The march of the Nawaub and his troops towards Kirpa, Kur­nole, Bellari, &c., and the collection of an adequate* Paishkush (tribute) from the Chiefs of the above districts; with other con­quests, made in the end of the same year 1185, Hijri.— A. D. 1771.

AT the period when the Nawaub had marched to oppose the English, the Chief of Kirpa, Abdul Huleem Khan, considering the time favourable to his plans, despatched his horse to ravage and plunder the districts and towns depending on the Nawaub, and the towns belonging to the Souba of Sura, and Kurum Goonda, and the villages of the tributary Poligars of that Souba, were in consequence laid waste. In the same way, Munuwwur Khan, the Chief of Kurnole, in concert with the Chief of Gud­wal, exerted himself to do as much injury as he could. The Náík of Bullari, whose name was Doodapa, also insolently caused a great disturbance in the dependencies of Rai Droog, &c; and continual accounts of these excesses arrived at the hearing of the Nawaub’s servants. The settlement of that quar­ter was, nevertheless, postponed by the Nawaub to the end of the war with the red faced blood drinkers, (i. e. the English). At this time, therefore, as the heavenly mind of the Nawaub was set at rest by the conclusion of treaties of peace with them, he sent off to Puttun* the heavy baggage of his army with the dependents and families of the Nowayuts or Nayuts; and himself, with a determination to punish his enemies, accompanied by all his horse, and regular and irregular infantry, the whole of which amounted to fifty or sixty thousand men, accompanied also by his Atash Khana,* or artillery raining fire, he proceeded by easy stages, as if travelling for pleasure to see the country, toward Kirpa, and he gave orders to a party of his Kuzzaks to omit no means of laying waste the country in the vicinity of Kirpa; (and they obeyed his orders so thoroughly,) as to leave not one of the well wishers of that enemy, (the Chief of that place), alive.

When this intelligence was carried to the Chief of Kirpa, he became exceedingly alarmed and saw no resource for his present and future welfare but to seek refuge with the servants of the Nawaub, and he therefore despatched a Vakeel with five lakhs of rupees in money, two elephants, and four horses, with jewelled or embroidered saddles and equip­ments, as a present together with petitions for the forgiveness of his offences, great and small, and offering, as to the future, strong and repeated assurances that, from this time, he would never place the foot of presumption beyond the boundary of obedience to the Nawaub’s commands, but would act according to his orders; and as a mode of manifesting the strength of his attachment, he further offered to send a portion of his troops to serve as subsidiaries with the Nawaub’s army.

This petition the Nawaub granted from political motives, and also accepted the money and presents, according to the verse, “What comes unasked, is given of God”— “refuse not what is sent by God.”*— and placed them in his treasury, and having written* some directions, in the way of advice, for the regulation of the Khan’s conduct, now and hereafter, and which might serve as the rule of his life and welfare, he then despatched a newswriter to his capital, with proper presents, and honorary distinctions.

Budruzzumán Khan, who formerly gave up the fort of little Balapoor to the Paishwa, Madhoo Rao, and thereby threw the dust of shame on his own head, and had since accepted the service of the Hakim of Kirpa, now through the intercession of Alí Zumán Khan his brother-in-law, had an assurance of safety sent to him; and, forgiving his faults, the Nawaub invited him to return, bestowing on him the Khilut, or honorary dress of pardon, and restoring him to his former office of Bukshi.

The Nawaub now immediately marched on, and passing by the environs of Gunjee Kote, belonging to the Kirpa Chief, arrived at Bheekun Pulli. The Killadár of that place, who was of the Syud family of Gholaum Alí, otherwise called Guloo, at first got ready to fight; and, his insolence and folly produc­ing a kind of frenzy, he fired a few gun shots at the Nawaub’s body guard; the Nawaub himself being present, and riding his favourite elephant, called Poon Guj. The Nawaub was, therefore, bound in honour to require and demand that this insolent fellow should be punished in a way that might serve for a warning to others, and accord­ingly, gave orders to his brave officers to attack him with their companies; upon which they instantly encircled him, putting forth their hands to plunder and lay waste. Seeing this ravage, the Killadár threw down his shield, and, placing the ring of obedience and service in the ear of his life,* despatched a Vakeel with a present of fifty thousand rupees, and he was then allowed to remain unmo­lested. At the same time his cousins, Meer Hussein Alí Khan, and Meer Assud Alí Khan, being desirous to serve the Nawaub, presented themselves to him, and were appointed Bukshis of horse.

The Nawaub now marched two stages towards Gudwal, the Poligar of which place, fearful of the overwhelming attacks of the Nawaub, and trembling like a reed shaken in the wind, despatched a Vakeel with two lakhs of rupees, and some other presents, and also with petitions for his life and safety; and having done this, he considered himself out of danger. When the Vakeel with the money, presents and letters, arrived at the presence, he delivered his message with much humility and suppli­cation. From forethought and expediency, the Nawaub accepted his money and presents, and then marched in another direction.

Although the Nawaub passed with his army by the dependencies of Gooti, that is to say, those of Morar Rao, yet, from policy, he took especial care that no injury should be done, either to the Rao or the inhabitants of that part of the country; but marched on hastily to Kurnole. As soon as Mun­uwwur Khan was apprised of the arrival of the Nawaub Bahadúr’s army, he determined to oppose them, and got his troops in readiness, pitched his tents, and raised his standards, outside the town. A fanatical devotee, named Shah Miskeen, the Khan’s Moorshud or spiritual director, in whom the Khan placed great faith and all whose com­mands he obeyed, (to such an extent that no chief of his rank was ever so obedient to his spiritual guide as he,) now said “Munuwwur, rejoice; for I will make thy enemies flee.” The Khan was so over­joyed, at hearing these glad tidings, that he nearly fainted; and, being now happy, fancied he should certainly conquer the Nawaub’s gallant army. The Nawaub, when he became aware of the inten­tions of the Khan, committed the right and left wings of his army to his bravest officers, and, mounted on an elephant, he himself, with his most devoted troops, taking post in the centre, his artil­lery in front, advanced opposite the walls of the town, and there halted; his intention being to attack immediately and take the town and its chief together.