It must be observed that Mir-cassem-qhan had been from his earliest youth in favour with the family of Aaly-verdy-qhan, on account of his being son-in-law to Mir-djaafer-qhan, whose consort was half-sister to that Prince; and it was on her recommendation that he had received the command of a troop of horse, for which he drew pay regularly. This circumstance, by giving him access to all the offices, and to the houses of most of the men in the management of the revenues, had procured him a thorough insight into their infidelities and embezzlements; so that he was informed early of the faculties of every one of them; insomuch, that when he came to the sovereign command, it became easy to him to find out every one of those managers, whom he knew or suspected to have been money-hoarders. He now availed himself of a variety of pretences to strip them of the greatest part of their acquisitions by bringing them under the lash of the auditing office. Matters went so far, that he took to task even some women who were known to have had the management of some expenditures within Mr-djaafer-qhan’s seraglio, or in that of his son, Miren, or who appeared by the accounts of the Steward’s office to have been entrusted with the keeping of jewels, or of sums of gold, or with furniture of that metal, or with some curious and costly things; or who appeared to have received any quantity of them in present. All these were now seized, and by threats obliged to a restitution; and some of them were made to refund more than they had ever received. Nay, he ferreted out and took to task some slave women, and some eunuchs of the household of Aaly-verdy-qhan’s, and of his sons-in-law; old people who having bought some protector at Court, had retired, and were passing their lives in corners, and retirement. Even these were made to pay as much money as it was possible, as much at least as informers had given advice of; so that one would think that he had been present, and had heard the poet Saady speak, when the latter pro­nounced these famous verses:

“Why do not you put every one under a contribution of some silver?

That there may come every day some treasure into your hands.”

Amongst the old heads of office who had served under Aaly-verdy-qhan, there was one Radja Djagat-sing, who had for a number of years acted as Deputy to the two Divans, Djankiram, and D8ll8bram, but who had as much influence and authority as either of them. Being grown old now, he had retired from affairs; but on observing how matters went abroad with others, he sent an exact list of the effects and money he had been hoard­ing up these fifty years past, and thereby redeemed his honour and character. The whole amounted to an incredible sum, and indeed, it wrought a singular effect. The Viceroy, having remitted him a small part of his substance, took possession of the remainder; but he from that moment paid much regard to the man, to whom he henceforward shewed so much attention, that whenever he came to Court he made him sit at his left elbow, close to his Mesned. From this man the Navvab passed to another; this was a nobleman who had been Daroga, or intro­ductor of the hall of audience to Aaly-verdy-qhan, for a number of years, in which time he had been a favourite so far, as to have amassed lacs in that office. The nobleman was now desired to refund the whole, both jewels and cash, but nevertheless was continued in his office: his name was Gholam-hosséin-qhan. In short, the new Navvab, having by the mighty sums he assembled from all parts, brought it within his power to establish regular payments for the troops, picked from amongst them those he liked most, dismissed the others, and discharged entirely their arrears. After putting the army under a proper regulation, he turned his views towards the strongholds of the Zemindars, all of whom he was determined to bring, not only under controul, but even under a thorough submission.

Amongst the Zemindars in the kingdom of Bengal, none was so near neighbour to the city of M8rsh8d-abad, its capital, as the Radja of Birbohom, and none so powerful, whether by the number of his troops, or by his personal character for bravery. He likewise piqued himself upon a sense of honour, and a delicacy of sentiments, qualifictions very extraordinary in a Zemindar. Now Mir-cassem-qhan, in his heart, had been at all times an enemy to Zemindars, and it must be acknowledged, that they are a set of men faithless to a high degree, short-sighted, impatient of controul, ever ready, on the least appearance of a revolution, to turn their backs on their masters, and to forget the most important favours received at their hands, losing no opportunity to execute all the mischief which occasion presents, and on that account, as well on account of their strange and inconsistent character, requiring at all times the strong grasp of a curbing hand. It is for such a variety of reasons that the ancient Emperors and Princes, unwilling to repose any confidence The Radja of Birbohom revolts. in such men, used to manage every Pergannah or District by their own officers; a precaution which rendered the country in those times, populous and flourishing, the husbandman easy, the traveller safe, the land everywhere tilled and green, and the inhabitants of towns and cities, prosperous and happy. Whereas now that Zemindars are left to themselves, and with the reins floating on their necks, mischiefs are increasing every day, the country becomes desolate, and the revenues fall short and are in confusion; and if matters remain in this state, the country shall go from bad to worse, and all will go to wreck. But to return to our purpose; the Zemindar of Birbohom, Bedy-us-zeman-qhan, who went by the name of Divan-dji, had always been in his youth, as he was now even in his riper years, extremely addicted to his ease and to his pleasures; and it was to enjoy himself he had left the management of his dominions to Aaly-naky-qhan, the most capable of his sons, his whole ambition being to pass his days in quiet and enjoyment. But this hopeful son of his dying in the flower of his age, the father, who was already disgusted with the world, and deeply affected by the total ruin that had befallen Aaly-verdy-qhan’s family, to which he was extremely attached, put on a Fakyr’s garb, and placing at the head of his dominions Assed-zeman-qhan,* another son of his, but born to him from his Rani, or Princess,* he retired again out of the tumult of affairs, and seemed pleased with nothing but the con­versation of Fakyrs, and with retirement and tranquility. It happened at that conjuncture that something above the usual rent had been asked of the new-seated Zemindar; the Navvab had asked as a sovereign urged by the necessities of his state; and the other had refused for fear of establishing a precedent. Probably there was another reason, and this was, that the new Navvab, who passed as yet for only an ungrateful man that had risen but yesterday to an elevation which seemed to put all man­kind at his feet, was not supposed to have acquired so early a sufficient stock of authority and power to render his Government respectable. Be it as it may, the Navvab set out of the city, and encamped at B8dgam, which is at about ten or twelve cosses’ distance; from whence he dispatched Qhadja-mahmedi-qhan, to chastise the Radja of Birbohom. This officer, who had been in the office of Paymaster-General so early as the times of Mir-djaafer-qhan’s accession to the throne, was accompanied by an Englishman, called Major York, and likewise by Gurghin-qhan, alias Codja-Kircor, the Armenian, who was Grandmaster of the artillery, and had been raised and promoted by Mir-cassem-qhan. It must be observed that this officer had orders to march forward with his troops, and if possible, to put an end to the war with the Radja, before the English could come up with their detach­ment. But as there did not remain now any one of those officers and Generals that had been formed by serving under Aaly-verdy-qhan, and the troops had none at their head but those vile unexperienced men, that had been brought forward in great numbers by Mir-djaafer-qhan and his son, and none of course on whom they might repose a confidence, matters went on very ill in that campaign. For Assed-zeman-qhan, having requested his father to govern the country as his Divan, or Prime Minister, in his absence, took the field with about four or five thousand horse, and twenty thousand foot, which he posted at Kerivha, a spot of difficult access; from whence he endlessly dispatched detach­ments to possess themselves of all the difficult passes, and to scour the enemy’s country. And I found matters in that posture, when I arrived myself at the camp at B8dgam.

I had been sent thither by Major Carnac, who had succeeded Colonel Clive as his Deputy, and was likewise Commander-in-Chief of all the English forces. This officer, in concert with Mr. Hay, the acting Chief of the factory of Patna, in Mr. Amyatt’s absence, had given me instructions to represent to Mir-cassem-qhan, the state of affairs in the province of Bahar, and the propriety of his taking a journey thither; and this was what I exposed to that Prince in my first visit, where I delivered faithfully the message which I had brought; and it was during my sojourn in that camp, that news came of the victory obtained in Birbohom. That event happened in the following manner: Some English Captains, who were quartered with a few companies of Talingas in Bardvan, advanced from thence on Assed-zeman-qhan’s rear, and availing themselves of that neglect and supineness which they perceived in his troops, they broke suddenly into his camp, and dispersed his whole army. A few discharges of cannon, and some volleys of musquetry, killed and wounded numbers in the The Radja’s whole army dispersed by a handful of English. Radja’s army, and put the others to flight, who taking fright, dispersed on all sides. On the report of the cannon, the Navvab’s troops hastened forward, and came just time enough to shew themselves, and to pursue the runaways a little; after which, they encamped on the spot which the enemy had abandoned. The Navvab having heard enough of this affair to become sensi­ble of the cowardice and unwillingness of his troops, conceived a dislike against every one of them, but especially against their General, Mahmedy-qhan, with whom he was not already much pleased. But we shall give some account of the consequences of this engagement, as soon as the reader shall have been informed of the posture of affairs at Azim-abad, and of the conjunc­tures which brought me to the Navvab’s camp.