Meanwhile Saadet-qhan was still in the field of battle, and Saadet-qhan taken prisoner by the Iranians. those of his men that had escaped the slaughter had formed into a body, and surrounded him on all sides, when the Cuzzel-bashes forming a general attack, one of them, who was a young Turk from those about Nishap8r,* and of course, a townsman of Saadet-qhan’s, having forced his passage, stood intrepidly before him, whilst the latter was shooting on all sides with his bow, and having recollected his features he cried out to him: Mahmed-aamin, against whom art thou fighting and on what soldiers dost thou reckon? Art thou mad? Saying this he fixed his spear in the ground, alighted, and making his horse fast to it, he got hold of one of the elephant’s ropes, and mounted into the häodah,* where he presented his poniard to the other’s throat. Saadet-qhan, who knew the customs of Iran, made a sign of sub­mission, and surrendering to the man, was seized as prisoner by the claws of destiny and carried to Nadyr-shah. That Prince spoke a few words to him, and used him with much kindness; and it growing dark, he quitted the field of battle, and retired to his camp. Saadet-qhan being now informed of Qhandö8ran’s death, conceived that this was a favourable moment for succeeding to that noble­man’s office of Prince of Princes, which he had always kept in view, and with that intention he made a merit of his opening a negotiation with Nadyr-shah. That Prince agreed to conclude a peace, and to go back to his dominions, on being paid two corors of rupees; and it was stipulated, that as soon as Nizam-el-mulk should come and provide for the payment of that sum, Nadyr-shah’s sabre would be returned into the scabbard. This good piece of news was announced in a note from him to the Emperor, and another to Nizam-el-mulk. The Emperor glad of the turn which his affairs had taken, at a time when both he and his counsellor, Nizam-el-mulk, had hidden their heads within the sleeve of trepidation and despair, and were at a loss what party to take, immediately dispatched Nizam-el-mulk with full powers to conclude. The latter being arrived in Nadyr-shah’s camp, was introduced to that Prince by Saadet-qhan’s mediation, where he promised to pay the two corors; after which, he returned in high spirits to his master, to whom he took care to set in the fairest point of view his own abilities and his zealous conduct throughout this treaty. The Emperor considering that this negotiation had turned out much more favourably than he had reason to expect, loaded his counsellor with encomiums and favours, and heard with patience his requesting, as his reward, the office of Prince of Princes, as well as the Qhylaat of that high dignity. That Monarch who hitherto had all along been agitated with fears for both his life and crown, thought it incumbent upon him to comply with this General’s ambitious demand, and to keep him contented. He therefore sent immediately for a Qhylaat, and invested him with that high office. The next day being the twentieth, that Monarch on a note from Nadyr-shah, set out at day-break for the Iranian camp, with Nizam-el-mulk’s advice and approbation. On his approaching, Nasyr-allah-mirza,* son to Nadyr-shah, came out by that conqueror’s order to meet him, and on the young Prince’s being descried at some distance, Mahmed-shah ordered his Taht-revan or moving throne to be set down, and from thence he embraced him as a son; and taking him in his Taht-revan, he proceeded to Nadyr-shah’s quarters. That conqueror on descrying the Indian monarch, got up, advanced to the end of the carpet, and embraced him. After which he took him by the hand, carried him to his own Mesned or Throne, made him sit together with himself, and after having shewn him every mark of honour and distinction, he dismissed him with the utmost regard. As soon as he had set out for his own camp, news came to Saadet-qhan, that he had been supplanted in the dignity of Emir-ul-umrah, and that Nizam-el-mulk had been invested with it. This piece of news threw him into all the agonies of the most violent passion and resentment; and now listening only to his indignation, he waited on Nadyr-shah, to whom he represented “That no one in the Hindostany camp had so much power as Nizam-el-mulk, and none so much abilities to transact business; and what so mighty a matter,” added he, “is a sum of two corors, that your Majesty should think of going back for so small a consideration. The two corors in India are such a sum, as myself, your slave, can afford, and which I will pay out of my own private purse. But immense riches may be had from the Emperor’s camp, from his Palace, from those of his Grandees, and from the bankers and the merchants of the capital, on condition only that you proceed to that city. Nor is it so far off; only at forty cosses from hence. Please to depart immediately.” Nadyr-shah’s eyes being opened by such a speech, and his views enlarged by such a suggestion, he wrote a note Nizam-el-mulk, commanding his attendance. The latter trusting to the treaty concluded, and to Nadyr-shah’s word, set out without hesitation. Being introduced to the presence, he received orders to come back in the evening, and to bring Mahmed-shah with him as to a second interview. Nizam-el-mulk represented that such were not the terms of the treaty, but was answered: “That the treaty was still subsisting. I have,” said that Prince, “no designs against Mahmed-shah’s Empire, nor against his life or his honour; only it is proper that I should see him again.” This order, with Nadyr-shah’s pleasure, was transmitted by Nizam-el-mulk to his master. That Prince actually under the pressure of a set of circumstances which he could not govern, was fain to comply; and taking with him Emir-qhan, and Isaac-qhan, with a few pikemen, and some servants and eunuchs, he set out for the Iranian camp. Finding that his Lords and Monsubdars* with his whole household, were absolutely bent on following him, he stopped, and obliged them to go back; after which he hastened his pace, sitting on his moving throne. Being arrived, he was desired to alight at a tent that had been pitched up for him, and a moment after, he received this message: “Send for the veiled ones of your sanctuary, together with your family, and household and camp, equipage and furniture; and likewise for your chan­cellery, and the officers attending the same. Live easy and satis­fied with us in our camp.” This message was followed by an order sent and published in the Hindostany camp, giving leave to every one to remain where he was, or to return to Shah-djehan-abad; and most persons took the latter party. Mahmed-shah having sent for his family and houshold, and for his other officers, an order was brought by a Nissikh-chy* to Camer-eddin-qhan, commanding his attendance; and the Vezir complied immediately. A little before this latter transaction, Saadet-qhan in company with Tahmasp the Djeläir, an officer who commanded the corps of that name, had set out for the capital with an order from the conqueror, and another from Mahmed-shah, enjoining L8tf-ollah-qhan-saduc, Deputy-Governor of that city, to open the gates of the castle, and to deliver every thing and every office to those two Lords. After their departure, Nadyr-shah himself set out with Mahmed-shah in his company. As to the Hindostany army most of the men, on hearing of their Monarch’s detention, and of the Vezir’s departure, took fright and dispersed; and they were all killed or plundered by the Iranian parties that were marauding, and many more by the peasants, who rose everywhere upon them. Most of them were slain, and those that were spared, were stripped to their skin. On the eighth of Zilhidj in the year 1159, Mahmed-shah entered the city and went to the castle, where two days after, Nadyr-shah followed and took up his quarters. Mahmed-shah occupied his old apartments attended by all the Lords of his Court and all his household, which took up their abodes in the places and posts to which they were accustomed. On the tenth of the month, which was the day of the Corban* or sacrifice, the Qhotbah was recited* in the principal mosque for Nadyr-shah. And the next day a report spread everywhere that he was no more. Some said that he had died of a natural death, and some, as if to cover Mahmed-shah, said that he had been killed by a Calmac woman.* Be that as it will, this report which ran throughout the city, filled it in an hour’s time, although he was actually full of life in the citadel, and the gates of it were open day and night. Some of his troops were encamped before those gates, many had taken up their lodgings throughout the city, and many had encamped on the strand which is betwixt the city and the river. Hardly had this false rumour spread throughout the city, than armed bodies of Hindostanies made their appearance in the principal streets, putting to the sword as many Cuzzel-bashes as they could lay their hands upon; and as the latter, uninformed of the report, and unacquainted with the country-language, were rambling about by two or more together, without suspecting any harm, they were massacred with ease; and although night came on, and it was expected that the tumult would subside, it took new force on the contrary; and those seditious, without taking a moment of rest, were more eager than ever. Nadyr-shah being informed of these matters, ordered his men to remain every one where he was, but armed and ready to take a revenge, and if attacked to repell force by force. It is observable, that of so many Indian Lords lodged or stationed all over the city, not one of them took the trouble to move about and to appease the tumult. Nay, some of them that had taken from Nadyr-shah a number of Cuzzel-bashes as safeguards to their The Iranians set up and massacred on a report of Nadyr-shah’s death. families and houses, suffered them to be massacred in those very houses, or massacred them themselves; insomuch that although in the engagement at Carnal, there were no more than three men slain and twenty wounded in the Iranian army, this tumult cost Nadyr-shah more than seven hundred men. The day being now dawn­ing, and the sedition raging with greater fury than every, Nadyr-shah mounted his horse, and came out of the citadel with an intention to appease it; but on beholding the slaughter that had been made of his people, he ordered a general massacre to be com­menced from that very spot; and as bodies of cavalry and infantry were departing on that errand, he directed them to leave not a soul alive wherever they should discover the body of a murdered Cuzzel-bash. In an instant the soldiers getting upon the tops of the houses, commenced killing, slaughtering and plundering the people’s property, and carrying away their wives and daughters. Nadyr-shah incensed, orders a general massacre of the inhabitants of the city. Numbers of houses were set on fire and ruined. At about noon, when the number of the massacred had exceeded all competition, a general pardon was proclaimed by Nadyr-shah’s order, and the soldier everywhere sheathed his sabre. In a few days the stench arising from so many unburied bodies, which were filling the houses and streets, became so excessive, that the air was infected throughout the whole city, and the passage barred in many places. On information of this, the Cutval received orders to bury the dead, and to cleanse and clear the streets. That Magistrate, having brought all those bodies together in heaps, surrounded them with the beams and rafters of the ruined houses, and setting fire to the wood, the whole was consumed, without any distinction of Mussulman or infidel. A few days after, Saadet-qhan died of a cancer which seized his foot; but the two corors of rupees which he had promised, were paid by his nephew and Deputy, Ab8l-mans8r-qhan, and brought to Nadyr-shah by Sher-djung, who had been sent for that purpose with a body of a thousand Cuzzel-bash horse. That Prince not content with the treasures and wealth found in the Imperial repositories, raised immense contributions on the inhabitants. After which, he drew from the seraglio a virgin Princess from amongst the descendants of the Emperor Shah-djehan, and married her to his younger son, Nasyr-allah-mirza, a young Prince who accompanied him in that expedition; and, as he was in haste to return to his dominions, he contented himself with severing from the Empire of Hindostan, and adding to his own, the whole of the provinces of Sind, and Cab8l, with some districts of Pendjab, that had always been set apart for the pay of the garrisons of Cab8l; but he restored the Empire of Hindostan to its owner. On his departure, he received from Mahmed-shah a sumptuous entertainment, in which this Prince had appointed a number of the Lords of his Court to perform, each, a particular function. That of Emir-qhan-umdet-ul-mulk was to present the coffee.* On mixing the coffee in presence of the two monarchs, a sudden thought started in his mind, that if he did not present the first dish to Mahmed-shah, his master and Lord, such a neglect would be construed into a want of zeal and respect, and would create suspicions besides; and if he did, such a preference might give offence to Nadyr-shah, a Prince sanguinary and little scrupulous, and whose resentment no one could incur with safety. At last he filled up a dish, and putting it in the hands of Mahmed-shah, he said: Your servant is too inconsider­able to put a dish of coffee in the hands of the King of Kings; let your Majesty, who are my master and his brother, present it yourself. The two monarchs, pleased with the ingenuity of his expedient, loaded him with encomiums, and his conduct was applauded both by the Hindostanies and the Iranians. And in fact, he was a man of an elegant deportment, as well as exceed­ingly ingenious, and full of delicate taste in whatever he did. After this entertainment, Mahmed-shah being sent for with all his Grandees, which were formed into a circle, was presented with a Djica* by the hands of Nadyr-shah, who gave him also many advices and counsels, and returned him his crown of Hindo­stan; and that Prince having likewise decorated with a Qhylaat every one of the Hindostany Grandees, he, on the seventh of Sefer, in the year 1152, quitted Shah-djehan-abad, and departed for his own dominions.