-qhan, on his side, glad to see them coming to a fair engagement, arranged his troops, and taking a body to which he trusted, he pushed before the rest, and charged the enemy, him­self the foremost. This appearance intimidated the Rohillahs, who being valorously charged everywhere, lost their wonted courage and were mowed down by thousands; insomuch that this battle became similar to that famous one at Panip8t, where the Abdalies put an end to the Marhatta power, and destroyed their numerous army. Nedjef-qhan’s soldiers, as much incensed as their master at the perfidy and ingratitude of the Afghans, followed them everywhere, resolved to make an end Gives him a bloody defeat. of the enemy. The engagement lasted, without interruption, the whole of that day. Nedjef-qhan killed several men with his own hand, and seemed to contend for the palm of personal prowess with his most forward Commanders. This day having put an end to the power of Zabeta-qhan, as well as to the courage of his new allies, the latter retired to their homes; and Zabeta-qhan took shelter in the fortress, with all those who had escaped by favour of the darkness. The next morning he sent to camp an humble message, in which he supplicated Nedjef-qhan’s forgiveness; the latter granted it, but would treat no more, and commanded his attendance. Zabeta-qhan, having no And grants him a pardon. other party left, put on an humble dress, and presenting himself before Nedjef-qhan in a supplicating posture, he obtained his pardon. Sending then for his people from the fortress, and for his family, he lived a long time in the conqueror’s army, entirely unnoticed. In the sequel, he found means to betroth one of his daughters to Nedjef-c8ly-qhan, who had become Nedjef-qhan’s adoptive son, and acted as his Lieut.-General; and this alliance having facilitated another, he likewise engaged Nedjef-qhan him­self to accept his sister, by which means he came into favour again, and was complimented with the Fodjdary of Soharren-p8r-b8ria.

All this while Abd8l-ahed-qhan was so far master of the Emperor’s heart and mind, that he governed the household and the Court with a single nod of his head; but his main business seemed to be to demolish Nedjef-qhan’s power and influence. Abd8l-ahed-qhan’s jealousy and schemes against Nedjef-qhan’s growing power. He was perpetually upon the watch to hurt him, like a serpent rolled upon itself; but the late victory entirely damped his ardour. As soon as he heard of this total defeat of Zabeta-qhan, a man on whose pride and prowess, as well as that of his national troops, he had so much relied for humbling Nedjef-qhan to dust, he concluded that it was preposterous in him to contend any more with so successful a rival. But, as at the same time this defeat of the Rohillahs had also greatly weakened the Sycs, their new allies, he resolved to avail himself of this event; and he concluded that the best party he could take would be to put himself, with the young Shahzadah, at the head of an army, with which he might, by marching up to Ser-hend, subdue a power that seemed to be already in distress; for he reckoned that after having brought them to terms of submission, he might join their forces to his victorious troops, and then fall at once upon his odious rival. This design having been approved by Shah-aalem, that Prince ordered his elder son, Djuvan-baqht, and his younger son, Ecber-shah, to join the Minister; and the latter was already encamped in the outskirts of the city, when he published, “That whoever was a soldier, would find service in his camp, and ought to come to his standard.” The city being full of military men, who breathed nothing but war, his camp was soon filled with a mighty army; and as soon as it was known that there was a perfect concert between the Emperor and him, several Commanders who resided in the country, and some others who had a character, but were accustomed to live by war, He designs to attack and subdue the Sycs. came from far and near, and joined his troops; so that the encamped army received daily additions. The Emperor, at the same time, having laid his commands on Nedjef-qhan, the latter sent a body of his own troops to join the Imperial Prince; and by such a step, he gave the expedition an air of concert which in reality it had not. The Minister having by these means furnished himself with feathers and wings, pushed forwards; and in emulation of Nedjef-qhan’s boldness he advanced beyond Serhend, where, instead of seeking the enemy, he com­menced a negotiation with the principal of the Syc rulers; he made a muster of his power, and exhorted him to a timely submission, but all this while he had not minded the poet’s advice:

“A wooden sword, engaging like one of steel,

Is not likely to support the comparison.”