Siyar al-mutaʾakhkhirin 18.13.2

18.13.2

it was the seventh of Shevval. By one of those fatalities so conspicuous in the fate of persons of high stations, and which proceeded from his own ignorance of the world, and the unsteadiness of his temper, instead of taking to the left hand, and going to Radj-mahl, as he had determined at first, he struck to the right, and went to Bagvangolah, where he immediately embarked on a number of boats which are at all times kept ready in that station. But if instead of taking that fatal resolution, he had continued his journey by land, as it had been his intention, and had sent notice to some commanders of his, who had not yet joined the malcontents, it is past doubt that numbers of them would have followed him, through personal attachment, and many more by a principle of avarice and ambition ; in a few hours' time he would have been joined by some thousands; and people seeing him so well accompanied, would have not dared to oppose his journey. It is even probable that his retinue would have swelled at every stage, and that he would have found himself at last at the head of a respectable force. But what man has had it in his power to withstand his own destiny; and how is it possible to parry the decrees of an impending fate? Seradj-ed-doulah, now in his boats, was advancing on his way to Azim-abad; for on the first motions of the English from Calcutta he had wrote a pressing letter to Môshur Lass to recommend his coming down immediately, without losing a moment.