On Lord Clive’s arrival near Azim-abad, Radjah Shytab-ráy went out to meet him with such a state and such a retinue as he could afford. But Durdj-naráin, who never thought but of his dignity and grandeur, came out of the city also, without once minding the balances he was adjudged to pay, or thinking how he might appease the Lord and his people; instead of that, he went to meet him with a deal of magnificence and pomp, and with a vast number of retainers. As soon as the two retinues were descried at a distance, such a sight could not fail to surprise both Lord Clive, and the English rulers, as they had repeatedly wrote to Durdj-naráin, that unless he paid the balances due by him, he must not think of coming in the Viceroy’s presence. That nobleman hearing now that he was actually coming, sent a messenger to forbid his advancing one step farther; and the messenger having delivered the message just as he had received it, stopped him short, and made him return back. But as the injunction had been pronounced aloud, and in the presence of so many friends and foes, as well as of all those multitudes that had come out to meet or to see the Viceroy, it did no fail to cover that senseless and ill-fated man with confusion and shame. Shytab-ráy, on the contrary, was admitted to the honor of the Lord’s presence, and received with much regard and favour. Whereas Durdj-naráin having drank from the hands of arrogance and inattention several glasses of wholesome, but bitter beverage, stopped short, and returned back; and now grown wiser from this rebuke, he in a short time provided for the payment of the outstanding balances, and soon obtained leave to make his bow; after which he mixed in the Viceroy’s cortége, and passed the Ganga together with Shytab-ráy.

This little affair being over, the travellers went on; and in the month of Moharrem, of the year 1180 of the Hedjra, a meet­ing took place at the appointed spot between Lord Clive, the General, the Vezir, the Agent Munnir-ed-döwlah, and the Radja Balvant sing; and the usual compliments and discourses having been exchanged, it was settled, “That Radja Balvant hence­forward

And secures Radja Bal­vant-sing’s
situation by a treaty.

would pay a yearly revenue of twenty lacs to Shudjah-ed-döwlah, his Lord, who would forgive him the errors of his past conduct, and leave him for the future in peace and tran­quillity, but with a most solemn promise never to use any fraud or artifice whatever against him. Moreover it was stipulated that a breach of this article should be deemed a breach of the articles between Shudjah-ed-döwlah and the English.” As soon as these articles and conventions between the Vezir, the Emperor, and the English were signed, together with those between the Emperor and the Vezir, as well as those between the Vezir and the Radja, they were written fair, and at length witnessed by the principal English, and registered in the usual forms. After which those noble pesonages exchanged entertainments, and curious, and costly presents amongst themselves; and the Vezir having been entertained with a mock-battle amongst the European soldiers, who managed their guns and musquets with an amazing quickness and celerity, made them a present of some thousand rupees, and returned to his capital. The Radja Balvant, after making such a present as was worthy of him, was dismissed; and he repaired to Ram-nagur, his nest, which is on the shore of the Ganga, over against Banares; and Munnir-ed-döwlah himself after having accomplished his purpose, returned to his master.

As soon as these matters were over, Shytab-ráy mentioned in general terms the incapacity, sloth, and faithlessness of former managers; and he added “That the recovery of the balances due by Durdj-naráin, and by his officers and dependants, was far from being an easy task; nor could such a sum be ever obtained without constraint and chastisement; and that as himself, Shytab-ráy, was an improper man for such a business, on account of the high regard he bore to the ancient acquaintance and friendship that had subsisted between him and the late Ram-naráin; and such sentiments would never permit him to act against his surviving brother with the firmness and severity requisite for recovering such large sums, it was therefore proper that after His Lordship’s arrival at Moorshood-abad, Mahmed-reza-qhan, who was the centre and corner­stone of all transactions, should vouchsafe to come over to Azim-abad for a few days to perform that service on His Lord­ship’s instructions; after which he might return to his palace.” This request of Shytab-ráy’s having met with the Lord’s approba­tion, was followed by many favours and kindnesses, and that mobleman returned to Moorshood-abad, firmly resolved in his heart to entrust him with the whole Government, and to dismiss Durdj-naráin, with whose incapacity and endless infidelities he was tired.

On his arrival at Moorshood-abad he dispatched Mahmed-reza-qhan to perform the business he had so much at heart; and this Minister arrived in a little time at Azim-abad with all the terrors of power and punishment marching before him. At first Lord Clive sends Mahmed-reza-
qhan to Azim-abad to recover the sums due to Government. he reprimanded and put under arrest the officers of Durdj-naráin’s; and then he prevailed upon some of them to disclose the infidelities that had been committed. On their discoveries he confined some lessees, such as Sahomul, and Mohammed-naky-qhan, and Mahmed-ashruff-qhan the Cashmirian; and he arrested some others, who at last acknowledged their guilt. Sahomul was put to the cudjel, and thereby underwent a total disgrace. He was then sent to prison, there to remain until he had paid the balances due by him. The like fate hung over the two others, who were rescued in time by Radja Shytab-ráy’s interpositon, although not but after they had bound themselves solemnly to pay their balances, before the expiration of their leases. But at this same time Durdj-naráin having by his infidelities and by his evident incapacity openly approved himself unable to perform a small service incumbent on his office of Governor Lieutenant, was disgraced and dismissed; and it was determined that his revenues and Djaghirs should be sequestrated, until the full of the balances due by him were liquidated; but that meanwhile a small pension should be reserved for his support.

That envious man bore a grudge to my illustrious and excellent uncle, the valorous Séyd-abdol-aaly-qhan the Moosevian, surnamed the impetuous in battles, as if he had proved a thorn in his side, and an object of envy to him; and that too, for no other reason than the high regard constantly shewn him by Mir-djaafer-qhan, and by his brother, Mir-cazem-qhan. Durdj-naráin, in the heighth of his power and authority, which after all lasted but a while after Mir-cazem-qhan’s dismission, had out of mere jealousy and envy, dismissed that illustrious man from the lease of the District of Shah-abad; and although this Gentoo himself, as well as his father, and his elder brother, had owed their elevation to the favour, and their very sustenance and livelihood, to the crumbs that fell from Mir-djaafer-qhan’s table, and from those of that Prince’s family; yet he no sooner saw himself in power, than he abandoned that venerable man to the rapacity of his officers, who under pretence of examining his accounts, put him to a variety of trouble and anxiety; and this severe usage lasted until the Gentoo himself being dismissed from his borrowed authority, Mahmed-reza-qhan and Radjah Shytab-ráy took the whole different under their own inspection; and finding it destitute of any foundation, gave the venerable man a full acquittal. He then received an invitation from Rabia-begum, a Princess who knew the whole extent of his merit, and he went to Moorshood-abad with Mahmed-reza-qhan. For this Minister having performed with Shytab-ráy’s advice the business for which he had come over, returned to Bengal; and Shytab-ráy remaining alone, was invested by the Council of Calcutta with the authority of disposing and finishing every business and transaction relative to the province of Azim-abad. As he was anxious for the honour of his character he applied himself closely to the functions of his new office in conjunction with Mr. Rumbold, who on Mr. Middleton’s unjust dismission from the Chiefship of that city, and the govern­ment of the province, had been appointed to command in his stead. It was at the time when Mr. Sykes was appointed to act in conjunction with Mahmed-reza-qhan at Moorshood-abad. Lord Clive satisfied with the state of affairs in these kingdoms, and with those arrangements he had made, departed to his own country.

This nobleman in his short sojourn in Bengal had always proved desirous of finding in Governor Vansittart’s conduct such blemishes and misdemeanours, as might come out of themselves before the Council in England, in consequence of certain lights which he had taken care to provide, and to hold out for that purpose. For ingratitude and oblivion of benefits have at all times been, and still are, so far characteristic in the men of the world, and especially within this short period; and time serving and selfish behaviour, now deemed prudence and knowledge of the world, are come so much in fashion, and are risen to such a height, that no trust and no faith can be reposed in another man’s friendship or attachment. Luckily, however, and this is to be admired, these very persons, who have chosen such practices, and have abandoned every claim to credit and honour, find themselves much disappointed in their reckoning; for these after having been much made of for a time by their employers, until the intended purpose is secured, come at last to be despised and hated by them for their folly and wickedness, so as to become in their company a standing stock for scorn and derision. In consequence of such sentiments, those very persons upon whose information Lord Clive had reckoned so much, and who in fact had served him most sedulously in his views, proved to be those very men that had been over and over loaded with favours and benefits by Shems-ed-döwlah (Vansittart); and yet they joined Nand-comar, his inveterate enemy; and having drawn up a long list of his misdemeanours, they gave it to Lord Clive under their hands and seals. A transaction of such a magnitude having made an infinite noise, could not fail to come to my ears; but it was without any certitude of particulars, aslittle is to be got from that nation, which never mixes with others, and is suspicious and cautious to a high degree, being always so much upon its guard, that strangers cannot come at any of their secrets; nay it is quite impossible.