[When Zábita Khán received intelligence of the passage (of the Ganges) by the Mahrattas, and of the deaths of Sa'ádat Khán, Sádik Khán, and Karam Khán, the officers whom he had stationed to guard the ford, he was overpowered with astonishment, and fled in great bewilderment from Sakartál. He crossed the Ganges with a small escort, and proceeded to the camp of Faizu-llah Khán, carrying with him the intelligence of the Mahratta attack upon Najíbábád. Faizu-llah Khán said: “I came here for the purpose of giving you advice; but as you will not listen to my words, I shall now go back to my own country.” On hearing this declaration, Zábita Khán was still more downcast, and returned to his own forces. When he reached the Ganges, the good fortune of the Emperor plunged him into a sea of hesitation, and notwithstanding the number of his forces, and his powerful armament, he made no attempt to cross the river, but returned to Faizu-llah Khán.
When he arrived, he found Faizu-llah Khán seated on an elephant, about to depart. He mounted the same elephant, and proceeded with Faizu-llah to Rámpúr. On the news of his flight to Katehr reaching Sakartál, his soldiers were dispirited. They plundered each other, and then scattered in all directions. On receiving intelligence of these movements, the Mahrattas quickly advanced to Sakartál, and fell to plundering. * * The garrison of the fort of Najíbábád, who had held out in the hope of relief, were dismayed when they heard of the flight of Zábita Khán, and surrendered the fort to the royal forces. On taking possession of the fort, the people and family of Zábita Khán, including his son Ghulám Kádir, were placed in confinement. All the matériel, the treasure and the artillery collected by Najíbu-d daula, fell into their hands.
On the news of the advance of the Mahrattas towards Rámpúr reaching the chiefs of Katehr, all the inhabitants of Ánwala and Bisaulí assembled. Fearing to be attacked by the Mahrattas, they fled in dismay to Bareilly. Some of them went to Pílíbhít, intending to proceed to the hills. Háfiz Rahmat Khán* was returning from Farrukhábád to Tilhar when he heard of the defeat of Zábita Khán. He hastened to Bareilly, where he cheered and encouraged the chiefs and officers who were there assembled, and tried to dissuade them from removing to the hills. He said that the Mahrattas had no intention of attacking Katehr; and that if they really did advance, negociations might be opened with them and with the Emperor. If terms were agreed upon, all would be well; if not, they would fight. His auditors replied that there was no fortress of strength in Bareilly or Pílíbhít: it was therefore desirable to crrry off their families and property to the hills; for after these were placed in security, they themselves would be ready either for business or for war. Háfiz Rahmat reluctantly consented to their wishes. After Shaikh Kabír had entered Bareilly, Háfiz Rahmat took his departure, and leaving 'Ináyat Khán in Pílíbhít, he proceeded to Nának-math, in the skirt of the hills. From thence he went with his followers and chiefs and soldiers to Gangápúr, five kos distant in the hills, and surrounded with dense jungle, which secures it from the attacks of horsemen. There he remained. There also arrived Zábita Khán, in company with Faizu-llah Khán, who made their way through the jungle. Zábita Khán remained at Gangápúr four days. He then found that Shujá'u-d daula was encamped at Sháhábád, having advanced to the borders of his territories on hearing of the Mahratta attack upon Katehr.
Zábita Khán went off in great distress from Gangápúr to see Shujá'u-d daula, and to solicit his assistance in obtaining the release of his family. After talking over the matter, Shujá'u-d daula postponed any action until after the arrival of Háfiz Rahmat. Zábita Khán wrote repeatedly to Háfiz Rahmat, begging him to come quickly. * * The chiefs of Katehr suffered much from the inclemency of the climate of Gangápúr, and yielding to their solicitations, Háfiz Rahmat proceeded quickly to Sháhábád, at the beginning of the year 1186 A.H. (1772 A.D.), with three or four thousand men, horse and foot. When he approached, Shujá'u-d daula and the General Sáhib went forth to meet him and pay him due respect.
After they had sat down together, they talked about the release of Zábita Khán's family, and of the settlement of his affairs with the Mahrattas. After much debate, Shujá'u-d daula and the General Sáhib sent their wakíls with some officers of Háfiz Rahmat to the Mahratta sardárs. A great deal was said at the interview; but at length the Mahrattas sent a message to the effect that they had expended fifty lacs of rupees, and that they would not give up the family of Zábita Khán until this sum of money was paid, nor would they loosen their hold upon his territory or the country of Katehr. The wakíls had several meetings, and the Mahrattas at length agreed to take forty lacs; but they demanded as security for payment a deed under the seal of Shujá'u-d daula. The Nawáb said that he had entered upon the matter entirely out of regard to Háfiz Rahmat, and that if Háfiz would give a bond for the payment of the money, he would send his own bond to the Mahratta sardárs. All the chiefs of Katehr who were present at the Council besought Háfiz Rahmat that he would without hesitation give his bond to Shujá'u-d daula, to secure peace for Zábita Khán, and said that they would all assist in the payment of the money. So Háfiz Rahmat, to befriend Zábita Khán, and to gratify the chiefs of Katehr, gave his bond for forty lacs of rupees to Shujá'u-d daula. The latter then executed his bond, and sent it to the Mahrattas. In this he undertook to pay them forty lacs of rupees, when they had retired over the Jumna and entered Sháh-Jahánábád; and when they had sent back the family of Zábita Khán, and had withdrawn their hands from the country of Katehr.
On receipt of this document, the Mahrattas sent the family of Zábita Khán to Shujá'u-d daula and Háfiz Rahmat; they then crossed the Ganges and proceeded towards Sháh-Jahánábád. * * When Háfiz Rahmat heard that Zábita Khán's family had reached Bareilly, he took leave of Shujá'u-d daula and General Parker, and went to Pílíbhít. * * After some days, Háfiz Rahmat called upon the chiefs of Katehr for the money he had become responsible for at their solicitation, and for which he had given his bond to Shujá'u-d daula. They all began to lament their destitute condition, and made all sorts of excuses and evasions. Unable to do what he wished, Háfiz Rahmat did what he could, and sent the sum of five lacs out of his own treasury to Shujá'u-d daula. * *