I now return to my story. Nawab Jafar Khān was seeking an opportunity to avenge himself on Darab Narain Qanungo, who, during the Nawab’s incumbency of the office of Dīwān, had declined to sign the accounts. Inasmuch as the office of Qanungo corresponded to the office of Registrar of the Con­quered dominions, and the Dīwān’s Statements of Account and Revenue-roll without the Qanungo’s signature were not accepted by the Central Imperial Diwān, the Nawab sought for an opportunity to tarnish Darab Narain’s reputation, by doubling the sphere of Darab Narain’s authority over the affairs of adminis­tration. With this object in view, the Nawab entrusted to him control over the affairs of the Khalṣah (crown lands). And when Dīwān Bhupat Rai, who had come with the Nawab from the Imperial Camp, died, and his son, Gulab Rai, could not satis­factorily discharge the duties of the office of Dīwān, the office of Peshkar of the Khalṣah was also bestowed on Darab Narain. And leaving to his control the Assessment and Collection of the revenue and other Financial and Internal affairs, the Nawab made him supreme. Although the abovementioned Qanungo by minute attention to details raised the Revenue of the Khalṣah (crown lands) to one kror and fifty lakhs, made Revenue Collec­tions, and under every Head of Income shewed considerable increase, and presented a Budget with a larger Surplus of Imperial Revenue than before, still the Nawab, gradually wresting authority from him, imprisoned him together with the Statements of Accounts and Estate-ledgers, and employing various tortures killed him. And he allotted ten annas of the Qanungo-ship to Dārāb Narain’s son, Sheo Narain, and six annas thereof to Jai Narain, who at the period of the Nawab’s Dīwāni, when the Nawab was setting out for the Imperial Camp, had shewn good-will, and had signed the Nawab’s Statements of Accounts. And dismissing Ziau-d-din Khān, Faujdar of Hughli,* he with the Emperor’s sanc­tion brought the Faujdari of that Port under his immediate authority as an appendage to the Nizamat, and appointed Wali Beg on his own authority as Faujdar of that place. The above­mentioned Khān, on the arrival of Wali Beg, relinquishing the fort, came out of the town to set out for the Imperial Capital. Wali Beg summoned to himself Kankar Sen Bengali, who was Peshkar of the dismissed Faujdar, for submission of papers relating to receipts of revenue and the office-records, together with the clerks and subordinate officers of the office of Faujdar. Ziau-d-din Khān turned to Kanker Sen’s assistance; and thereon Wali Beg opposed the Khān’s march. In consequence, between Ziau-d-din Khān and Wali Beg a quarrel ensued. The above­mentioned Khān with his army, on the field of Chandanagar (Chandenagore) between Chinsurah and French Chandanagar, with the help of the Christian Dutch and French, constructed redoubts, and prepared to fight. Wali Beg also on the field of the ‘Idgāh,* on the bank of the tank of Debī Dās, to a distance of one and a half kroh, drew up his forces, con­structed entrenchments, and transmitted an account of the state of affairs to Nawab Jāfar Khān. And both the quondam and the new Faujdars were busy fighting from behind their respective entrenchments, and reviewing their forces. Mulla Jarsam Jūranī, Deputy of Ziau-d-dīn Khān, and Kankar Sen, secretly obtaining help of guns, gunpowder, and armaments from the Dutch and French, advanced to the battle-field, and assumed the offensive. Wali Beg, waiting for auxiliaries, assumed the defensive. At this juncture, Dalīp Singh Hazari with a force of cavalry and infantry came from Nawab Jāfar Khān to the assistance of Wali Beg, and also brought a mandate containing threats addressed to the Christians. Ziau-d-din Khān, on the advice of the Christians, opened negotiations of peace with Dalīp Singh, and put him off his guard. Early in the morning, sending by way of a ruse a false message to Dalīp Singh through an agent, Ziau-d-din Khān instructed the latter to hand the message to Dalīp Singh and to get back the reply, and placing one red shawl for recognition on the head of the agent despatched the latter on his errand. And an English gunner whose aim was unerring directed a large bronze* gun (the range whereof extended over one and a half kroh) towards Dalīp Singh’s camp, and by means of a telescope kept in view the agent’s shawl. Arriving at a time when Dalīp Singh was bareheaded and barebodied and was engaged in rubbing oil in order to bathe, the agent handed the message to Dalīp Singh. Then the gunner directing his aim at the shawl fired his gun, and the cannon-ball hit Dalīp Singh on the chest and scattered his body to the air. Praise is due to that unerring magician, for no harm ensued to the agent. Ziau-d-din Khān rewarding the gunner attacked the enemy’s entrenchment.