Riyaz al-salatin 111.1.11

111.1.11

A providential victory thus fell to the good fortune of Ali Vardi Khan Mahabat Jang. The latter pursued the vanquished army up to the Port of Balasore. From there, he detached Mirza Khairu-l-lah Beg, Faqiru-l-lah Beg, and Nuru-l-lah Beg to capture Yahya Khan and Murshid Quli's Begam, and also to seize his treasures and chattels. Ali Vardi instructed them to proceed by forced marches, whilst he himself followed them on horse-back. When news of this affair and of Murshid Quli Khan's retreat to the Dakhin reached Katak (Cuttack), Murad Khan, the generalissimo of the Rajah of Parsutam (Puri), who had been detailed for guarding Yahya Khan and the Begam in the Fort of Barahbati, planned to send instantly the Begam and Yahya Khan together with all their chattels and treasures to the Dakhin, by way of Sikakul. Baggages and equipages were kept ready, and jewelleries, gold coins, treasures, and other precious things were loaded on elephants, camels, and waggons, when all of a sudden the army of Ali Vardi Khan made its appearance. The elephant and camel-drivers, &c., leaving behind the loaded treasures and chattels with their baggages, fled, and all those treasures fell into the hands of the aforesaid Mirzas, who divided the precious jewelleries, treasures, and other valuable wares amongst themselves. Since Ali Vardi Khan also followed up subsequently, he captured the remaining treasures, and also confiscated other treasures of the adherents of Murshid Quli Khan.