After having detained the reader’s attention with these unimportant events, it is time to introduce to his knowledge a Origin and history of Rohillah, the founder of a colony of Afghans. man who has founded a Sovereignty very near the Capital of the Empire. This man is Aaly-mahmed-qhan-Rohillah. We have already mentioned several times in the former volumes the name of that extraordinary man, especially as having been so instru­mental in Séif-qhan’s ruin and death. This man, originally a son of a Gentoo Ahir*, and adopted by an Afghan of no higher pedigree than himself, had a fund of bravery and capacity, which rendered him worthy of command. He availed himself of the neglect and supineness so conspicuous in the Vezir Camer-eddin-qhan’s character, to carry his point, and to establish his power firmly in his new dominions on the other side of the Ganga, which he peopled with a multitude of Afghans that flocked to him from all parts, and henceforward took his name. The means by which he raised himself to the pinnacle of fortune, are so extraordinary and so sudden, that it becomes necessary to give here a succinct account of them. He was at first a Commander of a small body of Afghan Cavalry, with which, having taken service with the two Governors of the province of Moorad-abad, he behaved on all occasions so well, and rendered so many services, that he became a favourite with them both, and acquired a character highly esteemed all over the country. This country, which was the Djaghir of the Vezir Camer-eddin-qhan, had been for a length of time governed by two Noblemen much in favour with that Minister, namely, Osmet-ollah-qhan, and Ferid-eddin-qhan, who took a particular liking to Aaly-mahmed-Rohillah. The latter had already acquired a high character for prowess and military conduct, by assisting so timely Azim-ollah-qhan, in his engagement against Séif-qhan; and as Azim-ollah-qhan was so nearly related to the Vezir, that officer, by his means, became known to that Minister, who got him decorated with a title, and with a military grade. He procured him likewise the grant of some lands from the Emperor, and gave him from him­self the command over some Districts of his Djaghir of Moorad-abad. The man no sooner saw himself in some force and power, than availing himself of the Vezir’s inattention, and of the effeminacy of the neighbouring Djaghir-holders, he found means to seize their lands, by way of taking a lease of them; and meanwhile Death having snatched Osmet-ollah-qhan and Ferid-eddin qhan, those two brave Governors, who had done so much honour to their age, Aaly-mahmed-qhan, who now passed for an Afghan to all intents and purposes, availed him­self of that opportunity to engage in his service a number of Afghan Officers and Commanders, who resolved to share his good fortune. Those men whom the severities of Nadir-shah had driven from their homes, and who were floating at random upon the Ocean of incertitude and despair, were glad to hear of a place of refuge and shelter, and they resorted in shoals to a man who had already acquired so much renown under the name of Rohillah, which was that of one of their clans. The man no sooner saw himself so strongly supported, than he cast a piercing eye upon the state of things in Hindostan. The weakness of the Empire, the effeminacy of its Generals and Grandees, who all aspired to independence, and the inattention of the first Minister, who, wholly engrossed by his pleasures as well as by Court intrigues, spent his time in intemperance and in the company of the hand­somest youths he could procure from all parts of the Empire—all these vices of administraton—could not escape the sight of so keen a man. He availed himself of so many favourable circumstances to build his own grandeur; and after having remained a long time crouching, he raised his head at once, and setting up for himself, he became refractory, and neglected sending the usual remittances to the Treasury. The Vezir, roused from his lethargy by so bold a step, sent for Radja Harnund, a Röudja by clan, and hav­ing furnished him from his own stores with a sum of money, a train of artillery, and a quantity of rockets, he gave him the Gov­ernment of Moorad-abad, and the neighbouring countries, with orders to raise as many troops as he might think necessary, for subduing Rohillah, and with him all the refractory Zemindars of those parts. The Radja, having raised an army, marched with his troops and artillery to Moorad-abad; and, proud of his power and forces, he commenced issuing orders, and exacting submis­sion. Rohillah, like a shrewd Politician, kept an attentive eye upon him, and meanwhile he was sending respectful messages, by which he excused the imprudence of his conduct, and requested for the future some abatement in the high rents which had been heretofore expected from him. The Radja, elated with his dig­nity and the Vezir’s support, would not hear of any abatement; he required an unconditional submission, and was intent only on picking up some quarrel with him, and tearing him by the roots. The man, seeing himself thus pressed hard, turned his eyes towards his Afghans, and having assembled the principal men amongst them, he made an exposition of the state of things, and asked them, what was their opinion, and what they intended to do. The Afghans, a race naturally brave and determined, who breathed nothing but conquests and new establishments, seeing the Radja bent on their destruction, advised Rohillah to stand Rohillah revolts. upon his defence, and requested him to reckon upon their hearty assistance, and support. The man, satisfied to see them so resolute and unanimous, assembled them secretly in several bodies, and on an appointed day, he joined them himself, and effected a general junction; after which he marched against Harnund. The latter sensible now, that matters had grown serious, was already in readiness, and he advanced with intention to fight; nor were the two armies at a great distance, when the Hindoos, who not only are careful observers of the meteors and phenomena of the air, as well as of the motions of celestial bodies, but who trust so far to the conclusions they draw from them, as to think that they concern their happiness in this world as well as in the other; the Brahmans, I say, who abounded in the Radja’s army, where they bore a sway, opposed themselves to his moving farther, and requested his wait­ing for the favourable moment. This request engaged him to raise an intrenchment round his encampment, which he lined with his artillery, in expectation that with soothing messages, and protracted negotiations, he would keep the Afghans at bay, until the favourable day should come. Rohilla fully informed of all this, as the two armies were so near, suffered himself to be apparently amused, and having spread a report that in the evening he would pay his respects to the Radja, he fell that very night upon his camp, and threw every thing in confusion. It is observable, that intelligence being brought the Radja that the Afghans were approaching in an hostile manner, the man who was then consulting his idols, answered, that this was not a fighting day for them, and went on with his devotions. Meanwhile the Afghans entered the intrenchment, and commenced killing and sacking and plundering every thing in their way. In this confusion Motiram, a Hindoo Commander, mounted his horse with a few of his men, and opposed the enemy; but he was cut down with his followers, and he hastened Surprises Harnund in his camp. with them into the regions of eternity. Harnund, all this while, was still in his oratory, and occupied at his devotions with which he went on; and without attempting to get up, or to interrupt his prayers, he suffered himself to be cut down by the astonished Afghans. Rohillah, having in this manner dispersed all that mul­titude in a little time, found his power established by a victory equally great and easy, and his force recruited by the addition of a treasure in money, and a great train of Artillery. But the Minister was not roused by such an important stroke. Like a man lost to all sense of honour, he was not ashamed to commence a negotiation with the rebels, and he chose for that purpose his favourite wife, Sholah-poori*, and his youngest son, Muaien-ed-döwlah, better known under the name of Mir-mannoo. Aaly-mahmed-qhan, hearing of her errand, and knowing that she was already crossing the Ganga in her boat, got himfelf into some boats that were at hand, and with a few friends only he crossed over, and paid the Begum and her son his respects and duty. After the first compliments, the dispute about rents and tribute was between them dispatched in a few moments. It is even said, that they concluded a match between the young Lord, and Rohillah’s daughter, but we have never heard since that day, that the ceremony of marriage had been performed between the young people. Be it as it will, from that period Aaly-mahmed-qhan rose to figure amongst the Princes of Hindostan, and having in a little time assembled an army of forty thousand, determined Afghans, he stretched his dominion from near to near, and established his authority in Moorad-abad, Berheily, Anöulah, Bedäon,, Bun-gar, Sambal, and Amröah, as well as in some other places. Henceforward he became so proud, as to make Rohillah becomes an independent Prince. no accunt of the Court, and matters remained in that state until the time when Abool-mansoor-qhan, becoming Grandmaster of the Emperor’s household, incensed that Monarch against the insolence of Rohillah, and engaged him to exert the Imperial power in chastising and crushing the Afghans.