Siyar al-mutaʾakhkhirin 16.5.6

16.5.6

The reason of such a choice was this: As there was a strong report that the Marhattahs were lurking in the forest, and would sally forth on the first opportunity, as soon as they should see the passage from Bengal put an end to by the rains, no man of character would choose to accept an office, which was untenable; so that the Viceroy determined to return at any rate, invested the very first man that accepted his invitation; whilst the man himself who did not dream of such a sudden promotion, thought it a good luck sent him from Heaven; and doubtless he had an eye to the known verse: "Dominion, although even for a short time, has still irresistible charms." Nor is there any other way of accounting for so strange a promotion. The Viceroy having in this manner rid himself of this affair, made haste to depart, it being now the month of Assar; for the rains had already set in by the beginning of the month of Djutt, and that too with so much violence as well as perseverance, that not a day passed without rain. So that the little streams which hitherto had afforded hardly any water, now commenced swelling at such a rate, that to get over any single of them proved a work of much time and much difficulty. In some of these indeed the water did not rise above the armpits; but then it ran with so much violence, that it was impossible to cross over.