In short, this sort of guerilla warfare lasted three years. Victories on both sides were mingled with defeats, and it was hard to decide which side eventually came off the best. Nawāb Mahābat Jang, following the saying that “war is made up of fraud,” diplo­matically established friendly relations with Alī Qarawāl, who was one of the Mahratta leaders that had embraced the Muḥammadan faith, and was surnamed Alī Bhāi. From considerations of expe­diency, Mahābat Jang invited him over. Receiving him kindly and courteously, using dissimulation and artfulness, and profess­ing friendship and benignity, he made him consent to arrange an interview between himself and Bhāskar Pandit with other Mah­ratta Generals. Heedless of the duplicity of the times, that simple­ton was taken in, and arrived at Dīknagar. He induced Bhāskar and other Mahratta Generals to meet Mahābat Jang, by conveying to them the assurances and avowals of Mahābat Jang with refer­ence to the settlement of the Chauth and the establishment of friendly relations. And these, in accordance with the saying;— “One perceiveth according to the length* of his sight,” placing the finger of acceptance on their blind eyes, summoned to their presence Rājah Jānakī Rām and Muṣtafā Khān for fixing the basis of a treaty, and for ratifying it by protestations and oaths. These going over to Bhāskar made vows and oaths, according to the forms of their respective religions and creeds. Muṣtafā Khān had with him, under a cover, a brick instead of the Qoran, and holding it he repeated oaths. Falling into the trap laid by Mahābat Jang, and reiterating the vows of peace, Alī Bhāi and Bhāskar with other Mahratta Generals promised to meet Mahābat Jang at a place called Mankarah,* and permitted Muṣtafā Khān and Rājah Jānakī Rām to return. These going to Mahābat Jang assured him of the suc­cess of their mission, and related the mutual promises and vows that had taken place. Expressing his satisfaction, Mahābat Jang ostensibly set about collecting valuable khillats and jewelleries, together with elephants, horses, and other rare and precious presents for presentation to the aforesaid Mahratta Generals. Announc­ing to the general public news of the approaching peace, Mahābat Jang covertly laid a plot of treachery, and took into confidence his own Generals towards its development. He picked out veteran and brave soldiers from his army, and caused long and wide tents, capable of holding large detachments with horses and elephants, to be pitched at Mankarah. Himself going into one of the tents, he arranged a grand party of friends and comrades. He secreted in battle-array inside the tents a battalion of picked men, and sent a message to Alī Bhāi to bring over Bhāskar with all the Mahratta Generals. In short, Bhāskar, leaving all his troops in camp, came to Alī Vardī’s tent, together with Alī Bhāi and twenty-one other Mahratta Generals. The tent-pitchers following the signal dropped down the screens of the pavilion, tied them strongly with tent-ropes, and cut off the ingress and egress of friends and foes. Mahābat Jang, at the very sight of Bhāskar, said to his comrades who were waiting for the signal: “Kill these heathen sinṅers.”* Instantly, swords sprang up from every side on the Mahrattas.

Bhāskar and twenty-one other Mahratta Generals were butchered. In the midst of this carnage, Mahābat Jang mounting an ele­phant ordered the music of victory to be struck up, and ordered his select battalion to charge the Mahratta army with their swords. On seeing this, one* of the Mahratta Generals, who was posted out­side the pavilion with ten thousand cavalry, fled together with his force. Mahābat Jang’s soldiers pouncing like fighting lions on this flock of sheep fiercely attacked the Mahratta troops, and slaughtered them, right and left, raising human shambles, and captured those who escaped the sword. On hearing of this disaster, other Mahratta detachments which were encamped at Bardwān and Diknagar,* &c., or patrolled the tracts between Mednīpūr and Akbarnagar (Rājmahal) fled to Nāgpūr.

When news of this disaster reached the ear of Raghojī Bhoslah,

After the rainy season was over, Raghojī Bhoslah* mobi­lised a large force, and marched towards Bengal, to avenge the slaughter of Bhāskar and other Mahratta Generals, and engaging on massacres, captures, and plunders, tortured many of his cap­tives. Alī Vardī Khān with a large army again advanced to encounter the enemy. At this juncture, Balājī Rāo,* son of Bājī Rāo Paṇḍit, Peshwā and generalissimo of Rājah Sāhū, who was young, and had enmity with Raghojī, under orders of Emperor Muḥammad Shāh, came from the Imperial Capital (Dihlī) to Ben­gal with sixty thousand Mahratta cavalry, to re-inforce Alī Vardī Khān. Mahābat Jang, finding floods of disaster approaching Bengal from two sides, shewed firmness and foresight. He deputed experienced envoys with presents to Balājī Rāo, won him over to his side by display of courtesy and sincerity, met him at Birbhūm, estab­lished friendly relations with him, and both unitedly resolved to drive out Raghojī Bhoslah. Raghojī finding it impracticable to accomplish the object of his mission withdrew to his own country, without gaining his end. Being somewhat relieved of his anxiety by the withdrawal of Raghojī Bhoslah, Mahābat Jang presented a large amount of cash to Balāji Rāo, and thus sent him out of Ben­gal in a contented and thankful mood, whilst he himself returned to Bengal. Being inwardly in anxiety as to the demand of Rag­hojī for Chauth, Mahābat Jang set about mobilising troops.

At this moment, a rupture occurred between Alī Vardī Khān and Muṣtafā Khān, the Afghān General, and it was so far accentuated that all the Afghāns combining with the latter, broke out into revolt, and set out with a large force for Azīmābād (Patna), in order to storm that City, and to capture Ḥājī Aḥmad and Zainu-d-dīn Aḥmad Khān. On reaching Mungīr (Monghyr), Muṣtafā Khān besieged the Fort of Monghyr. The Commandant of the Fort pre­pared to fight. Abdu-r-rasūl Khān,* a cousin of Muṣtafā Khān, advancing in the inebriation of the wine of valour and daring, wanted to storm the Fort, by battering down its gate. The guards of the Fort hurled down a huge stone on his head. From the blow of that heavy stone, his head was smashed to atoms. Muṣtafā Khān, viewing this disaster to be a bad omen, abandoned the siege of Monghyr, marched with celerity to Azīmābād, (Patna), engaged in besieging the latter City, and commenced fighting with Zainu-d-dīn Aḥmad Khān. Most of the detachments of Zainu-d-dīn Khān, not being able to stand their ground in the face of the onslaughts of the Afghāns, retreated to the citadel, but Zainu-d-dīn Khān himself with a small squadron of cavalry, artillery, and Bhalīah musketeers remained out in the open to encounter the enemy. At this moment, the Afghāns fell to plundering and pillaging the tents of Zainu-d-dīn’s troops who had retreated. Seeing Muṣtafā Khān now left with a small force, Zainu-d-dīn Aḥmad Khān formed a van-guard of artillerymen and Bhālīah musketeers, and commenced an assault.* The shells of guns and bullets of muskets now commenced showering like hail. Most of Muṣtafā Khān’s comrades tasted the bitter potion of death; whilst one bullet, hitting Muṣtafā Khān on the socket, blinded one of his eyes. Then Zainu-d-dīn’s other troops who had retreated to the citadel also rushed out, attacked the Afghans, and put them to the sword. Muṣtafā Khān on being defeated retreated to Jag­dīshpūr.* Becoming victorious and triumphant, Zainu-d-dīn Khān struck up the band of victory, made his State entry into the Fort, and next engaged on chasing the enemy. Muṣṭafā Khān now sent a message to Raghojī Bhoslah,* and asked for help. Raghojī, who was waiting for such an opportunity, was delighted, and prepared to despatch reinforcements. But Mahābat Jang, on being apprised of this news, swiftly marched to Azīmābād (Patna). The Bengal and Azīmābād (Patna) armies form­ing a junction combined to attack Muṣtafā Khān. After much fighting, Muṣtafā Khān, finding it impossible to hold his own, retreated in a hapless condition across the frontier of Azīmābad to Ghāzīpūr; whilst Mahābat Jang becoming victorious and trium­phant returned to Murshidābād. Muṣtafā Khān again collected a large force of cavalry and infantry, and again invaded Azīmābād. Zainu-d-dīn Aḥmad Khān, according to the adage “One who is beaten once can be beaten twice,” with his victorious troops encountered him, and after much efforts and countless exertions, and after much slaughters and fightings, became victorious, whilst Muṣtafā Khān, as a retribution for his disloyalty, was slain on the battle-field. Zainu-d-dīn Khān cutting off the head of that wretch from his body tied his corpse to the feet of an elephant which was patrolled round the city to serve as a warning, and also suspended his head at the City Gate.