Seradj-ed-döulah finding himself left alone for a whole day in his palace, without a single friend to unbosom his mind with, and without a single companion, to speak to, took a desperate resolution.—In the dead of the night he put Lutf-en-nessa, his consort, and a number of favourites into covered coaches and covered chairs, loaded them with as much gold, and as many as jewels as they could contain, and taking with him a number of elephants with his best baggage and furniture, he quitted his palace about three in the morning, and fled; it was the seventh of Shevval. By one of those fatalities so conspicuous in the fate of persons of high stations, and which proceeded from his own ignorance of the world, and the unsteadiness of his temper, instead of taking to the left hand, and going to Radj-mahl, as he had determined at first, he struck to the right, and went to Bag­vangolah, where he immediately embarked on a number of boats which are at all times kept ready in that station. But if instead of taking that fatal resolution, he had continued his journey by land, as it had been his intention, and had sent notice to some Commanders of his, who had not yet joined the malcontents, it is past doubt that numbers of them would have followed him, through personal attachment, and many more by a principle of avarice and ambition; in a few hours’ time he would have been joined by some thousands; and people seeing him so well accompanied, would have not dared to oppose his journey. It is even probable that his retinue would have swelled at every stage, and that he would have found himself at last at the head of a respectable force. But what man has had it in his power to withstand his own destiny; and how is it possible to parry the decrees of an impending fate? Seradj-ed-döulah, now in his boats, was advancing on his way to Azim-abad; for on the first motions of the English from Calcutta he had wrote a pressing letter to M8shur Lass to recommend his coming down immediately, without losing a moment. Unfortunately, instead of a bill of exchange, he had sent him an order upon the treasury of the province of Azim-abad; and as slowness of motion seems to be of etiquette with the people of Hindostan, the disbursing of this money took up so much time, that when Lass was come down, as far as Radj-mahal he found that all was over, and that Seradj-ed-dülah was no more; his person having already been seized by Mir-djaafer-qhan’s people, who had completed their revenge upon him. M8shur Lass being arrived at Radj-mahal, soon heard of the catastrophe, and he returned to Azim-abad. He was hotly pursued by Major Coote, who is now come with the title of General from Europe, and was then only a Major with Colonel Clive; his orders were to pursue vigorously, and in case of need, to fight. In fact he pursued incessantly; but Lass, having gained a day’s march upon him, continued retreating until he was beyond Bacsar, and beyond the Keremnassa; that is, until he had been chased beyond the last limits of Seradj-ed-döulah’s dominions; after which the Major returned to his Commander.

Mir-djaafer-qhan, finding that by Seradj-ed-dülah’s flight, the wind was blowing in his favour, tarried one day at Palassy, where he had an interview with Colonel Clive, and with the English Rulers. There he renewed his engagements and promises to them, took their troops in his service, and then marched with them to M8rsh8d-abad. Upon his march he was informed of Seradj-ed-dülah’s flight, of the general desertion amongst his Commanders and troops; and of their being unanimously on his side, together with the principal men of the city.* On this intelligence he, on the morning of the next day, made his entry in the city, and took up his quarters in Seradj-ed-döulah’s palace of Mans8r-gundj, whence he got himself proclaimed all over the Mir-djaafer-qhan pro­claimed all over the city of M8rsh8d-abad. city. On this report both the traitors, his associates, and those that sought only their own repose under an appearance of neu­trality, hastened to offer their congratulations, and to present their homages; and even those few who still stuck to Seradj-ed-döulah in their hearts, and were not pleased with the revolution, found themselves obliged to join the throng, for fear of being pointed at with the finger, and of becoming objects of chastise­ment and oppression. Mir-djaafer-qhan, in the full possession of Sovereign power, beat loud the drum of dominion and command; and in conjunction with Radja D8l8b-ram, whom he made his first Minister, and the centre of all transactions, he applied himself to the business of quieting the minds of the people; but his first care was to take possession of Seradj-ed-döulah’s treasures,* and to divide them with the English, according to the terms of the agreement concluded in his name, by Radja D8l8b-ram. But as he was very much smitten with the charms of the title of Mehabet-djung, which had been borne by Aaly-verdy-qhan, he ordered a new seal to be engraven for himself, where he assumed the style and titles of Shudjah-el-mulk, Hyssam-ed-döulah, Mir-djaafer-aaly-qhan-bahadyr, Mehabet-djung; that is, the high and valiant Lord Mir-djaafer-qhan, who is the Valorous of the State, the Sword of the Empire, and the Formidable in War, and the Majestic in Battles. At the same time he bestowed on his son the title of Shahamet-djung, or Valorous in War, which had been borne by the late Nevazish-mahammed-qhan; and that of Háibet-djung on his own brother, Mir-mahmed-cazem-qhan, that being the title that had once been borne by the illustrious Zin-eddin-ahmed-qhan. He likewise sent circular letters of confirmation to all the men in office throughout the three provinces, that had now become his kingdom. But this was only after he had already dispatched Mir-mahmed-cassem-qhan, his son-in-law, with a force to intercept Seradj-ed-döulah. Pressing letters were likewise sent to his brother, Mir-dá8d, who was at Radj-mahal, with injunctions to spare nothing in laying hold of his person.

This unfortunate Prince, already overtaken by the claws of destiny, was arrived at the shore opposite to Radj-mahl where he landed for about one hour, with intention only to dress up some kichri* for himself and for his daughter, as well as for his women, not one of whom had tasted food for three days and nights. It happened that a Fakir resided in that neighbourhood. This man, whom probably he had either disobliged or oppressed in the days of his full power, rejoiced at this fair opportunity of glutting his resentment, and of enjoying a revenge. He expressed a pleasure at his arrival; and taking a busy part in prepar­ing some victuals for him, he meanwhile sent an express over the water, to give information to the Prince’s enemies, who were actually rummaging heaven and earth, to find him out. Imme­diately on this advice of Shah-dana’s (for such was that man’s name), Mir-cassem and Mir-dá8d crossed the water, and having got him surrounded with their armed men, they had the pleasure of becoming masters of his person, as well as of his family and jewels.

Verses:

“Be this my advice to thee, if thou wilt but hear me;

If thou hast planted thorns, thou canst not expect to reap jonquils.”

Seradj-ed-döulah, sensible that the day of retribution and retaliation had overtaken him, descended to the lowest supplica­tions; but they only served to render him an object of taunt and reproach to a set of men, to whom, but a few days before, he might have disdained to speak; every one of them he intreated to obtain a pension for him, and a corner of ground, where he might live forgotten; but no one heard him. Every one was only intent on the opportunity now before him. Mir-cassem-qhan, who had got L8tf-en-nessa in his power, engaged her, partly by threats, and partly by promises, to disclose where was her casket of jewels; and this casket, the value of which could not be computed but by lacs, fell in his hands of course. Mir-dá8d, on this example, laid his hands upon the other ladies, and seized whatever he could come at; so that the people with them, on seeing how matters went, made haste to seize whatever was of their conveniency.

Whilst this scene was acting at Radj-mahl, Mohon-lal, that Prime Minister, whom his master had raised so high that he touched the firmament with his forehead, but who had thereby acquired and hoarded up an immense capital in hatred and envy; Mohon-lal, I say, was seized at M8rsh8d-abad, and delivered to Radja D8l8b-ram’s custody, who was a Hindoo like himself, and whom the new Prince wished to oblige by such a surrender. The other very probably took possession of all his prisoner’s wealth, as well as person; and it is very probable that in the dispute occasioned by this immense property, the man’s life was made away with.* Such was the Minister’s fate. We are going to see that of his master’s.