The Emperor after this departure, advanced to a small distance, and encamped near the English army. The next day, which was that appointed for his receiving the visit of the English Commander, he wanted to advance a little more, when Mir-hosséin-qhan, taking it for certain that the English would undoubtelly seize on the Emperor’s person, and confine him, made his escape out of the camp, and fled in earnest, his people crying everywhere, as they were going away, that the Emperor was going to be betrayed into the hands of the Frenghis, by his own Minister, Nassyr-ed-döula Hedaiet-aaly-qhan-bahadyr-assed-djung, (meaning my father); and that whoever had any sense of honour left, ought to quit the army immediately, and follow them. At these words a vast number of senseless men abandoned the Emperor, and followed the fugitives; but as all this disorderly multitude was to pass by the castle of Ticary, where Radja B8niad-sing resided, his people sallied out, and plundered every one of those runaways. Mir-hosséin-qhan made his escape; but the fools that had followed him upon his words, perceiving how matters went, thought themselves very happy to effect their return to the army which they had quitted before. The Emperor at that time was advancing with his troops in battle array towards the English camp, when at about mid-day, the Major made his appearance with his officers, at about half a cosse distance, where pulling The Shah-zada is visited by the English, who recognise his sovereignty. his cap, and putting it under his arm-pit, he advanced in that posture, marching on foot close to the Emperor’s elephant; but the Monarch having commanded him to be mounted, that General got on horseback, and taking his station alone, he preceded the Emperor’s elephant by about an arrow’s shot. My father, on his elephant, followed the Emperor at a very small distance; he was himself armed at all points, and at the head of the Imperial troops, all armed and ready. They marched in that order, until they arrived at the river of Djumni, which flows at one cosse and half distance from Gaya, a spot where the troops were to encamp. There the main of the army, together with the baggage, took post; but the Emperor, at the Major’s request, went a little farther, and entered a tent pitched in a garden surrounded by a grove, close to the town of Gáya. As soon as he had alighted, the Major, accompanied by his officers, by Ram-naráin, by Radja B8ll8b, and by all the principal Commanders of the two armies, paid him his respects, presented him with an entertainment, and offered his nuzur and homage, together with those of all the persons that accompanied him; after this ceremony he offered some presents suitable to the occasion, and worthy of the Emperor’s acceptance. All this while, my forgiven father was on his elephant, with all his troops mounted, and ready in the grove. The Emperor having withdrawn to a private room, my father went into the tent, and paid a visit to the Major and to his officers; and those having saluted him in their mode, received him with honour. After the usual ceremonies of paan,* atur, and rose-water, my father came out, joined the Emperor, and went to a camp pitched on the banks of the river; and it was nearly midnight before my father could find time to retire to his own quarters, and to take some rest. The next day the Emperor marched again, and took up his quarters at Gáya; and after some days of rest the armies set out again, and marched in concert to Azim-abad, in the neighbourhood of which city they all encamped; the Emperor to the south, on the reservoir or Lake of Muty-p8r; the English at Bauky-p8r, their old winter quarters, westward; Radja Ram-naráin, within the city; and Radja B8ll8b, at Djaafer-qhan’s garden, on the eastern side.
So much concert amongst people that had been fighting together but yesterday, engaged Mir-cassem to hasten his march to Azim-abad, where he encamped on the eastern part of the city, about Djaafer-qhan’s garden, in the middle of his own army. On his arrival he was met by Radja Ram-naráin, and by Radja B8ll8b, who paid their homage to the new Viceroy. The former returned to the citadel, where he lived; the latter, with Miren’s troops, joined those of the Navvab’s. Major Carnac and the English Chiefs wanted to introduce Mir-cassem-qhan to the Emperor; but some negotiation became nccessary on that subject, as the latter was either too suspicious, or too proud to go to the Emperor’s quarters. At last it was agreed that the interview should take place in the English factory, and that the Navvab should pay his respects to the Monarch at that place. The day being come, the English were busy in turning their factory into an Imperial hall of audience, and a couple of those tables, whereon they take their meals, into an Hindostany throne. Nevertheless the throne, as well as the hall, being spread and hung with rich stuffs, assumed a very splendid appearance. Every thing being ready, the Navvab started afresh some objections against my father’s accompanying the Emperor with those crowds of guards and servants that are customary; and the Major having interposed in this also, engaged the Emperor to come with a small retinue only; after which, he repaired himself to the factory, where the English had assembled in great numbers. These, on hearing of the Emperor’s being on his march, set out on foot with the Major at their head, and after meeting the Monarch, they continued to march on foot along with the moving throne*. The Emperor having alighted at the gate of the factory, got into the hall, and took his seat on his throne. The English were all standing to the right and left of it, but the Major received orders to sit; he made a profound bow and took his seat. A little after the other English passed into another Mir-cassem arrives with an army at Azim-abad; and influenced by the English he renders homage to the Emperor. apartment, but it was to come again in order to stand at the foot of the throne. About one hour after, Mir-cassem-qhan came, and after having made his three bows in a respectful manner, he presented a nuzur of one thousand and one eshreffies; and immediately after, he offered to the Imperial acceptance a number of qhoans or trays, covered with precious and curious stuffs, fit for apparel; to which he added a quantity of jewels, and other costly articles. The Emperor accepted his homage, and honoured him with a qhylaat of six pieces, a chaplet of pearls, with a circlet for the head, and an aigrette of jewels adorned by black eagle’s feathers; after which the Navvab made the usual bows, and withdrew into the next room, which was that of Mr. Macguire, the Chief of the factory; and there he discussed the revenues and probable charges of the three provinces; and after some conversation on other matters relative to that object, he agreed to pay His Majesty a yearly tribute of twenty-four lacs of rupees. This being settled, he returned to the presence, was dismissed with every domonstration of regard, and he repaired to his encampment. After his departure, the Emperor having consulted with the English rulers, accepted the offer; after which he, on their request, went to the citadel or castle, where he landed in some buildings called the Imperial palace, and which were affected to crowned heads only. But as Mir-cassem-qhan continued to harbour suspicions against my father, and was not much pleased to see the Emperor’s troops in the citadel, the English interposed again, and obtained of that Monarch, that Séyd-hedáiet-aaly-qhan-bahadyr should not have any intercourse with him in the castle. The Emperor therefore wrote him a note, to desire his remaining in camp amongst the troops, to prevent their dispersing on account of the dissensions that reigned; requesting him at the same time to enlist new levies. But the Navvab was not the only person, that had taken umbrage at him. Ram-naráin, who was Governor of the city and province, was inclined likewise to harbour some apprehensions on his account; and he was uneasy, lest some day or other, an agreement taking place between the Navvab and my father, the Government might slip from out of his hands into those of that nobleman’s. Impressed with such idle ideas, Ram-naráin was assiduous in poisoning the Navvab’s mind against my father, and in fabricating intelligences to which that nobleman had never given cause, and which had never come so much as in his thoughts. Mir-cassem-qhan ever prone to suspicion, and at this particular time somewhat inclined to jealousy, instilled so many notions into the minds of the English, that they sent my father word, requesting his returning to his estate about Rhotas. My father answered, that as he was a servant of the Emperor’s, and actually in his post by the Emperor’s command, he could not without his order, pretend to absent himself. The English, who are men of sense, and naturally lovers of frankness and equity, admitted the propriety of the answer, and sent one of their nation to inform my father that, as to their own part, they had no objections to him at all; but at the same time, they sent word to the Emperor, that it appeared that so long as Séyd-hedáiet-aaly-qhan remained at camp, busy in enlisting new soldiers, Mir-cassem-qhan would never be brought to pay any money, or to fulfil any of the conditions of the treaty; adding, that it was proper that His Majesty should send an order for that nobleman’s retiring upon his estate. The Emperor consented, and sent such an order, as was requested. My father, finding how matters had turned out, went late at night, to take his leave of the Major, and of the English rulers; and the next morning, he took the shortest road to his estate. But his departure did not affect Aaly-naki-qhan, my brother, who had followed my father, and had become Paymaster of the Imperial household; on the contrary, he was now decorated with the surname and title of Fahr-ed-döulah-bahadyr-zaafer-djung,* and he continued to live with the Emperor in the exercise of his office.