Colonel Clive, after tarrying a few days in town, marched, at Ram-naráin’s request, against Radja Pahluvan-sing. But this wary man, unwilling to cope with such an adversary in the field, kept himself at the foot of the hills; and for a few days prepara­tions were made for war and battle. At last, however, matters turned to a negotiation, and Ram-naráin having proposed to send Miren back to Azim-abad, where he might enjoy at his ease the performance of the finest dance-women, and of the best voices, he pledged himself that, provided the Colonel remained with him, he would find means to bring the Radja to reasonable terms. Miren, who wanted no better, returned to the city; and Ram-naráin, with the Colonel, having tarried a few days at Shaharseram, soon brought the Radja’s affairs to a conclusion. But what will hardly be believed of a Zemindar is, that Pahluvan-sing, instead of beginning by his own concerns, had the generosity, first of all, to bring my father’s affair upon the carpet, and to finish it to that nobleman’s satisfaction. He had the attention to stipulate, that “He should have liberty to return to his estate; that his Djaghiry lands should be restored to him; and that no injury should be offered him on account of the past.” And God Almighty be thanked, that matters turned out precisely as I had imagined!

About the same time the Shah-zada’s letters came to hand; it produced its full effect, and the Colonel seemed pleased with both its style and purport. Ram-naráin himself, who was a man of letters, greatly admired the energy and dignity of its language; and the English, having once inclined to a sense of com­passion for the Prince, paid many encomiums to the writer. As I chanced sometime after to commence an acquaintance with those gentlemen, I heard them speak so much in praise of the Secretary, who had penned that letter, that I could not help acknowledging myself to be the pen-man whom they so much approved; and this produced a new flow of encomiums. Some years after, I heard it praised by the Hope of the State, the valorous Mr. Hushtin, the daring in war,* who had knowledge enough to distinguish the poor man’s productions from ordinary ones, and condescendence enough to honour them with his praise. This letter, I say, having greatly affected the Colonel, he not only answered it in the most respectful manner, but he added thereto, some thousand eshruffies by way of homage. As to my forgiven father, as soon as he had obtained possession of his estate, he repaired thither to lead a life of ease and dignity; and the Radja Pahluvan-sing returned to his zemindary, where he applied himself to every art that could restore husbandry, and industry in his country. This campaign having ended so happily, Ram-naráin returned with the Colonel to Azim-abad, where he made it his affair to pay his court assiduously to Miren.

This young Prince who had the good luck to see this expedi­tion finished with so much ease, resolved to return to Bengal. But, first of all, he determined to rid himself of Assalut-qhan and Dilir-qhan, as well as of the other sons of Umer-qhan, whom he could not drive away openly, as they had been so long attached to his family, and whom he did not love, as they were of a daring­ness which he dreaded. His father, at his departure, had recommended to him to rid himself of those officers; but in such a manner as should not disoblige them, as they were men, who in such a case, would make nothing of murdering both the father and son, happen what it would. Miren, therefore, thought it expedient to dissemble, and to take those officers with him in his expedition against the Shah-zada. What is strange, and yet exactly true, is, that those very men whom he wanted absolutely to be rid of, were so far from having harboured at any time, any ill design against either the son or the father, that they had all along approved themselves Mir-djaafer-qhan’s sup­porters and zealous friends; and that too so early as the very beginning of his fortune under Aaly-verdy-qhan; and their attachment, as well as that of Umer-qhan, their father, was so strong, that Seradj-ed-döula had taken umbrage at it, and had dismissed them from his service; insomuch, that for a year together, that is, so long as that Prince sat upon the throne, they had miserably lived at Azim-abad, without receiving any satis­faction about those considerable arrears due to them from the treasury. Three years after, as I chanced to repair to the Shah-zada’s army, where I was necessitated to join his cause, in the manner already mentioned, I recollected Dilir-qhan’s unhappy situation, and I wrote him a letter to recommend to him my consort, and my family, left at Azim-abad; and also to invite him over to the Shah-zada’s service; for we had been intimate friends together, and in pursuance of a custom in Hindia, we had exchanged turbans. He answered me, “That my consort and his head must stand or fall together, and that I might make myself easy on that subject; but that as to passing into the Shah-zada’s service, he was glad to inform me that, if even Mir-djaafer-qhan should be reduced to his last soldier in the world, that last soldier would be himself.” He added these words: Pray, my friend, put up your prayers to Heaven, that to whomsoever I may be once attached, to him I may remain faithful for ever. Miren, who was of himself too infidious in his temper to need the caution given him by his father, kept fair with Dilir-qhan, until Ram-naráin’s return, and he thereby put him off his guard. For Ram-naráin’s return was the time fixed for paying the arrears due to that Commander; and as soon as he saw him arrived, Miren resolved to return to M8rsh8d-abad; but he recommended to the Governor to put trusty guards on the outside of the Western gate of the city, and a body of English Talingas within, with orders to hinder Dilir-qhan, or his people, from getting admittance. At the same time he embarked in his boats, and went thirty or forty cosses down the river; after which he continued his route by land. Dilir-qhan finding himself deceived, was at a loss what to do, especially as Ram-naráin took care to exculpate himself, by informing him that he had no orders about his arrears, and that it was better for him to quit the city, and to abstain from coming within the walls. Dilir-qhan himself, sensible that all was lost, quitted the environs of Azim-abad, and with his friends and soldiers, he went towards Ticary, where he was entertained in the service of the two Zemindars, Fateh-sing and Buniad-sing, who were sons to Radja Sunder-sing, and who gave him a pension, upon which he made a shift to subsist him­self, and his men. He was so much esteemed, that the two Radjas thought themselves very much honoured by affording shelter to a Commander of that character. Some time after, Fateh-sing repaired to M8rsh8d-abad to strengthen himself in his zemindary; but his concerns were little minded, as Miren spent his time in all kinds of pleasures at M8rsh8d-abad, whilst Ram-naráin did the same at Azim-abad.

It must be observed that Mir-djaafer-qhan had advanced as far as Radj-mahl to support his son; but that hearing by the way of the prosperous turn of his affairs, he had returned full of joy to his capital, where he availed himself of that accession of authority, which prosperity confers, to get rid of a man whom he had this longwhile in his eye; this was Sadacat-mahmed-qhan, son to Aga-bakyr, Zemindar of Dacca, of which latter we have made some mention, in our account of Nevazish-mahmed-qhan, and of his deputy, Husséin-c8li-qhan, who was, properly speaking, Governor of the province of Djehanghir-nugur-dacca. The Navvab who had conceived some unjust suspicions against this Sadacat-mahmed-qhan, had him blown off at a gun; an atrocious action, by which he laid up for himself a store of merits in the next world.

Whilst Dilir-qhan lived at Ticary, Cam-car-qhan, Zemindar of Narhut-semái, incensed at the usage he had met with from Mir-djaafer-qhan, who on Ram-naráin’s persuasion had put him under confinement, resolved to be revenged; and joining his cause to that of Dilir-qhan’s, they both wrote to the Shah-zada, to invite him to a junction with them, under assurances of their being ready to join him. The forlorn Prince, who had neither house nor home of his own, wanted no better; and assembling again his friends and soldiers, he quitted Chitur-p8r, and advanced towards Azim-abad. As to myself, I quitted Banares, and came to my forgiven father on his estate, where, for a variety of reasons, I did not think proper to remain, but proceeded to Ticary upon some business, where I was entertained by Dilir-qhan in his house. However, as I soon came to find out that he had written letters to the Shah-zada, I quitted Ticary, sensible that no good could result from an attachment to that Prince. Dilir-qhan pressed me to stay, and to join him; I objected to that party, shewed its disadvantages, and took my leave. Dilir-qhan was unwilling to part with me; but his discourses availing nothing, he made me accept such a sum of money for the charges of my return, as he could afford, and I repaired to Bahar, where Séyd-aaly-qhan, my youngest brother, had taken up his residence some months before; and I was yet in that town, when news came that the Shah-zada was approaching; and that Cam-car-qhan would be soon in the neighbourhood of Bahar with his troops. As by tarrying in that town I brought on myself the necessity of waiting on the Shah-zada, and of feeding again upon that same mess, and out of the same platter, I resolved to quit Bahar, before a longer delay should have rendered it impossible for me to find admittance in Azim-abad; nor was the last party without its full measure of inconveniencies, although it proved to be the only measure that remained; for Ram-naráin had rendered me odious in that city, and was not pleased with my coming back. By good luck it happened that I recollected my being acquainted with the Physician, Gh8lam-aaly-qhan. As this gentleman, who had acquired the Governor’s good will and confidence, by curing him of a distemper, was greatly attached to me, I availed myself of this particular, to write him a short note, in which I requested his interest in obtaining Ram-naráin’s leave for my residing at Azim-abad. By the return of the mes­senger, I received the permission I had requested, upon which I repaired to the city with my brother, Séyd-aaly-qhan. But this permission did not please Radja M8rly-dur, no more than some Mussulman friends of his; they took umbrage at it. Luckily for me, that a few days after, I went to see Mr. Amiatt, Chief of the English factory at Azim-abad, and also Doctor Fullerton, the physician appointed by the council, to its service; and as I had an acquaintance with these gentlemen, but especially with the latter, I could not help telling them my story. Both those gentlemen joined in giving me assurances that I might stay in all safety; nay, the Doctor offered me his own bungalow for my accommodation; so that on seeing myself so strongly supported, I took again to my ancient abode, as I had a good house of my own at Azim-abad.