Whilst Aaly-verdy-qhan was occupied in conquering the Oressa, and in rescuing his grandson and nephew from the bonds of captivity, Zin-eddin-ahmed-qhan, his other grandson and nephew, Viceroy of Azim-abad, was undertaking an expedition against those restless refractory inhabitants of the Bodjp8r, in the province of Shah-abad, where Radja Gorut-sing, and Bab8-advent-sing, two powerful Zemindars or Princes, had been committing this longwhile the most enormous excesses, acting entirely, as if they had been independent. So much guilt, and so much contempt of authority deserved to be chastised in an examplary manner. But as my honoured father, the illustrious and valiant Hedaïet-aaly-qhan, had great possessions in that country, and these as well as his high character, added to the authority which always attends a command of long standing, had given him a victorious sway in that province, it was expected that he would not fail to cut an eminent figure in that expedition. But it was for these very advantages he had become an eyesore to Chintamen-das, ancient Divan and servant of the young Viceroy, a Gentoo, whose pride was wounded besides by the high influence which that nobleman had likewise acquired over the whole army as well as over the young Viceroy, in virtue of his office of Paymaster-General (Major-General) of the forces. So many advantages, and so much lustre in a single man, was that the cankered heart of the Gentoo could not bear, and he made use of his ascendant over his master’s mind, to thwart my father’s views of illustration and fame, and to bring him under the lash of some well-managed mortification. As he had his master’s ear at command, he gave him to understand “That Sëyd-hedaïet-aaly-qhan was so much respected by all the Zemindars of that country, and likewise so much considered by his master, that these people had very naturally turned the eye of hope towards that nobleman; and that the latter having from a length of time connections with them, he would to all appearance become a powerful intercessor in their behalf, so soon as he should see them in some danger; in which case His Highness would find that, after spending a deal of money, and undergoing much bodily labour, in a campaign likely to be very fatiguing, he would be obliged to grant those people a full pardon, and to reinstate them in their possessions, without reaping any other fruit from all his toiling but a few concessions on their part, and some barren submissions. That such would prove the end of his campaign, no man in his senses would deny, who knew that how ready soever Zemindars might be to shake the yoke and to assume an independence on the slightest, it was a standing rule with them to submit on the slightest reverse which they experienced, and to spend rather immense sums to procure a protector, than to pay to their master a small sum as his due. It is then expedient,” added he, “that Hedaïet-aaly-qhan, who certainly shall interfere, were it but to raise his character, and to whose solicitations you shall not be willing to resist, should take his residence at some greater distance from you; and this you may easily compass, by making use of soft expressions.” Such insinuations operated their full effect on the young Viceroy’s mind, and as he had already thoughts of sending that nobleman into the country of Narhut-semái, to accustom those people to order, and to insure the revenue, he requested his repairing thither as soon as possible; and he invested him for that purpose with full command. He added, “That as his mind was not easy on those districts, as well as that of Mug, where Radja Sunder-sing, a powerful Zemindar, was possessed of a great extent of ground at the foot of the hills, and had but too many connections with the powers on the other side of that chain, he wished to have there a person of character and abilities, accustomed to manage Zemindars. That he requested, therefore, his repairing to that command immediately, and his keeping a watchful eye on that spot, as this would prove the only expedient for easing his mind, and letting him depart satisfied on his own expedition about Shah-abad and Rhotass. But that as on the other hand, his absence would cause many inconveniencies to him, he had contrived to lessen them, by requesting that meanwhile his younger brother, Mehdi-nessar-qhan, might exercise, as Deputy to his elder, his office of Paymaster-General of the army.” Such a speech from a master and Lord implied a full command, and Hedaïet-aaly-qhan, although fully apprised from whence came the shaft, smiled consent, and appointed his younger brother to act as his Deputy in his absence; after which he departed to the spot allotted to his care. Meanwhile the Governor having set out on his expedition with a good army and a train of artillery, soon found means to humble entirely the refractory Zemindars of that country, who really deserved all the ruin that befell them. Few of the merchants of that district, few of its inhabitants, had not felt their exactions, and hardly any traveller could venture to pass through their lands, without being stripped, and in case of resistance, murdered. It would require a volume to enumerate the many violences, and the many extortions they were perpetually putting in practice against all mankind. At last after two Successful expedition of the young Vice­roy of Azim-abad, against the Zemindars of Shah-abad. engagements, that cost much blood, and two sieges that consumed much time, the refractory Zemindars were driven from their strongholds, their castles and habitations were destroyed, and the country was freed from their incursions and eternal violences. The young Viceroy having rid himself of these troublesome oppressors, turned his views towards quieting the country, tranquil­lising the minds of the husbandmen, establishing a revenue, and resuscitating the finances.

These had been this longwhile entirely governed by an officer of consequence, called Roshen-qhan-terahi, an Afghan, who bore a character amongst his countrymen for valour and conduct, and had acquired a great renown in the contiguous provinces of Ilah-abad and Azim-abad, where he had great connections with all their Zemindars, being a complete master of the art of always seeming to be of their opinion, and of uniting with them, whenever he could not subdue them by main force. This man had objections to the extirpation of the Zemindars of Shah-abad on his own pri­vate account, and he thought it inexpedient besides, and danger­ous, if not impossible, as to their unbounded influence in their own extensive possessions, they joined connections of long-stand­ing with the independent Zemindars and Princes on the other side of the mountainous country. He, therefore, made several visits to the young Viceroy, to whom he urged strong representations on the subject. He enlarged upon the many inconveniencies that would attend the expedition, or necessarily result from it, and made it a request that a full pardon should be granted them, and that they might be reinstated in their principalities. The request was not of a nature to be suddenly granted, the more so, as meanwhile letters and messages were perpetually passing and repassing between the Zemindars and him. But independently of that, his requests were urged with so much forwardness, and uttered with such a tone of voice, as could not but give offence to a young man naturally haughty and imperious, both from actual possession of power, and from a consciousness of adequate abil­ities. His displeasure becoming the more sensible, as the representations became more importunate, his sense of them was soon perceived by some others who took care to envenom matters. One day the dialogue between the Viceroy and the Afghan becoming much warmer than usual, the Afghan who looked only on the Viceroy’s years, without stretching his apprehension further, made use of such expressions as the other neither could nor would bear. The man, accustomed to live in the country, had the rustic boldness to express himself in these very terms: You are yet a child, and have not seen the world; nor have you any idea of the revolutions so common in it; nor do you yet know of all the difference between day and night. Believe me, listen to my requests to-day; else, a time may come when you shall wish to have done it. Such expressions, delivered with so much rusticity and freedom, could not but shock the Viceroy; his very independence took the alarm, and he resolved to make an example of that ferocious insolent man. For that purpose, he made use of an officer who had always commanded with honour, and this was Mir-codret-ollah, son to Shah-shukur-ollah, the Cadyri Fakir; and to him he joined another resolute man, Hassen-beg, who had been Governor of the Castle of Mongher. The opportunity soon pre­sented Roshen-qhan, an Afghan of importance, mur­dered. itself. The Afghan having come in the evening to pay his court to the Viceroy, and waiting with some impatience the moment of his appearing in the tent of audience, he was suddenly set upon by those two men, who dispatched him in an instant. He was become so very corpulent that he could not get up from his seat, but was overthrown at once; and it was in that situation he plunged at one dip into endless eternity.