Mir-cassem-qhan, being now rid of this affair, undertook to visit the fortress of Rhotas.* He sent notice of his design to Nessar-aaly-qhan, the Governor, whom he had placed himself, as well as to Saho-mul, whom he had appointed to be his Deputy; and, as my father was then at Saharseram, upon a visit to the Navvab, the latter took the old nobleman with him in his survey of that famous fortress. He had also in his retinue Séyd-aaly-qhan, my younger brother, whom he had taken in his service, on Mr. Macguire’s recommendation, whilst I was in Calcutta; and he now gave service, likewise, to my youngest brother, Ghalib-aaly-qhan, on my father’s recommendation. Naky-aaly-qhan, my third brother, who was younger than me by some years, but older than the two others, had been several times desired by the Navvab to take service with him; but he had constantly declined it, contenting himself with enjoying the small share allotted him in the family estate. The Navvab, after having amused himself with viewing the fortress, returned to Saharseram, where he dis­missed my father to his estate; and he put under confinement Saho-mul, the Deputy Governor of Rhotas, as well as Naky, the Imperial Colonel, who was for a long time in garrison there. Mir-cassem-qhan, having in this manner arranged the affairs of the province of Shah-abad, appointed Mir-mehdi-qhan, a nephew of Assed-ollah-qhan’s, to command in the districts of Sahar­seram and Cháin-p8r, comprising under his management, the several Zemindaries in Seress, and Cotombah, from whence their owner, Beshen-sing, had fled to Banares. But to insure the repose of the country, he ordered Sheh-mahmed-acbar-qhan, the Lucnovian, a Commander of character, to attend the new gov­ernor, recommending to him to keep a watchful eye on the machinations of the fugitive Zemindars, and especially on Pah­luvan-sing, a man that might endanger the tranquillity of the whole country. Somro, an European,* was stationed at Bacsar, with three or four regiments of disciplined Talingas, and some pieces of cannon; but Mir-roshen-aaly-qhan, the Paymaster, had his station at Bohodjp8r, with his whole brigade of horse and foot. After these dispositions, he took a circuitous view of the country of Mug, which contains the districts of Seress, Cotoombah, Arval, Ticary, Bahar, and Paluch, with some other parts; and then marched to Monghyr. But before setting out for the latter town, he sent for Radja Radj-b8ll8b, Deputy Gov­ernor of Azim-abad, and put him under a safe confinement in his camp; after which, trusty persons were sent to confiscate his property at Djehanghir-nugur-dacca. In his stead, Radja Nobet-ráy was invested with the qhyllat of Azim-abad, and sent to take care of that province and city. As soon as he had dis­patched the new Governor’s instructions, he set out himself on A. D. 1762 the fifteenth of Zilhedj, in the year 1175 of the Hegira, and made his entry in the citadel with the utmost pomp and magnificence; after which he ordered the walls and fortifications to be put in the best repair, with some improvements. As to the build­ings, he not only ordered the old ones to be put in a complete repair, but he directed additional ones to be erected, in which he took up his abode, living with such state and authority, and shewing such a firmness of command, as struck every one with awe and admiration. But all this, however, did not conduce to his domestic happiness; he found himself stinted in his enjoy­ments. As since his accession to power, he had procured a number of fine young women, he could not help being grievously vexed at finding a great alteration in his virile powers. These were in a little time so much impaired, as to become an object of surprise to himself; so that he sought everywhere a remedy to that heavy misfortune, as he called it. The most renowned physicians held consultations together, and prescribed a variety of remedies, but all to no purpose; when one day some unknown man put into his hand a receipt of such amazing efficacy, that it seemed to have recalled in him all the powers of the most fervent youth. The Navvab having found a singular benefit from the receipt, proposed it to some of his favourites, who like­wise found their youthful vigour recalled and recruited; a cir­cumstance of which I have heard some of them talk with won­der and transport. After this little anecdote, let us revert to our narrative.

Mir-cassem-qhan, having given the necessary orders for the citadel of Azim-abad, repaired to Monghyr, which town he made the centre of all business, and the capital of his dominions. There he applied himself closely to the affairs of Government, for most of which he had a particular turn of mind; and as a regard to truth is so great a requisite in an historian, and impartiality is so valuable a quality in those that record the events of the age, and enumerate the actions and words of men of eminence, we, in compliance with the well-known verse,—

“You have pretty much descanted on his bad qualities; tell us now of his good ones.”

I shall proceed now to set down, with the pen of truth, whatever else we know by ourselves, or have heard from others on this very eminent character, and indeed, it must be, acknowledged, that although the perpetual treasons, and endless- duplicities, which he had been seeing throughout so many preceding administrations, had soured his temper; and the per­petual infidelities of the troops, as well as of the Commanders and Grandees of Bengal, had rendered him exceedingly supicious, and ever prone to confiscation of properties, confinement of persons, and effusion of blood; nevertheless, it was acknowledged on all hands, that he had admirable qualifications that balanced his bad ones. In unravelling the intricacies of affairs of Govern­ment, and especially the knotty mysteries of finance; in examin­ing and determining private differences; in establishing regular payments for his troops, and for his household; in honouring and rewarding men of merit, and men of learning; in conduct­ing his expenditure, exactly between the extremities of par­simony and prodigality; and in knowing intuitively where he Great abil­ities of Mir-cassem. must spend freely, and where with moderation—in all these qualifications—he was an incomparable man indeed, and the most extraordinary Prince of his age. In imitation of the ancient Sovereigns of this country, he used to sit in a public hall of audience, two days in the week, where he examined by himself the pretensions of suitors, and unravelled their respective sub­terfuges; and although he did not pronounce sentence, but after having asked the opinions of the persons preposed to matters of justice and law, yet it was always upon his own judgment. He ordered the plaintiff and the defendnat to come close to him, listened to their allegations with attention, and sometimes con­firmed the sentence of the Judges; nor was any man daring enough in his Court, to touch a bribe, or to speak in behalf of an unjust pretension, or to sink any man’s right or due, or to throw any doubt upon it. The poor, defenceless landholders, who in the administration of a Djanki-ram, and a Ramnaráin, had been dispossessed of their villages and hereditary estates, by the rapacious violence of short-sighted Zemindars, found now that the day of redress was come for them. Those that had vouchers, were admitted to a probation; and those that had not, were admitted to an affidavit, from the most ancient inhabitants of the spot, corroborated by the attestations of the Cazy and Mufty of that district. After their right had been ascertained, they received their dismission with suitable orders to the respective Zemindars and men in power; and mace-bearers were sent with them to see the oppressed reinstated in their estates, and the defenceless righted in their grievances. He was equally attentive to objects of a more public nature. The numerous ornaments, in gold and silver, that had once adorned Seradj-ed-döulah’s Imam-bara,* and had been heretofore melted into coin, to the amount of several lacs, were now taken notice of; and the whole sum, with a great deal more besides, was, by his order, repaid to the Séyds,* to the necessitous and the needy. In these charitable distributions, he always made use of the channel of His Highness Sheh-mahmed-aaly-hazin, chiefly; and occasionally of Mir-mahmed-aaly-fazyl, and Sheh-mahmed-hassen, and Zair-hasséin-qhan, and of some other pious persons of that note; all men renowned for their knowledge and exemplary life. The original of the poesies of His Highness Sheh-mahmed-aaly-hazin had been purchased at a high price by the former administration, but not paid; and, on being informed of it, he ordered the payment to be made good from his own treasury, assigning to that illustrious man at the same time, a pension that administered to all his wants; for he reckoned it amongst the felicities of his administration, to have chanced to pay for that precious collection. His regard for the author was no less con­spicuous. Whenever that illustrious man came to see him, there was always a Mesned spread for him close to his own, and he used to get up, and to advance some steps, and to bow to him with the utmost respect and modesty. He listened with attention to whatever he had to say, and thought it an honour to approve himself obedient to his commands, being proud of granting his demands with the best grace imaginable. He paid likewise a high regard to the virtuous men mentioned above, putting his ambition in keeping them satisfied to the utmost of their wishes. As to the payment of his troops, he was so exact, and so regular, that I do not recollect to have heard a single complaint on that head. The truth is, that his exactitude and keeness were so dreaded, that no one dared to impose a false muster upon him, or to withhold any one soldier’s due.