On observing this, Mir-djaafer-qhan advanced upon them, with Mir-cazem-qhan, and Umer-qhan, and all his cavalry; and falling sword in hand upon our dispersed men, they drove them everywhere before them, without the latter having been able to make a junction of their small numbers, or to be joined by us. In this manner many of our brave Commanders, overpowered by numbers, fell uselessly to themselves and to us. Abdol-rashid and Mahmed-sáyd-qhan, after performing feats of valour, drank manfully the bitter cup of death, as did Mir-so8ltan-qhalil himself. Aaly-naky-qhan and Habib-beg, who had lost their horses, and fought on foot, were severely wounded; and being taken prison­ers, they were conserved alive, as being known to Mir-djaafer-qhan and to Dost-mahmed-qhan. Sheh-mahmed-yar-qhan find­ing himself left alone, performed what could be expected from so brave a man; and he retreated safe, carrying with him Car-guzar-qhan, who had heroically exerted himself, and had received several dangerous wounds. Shiam-sunder fled also, but much wounded. The Commanders of the enemy’s, having so easily defeated this advanced moiety of our army, formed again, and advanced in order, against those they saw about Sháocat-djung’s person. On sight of this, Mir-merdan-aaly, who commanded his body-guards, and Miten-laal, who commanded the foot-guards, turned about, with Mirza-ramzani, brother to the Prince, and, without waiting for the enemy, they fled full speed. Séif-eddin-mahmed-qhan, who had succeeded Lally, fled also, after receiv­ing several wounds; none of his musqueteers would stand by him. Sháocat-djung, now left alone with only fourteen men, one of whom was myself, was totally out of his senses, when a musquet-ball lodging into his forehead, made him return his soul Sháocat-djung defeated and slain. to its Maker. His serpitch and yellow turbant fell on the ground, and were taken up by some body. Finding now that all was over, I went away, with the very few that remained; and then we dispersed, each going to his home. Mir-morteza, who bore the surname of Emir-qhani, for having served under the famous Emir-qhan, and was now one of the favourites of Mir-djaafer-qhan’s, having spurred his horse towards the elephant that carried Sháocat-djung’s body, ran a small lance (one of those iron ones called Barchys) with so much force, that it ran from behind into Mirza-rostem-aaly’s shoulder, (who sat in the qhavvas)*, and came out on the opposite side, close to the neck. He at the same time called out: Surrender, and let me have those arms of yours. The man to whom he spoke was a brave officer, of much personal merit, and much zeal in the sect of the Imamites, of which he was an intrepid assertor. Roused by the wound, he drew his sabre, and turning to the spear-man, “And who art thou, said he, that darest to ask my arms, whilst I am alive? Dost thou believe that I wear them to surrender them to such a fellow as thee, that has wounded me from behind? Come near, and I will give thee the arms; draw but near, if thou darest.” Mir-morteza would not go nearer; and the elephant continued his route. The evening coming on, put an end to the contest; but nobody pursued, and every one on both sides retired to his home, without any hindrance from the peasants of P8raniah, who were not courageous enough to come down in numbers, and to plunder the living, or strip the dead, as they do in Hindostan. As to us, my brother and I, who were objects of resentment to both sides, our case was more embarrassing. Sháocat-djung had been heard to say, that as soon as he should have gained the victory, he would make an example of those two men, who were more refractory than all the others put together, and whom so many had taken up for their patterns; and Seradj-ed-döulah, on his side, used to say, “That Sháocat-djung was a negative, passive youth, pushed on by these two men, who were his advisers, and the authors of all the troubles; and that after the victory he would take care to punish them both as they deserved.” Once he wrote us a letter, to invite us over to his army, under promises of promoting us to the utmost of our wishes, should we quit Sháocat-djung’s service. But we did not write him an answer, lest we should expose ourselves to a variety of reports. We contented ourselves with giving the messenger this verbal answer: “Tell your master, that should we now go over to his service, at such a time as this, what confidence could he repose in us? It seems that the victorious remembered of this answer; for two or three days after the battle, he, of his own motion, ordered both Naky-aaly-qhan, and Habib-beg, his prisoners, to be put each in a chopalah, or chair, and carried beyond the Kurrum-nassa, with a sufficient sum of money to bear their charges. He at the same time, sent Radja Mohon-lal to take possession of the treasures and effects of Sháocat-djung’s, and ordered Mir-cazem-qhan to attend on him with his corps. As this officer was son-in-law to my maternal aunt, he took the liberty to represent to that Prince that “Gho8lam-hussëin-qhan, if alive, must be at P8raniah, with his consort, children, and family, as well as his brother, Naky-aaly-qhan’s family; and that he hoped from his goodness that no ill usage should be offered to either, as it might affect his slave’s honour, or cast a slur on his sentiments of attachment to that family. May it please your Highness (added he) to give your Princely orders to the Maha-radja accordingly.” By a particular good luck, it happened that this Minister was himself present; and the Prince turning to him, said these very words: “Radja Mohon-lal, you must not think that Gho8lam-hussëin-qhan’s mother is only related to the brave Mir-cazem-qhan. She is my own aunt, and I profess a high regard for her. Take care that no injury is offered them. Furnish them with money and with a pass, that they depart with safety and decency; and that they may repair whithersoever they may have a mind to.”

Distressful situation of the Author’s.

This order was the more opportune for us, as from the field of battle, I had repaired directly to my house in P8raniah, where I knew that my mother, overcome by her fears and anxiety, was beside herself. I endeavoured to console and comfort her; but she observed, that we must now seek out for some corner, and live in it in retirement, until we might see what would be the end of all these troubles. I listened to the advice, and taking my consort, and a small number of attendants, I retired into a corner, where I remained concealed, and from thence I wrote to Mir-cazem-qhan (may God’s forgiveness be upon that good man). On receiving my note, he answered it directly, and accompanied it by some troopers of his own, who had orders to protect my lodgings. Himself set out on the third day after the battle, and came to P8raniah in company with Radja Mohon-lal, where he took up his abode in my lodgings, and from whence he spared the pains in saving my property, and in protecting my person; exerting himself in the handsomest and noblest manner. Mohon-lal, it is true, sent for the elephants and some of the serpitches that had been presented me by Sháocat-djung, but laid his hands upon nothing else. Some persons, like Mir-maaly-qhan, and Aga-mir, with some others, were confined, by the Prince’s order; but no opposition was made to my sending by land part of my baggage, and by water all my furniture, and every thing belonging to me; after which I set out myself for Azim-abad. When arrived there, some Mussulmen, our acquaintances, took care to have us refused the liberty of coming into the city; and we therefore took up our abode in Shah-erzan’s cell and habitation, an old acquaintance of mine, who prevented us from going farther. This, however, was doubtless in hopes of our being overtaken by some subsequent order, that would not please us, but would afford him much pleasure. Praise be to God, that his expectation was disappointed, and that the order he so much wished did not arrive at all. Luckily for us, that Ram-naráin, the Governor of the province, who had been to visit his Badjinat*, chanced now to return to Azim-abad, where he had the good­ness to urge our deparfure; and unwillng to give us an escort himself, he gave us a pass, but directed Phaluvan-sing and his brother to afford us the escort. Meanwhile I fell sick in that cell of Shah-erzan’s, and was very ill; but none of our numerous friends and acquaintances in the city thought proper to pay us a visit or to see how we did. Out of such a number of acquaintances, only three persons thought proper to remember us. The first was Doctor Gho8lam-aaly-qhan, a Physician (whom God may lodge in a corner of his mercy!); he came to see me, just as he had done in our days of prosperity, and afforded me his visits as a friend, and his care and medicines, as a Physician. The second was the Lady Misri-begum*; she was a relation of Mirza-darab’s, daughter of Mir-séyed-mahmed the Ispanian, and a consort to Mir-háider-aaly the forgiven. May God Almighty preserve that worthy lady in health and prosperity, and may He vouchsafe to render her happy in the next world! With a motherly tenderness, and the most sedulous solicitude, she was day and night with us; and she accompanied us in our journey, as far as Muhyb-aaly-p8r; so that it required our joint efforts, and our entreaties, to make her return; else, her intention was to accompany us as far as the Kuremnassa, which was the last boundary of Seradj-ed-döulah’s dominions. We live now at a distance from her; but even at such a distance this chaste, pious, and worthy lady exerts for this Poor Man all the solicitude of the tenderest mother. The third person who remembered us, was the late Sheh-nasr-ollah, son to Ynáyét-yahhia-qhan, heretofore steward to my forgiven father, and in the sequel, to Zin-eddin-ahmed-qhan, Governor of Azim-abad (on whom may God’s mercy rest for ever!). He was then a young man, and had been so lucky, as to have obtained, through the pious and worthy Shah-mahmed-aaly-hezin’s intercession, the post of steward to the Nizamut of Azim-abad. This young man, under pretence of visiting Shah-erzan’s monument, came several times to see me; nor did he miss any means in his power to procure us a safe retreat out of Seradj-ed-döulah’s dominions. God be thanked for it. By a particular disposition of his infinite goodness, we travelled in safety throughout that hostile country, which was before us; and I arrived in health, with all my family and effects, at the city of Banaress; where I had the happiness to kiss the feet of that venerable, pious man, His Highness Sheh-mahmed-hezin, and the honour of paying my respects to my maternal uncle, Séyd-abdol-aaly-qhan, the Valiant in Battles, who was then out of employ­ment, and lived in that city in the utmost distress. As an addition to my good luck, I met in the city my younger brother, Naky-aaly-qhan, who had been so fortunate as to get safe out of the hands of such a tyrant as Seradj-ed-döulah. I also met there my two other brothers, who had been already banished some time ago from Azim-abad, by order of that Prince. Thanks are due to God Almighty, for these benefits, and for the many such benefits, which I have received besides in the course of my life; thanks and glory be to His goodness, for every one of them! Mohon-lal employed the few days he remained at P8raniah in assembling and sending to M8rsh8d-abad the treasures and effects of Sáyd-ahmed-qhan, as well as his women, and children, which latter were kinsmen and relations of Seradj-ed-döulah’s. To these he added Sipahdar-djung, son to Séif-qhan, who was also sent with the utmost regard and honour to M8rsh8d-abad. This nobleman had espoused one of Sáyd-ahmed-qhan’s daughters, a Princess that died when her father was engaged in the expedi­tion against Mahmed-djelil, the Zeminder of Cagra. Mohon-lal also took care to resume the many extravagant gifts which Sháocat-djung had at times bestowed; and after establishing order in the country, so as to arrange every matter of Govern­ment, and finance, he appointed a person to act as his deputy, and repaired to his master, who took care to assign suitable pensions to every one of his cousins. He carried them to his capital, where he took up his abode in a new palace of his, called Mans8r-gunj, and lived in all the pride of victory and prosperity.