Siyar al-mutaʾakhkhirin 19.3
A Translation of the Seir Mutaqherin (Haji Mustafa) 19.3
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19.3.1
As soon as the appointment took place, the new Governor crossed the Ganga with a small train of artillery, and his own body of troops; and from thence he wrote circular letters to every principal man, and to every civil and military officer in the province: all men whom he knew personally. These letters with now and then a menace, contained a variety of promises, and were calculated to gain the heart of every one. This passage of the Ganga roused the attention of Hazyr-aaly-qhan, who had forgot himself totally on seeing six or seven thousand foot, and two or three thousand horse under his command; he armed himself and resolved to repel the enemy, and he made choice of a post which he fortified with intrenchments. But all this while he was unaware that his troops, being no better than so many farmers of Pùrania, were faint-hearted, and unfit for a day of battle; those people making nothing of throwing away their arms, and abandoning their officers, without any sense of shame. Instead of that knowledge so necessary in a man of his station, he had provided himself with certain astrological predictions, which a certain Gentoo, called Ratan-pat, had been brewing for him, and he had strengthened his post on his own notions of success and victory. However, he took care to gain the hearts of his troops, by bestowing much money amongst them from the large sums that had been brought together with so much trouble by Seradj-ed-doulah's Deputy.
19.3.2
By this time Qhadum-hassen-qhan had approached the enemy, but as fear and despondency seemed to have seized him, as well as his antagonist, he thought proper to stop short, and to write pressing letters to the Navvab for his hastening his promised assistance. Luckily for him that the Pùraniah troops no sooner heard of the enemy's approach, than they were seized with a panic, and they disappeared by small parties; each man, as his fear prompted him, quitting the camp in the night, and making the best of his way to his home. The desertion became so general, that the numbers in camp became thinner and thinner, to the great disappointment of Hazyr-aaly-qhan, who was still more intimidated by hearing that the Navvab had sent repeated orders to Mir-cazem-qhan to hasten his march. These orders, however, did not please Qhadum-hassen-qhan; but as he was a shrewd man, and fully informed how matters went in the enemy's camp, he thought it expedient to hasten to an engagement, for fear of being obliged to share the honour of the success with another in a victory which he thought could not escape him. Full of these ideas, he assembled the few troops he had with him, and before Mir-cazem-qhan could come up, he marched directly against the enemy's camp. Hazyr-aaly-qhan, on the other hand, ranged his troops upon the intrenchment, and with his Minister, Atchul-sing, he made his appearance at their head.
19.3.3
But these troops who had already been impressed by Qhadum-hassen-qhan's letters, forgot everything but their own safety; on descrying the enemy's march they wavered, and without being pushed to it by actually feeling the impression of either sabre or spear, they quitted their posts all at once, and fled every one the nearest way to his home. Hazyr-aaly-qhan, without being desmayed by this general desertion, found means to secure his flight. He fled and disappeared, without it being possible to know where, and how. To all appearance, he went towards the mountainous tracts in the north of Purania, which although contiguous to Bengal, are independent from it; and he remained concealed there until he might hear of an opportunity of emerging from thence; and this happened when another revolution was effected in favour of Mir-cassem-aaly-djah. Then he shewed himself again, but was seized and confined for a length of time, without being ever heard of afterwards. After so easy and so complete a victory, Qhadum-hassen-qhan made his entry in Purania, where he took up his abode in the palace built by Sayd-ahmed-qhan; and from thence he proclaimed that whoever had concealed Atchul-sing, should produce him immediately. But there was little need of any vigorous search; for the man himself having concluded that as a pen-man and one that had acted only on a second-hand, there was little danger for him in being apprehended, quietly suffered himself to be taken;
19.3.4
on which the Governor required him to produce a general account of the employ he had made of the public money; after which he resumed every thing that had been bestowed under the former administration. Numbers that had absconded, were seized, and by dint of severities, were made to pay much money, after having refunded all that which they had really received. Such violences made his administration odious, and rendered his person an object of taunt and reproach; but he seemed to pay little attention to it; and, indeed, he had not delicacy enough to feel the detestable part he had chosen to act; and, provided he made much money, he little minded the detestation of an incensed public. Mir-cazem-qhan arrived at this time with his force; but he found the country reduced; and he contented himself with paying a visit to the new Governor; after which he took his leave, and returned to the camp at Radj-mahl. The Governor being now firmly settled, applied himself to the duties of his office, and some months had elapsed in this manner; but Ratun-pal, the astrologer, who had absconded with many others, having thought proper to make again his appearance upon the stage of the world, gave birth to a strange scene. This man claimed the possession of some villages that had been bestowed upon him successively by Saif-qhan, and afterwards by Sayd-ahmed-qhan.
19.3.5
He thought that, as the whole business of an astrologer consisted in keeping great men in good humour with their ownselves, by a variety of predictions suited to their inclinations, the new Governor would not find fault with him for having flattered Hazyr-aaly-qhan a little, nor would object to his being left in the possession of an estate so fairly acquired. "Astrologer," said the Governor, with an air of derision, "have you examined the stars to-day, before you ventured out of your house? Doubtless you have." "Illustrious Navvab," answered the other, "as the business of such men as we, is to draw horoscopes for others, and to examine the Heavens for a favourable hour, you may rest assured that we do not neglect such a precaution for ourselves." "Very well," replied the Governor; "and it is you undoubtedly, that have pointed out to Hazyr-aaly-qhan, a favourable hour for his fine expedition. Have you not?" The man did not deny it; and on that concession, the Governor ordered him to be carried to the public market, there to have his nose cut off, to terrify all the Grandees and principal men of the province; and likewise to teach him to look out with more care about a favourable hour, on his coming out of his lodgings. The order was punctually executed, and the poor man remained mutilated for life. This expedition of Qhadum-hassen-qhan's having put it in the Navvab's power to depart from Radj-mahl, he marched on to Azim-abad.
19.3.6
But Ram-narain, being by this time certain that the Navvab's expedition was solely intended against him, he concluded with himself, that his own power and dominion could never subsist upon a solid foundation, unless he made an alliance with the English. He reposed no confidence on Mir-djaafer-qhan's promises and actions; could not trust his word; and was still more mistrustful of his Ministers. With this view he gained Govinda-mul over to his side; that is, the very man who had orders to persuade him; and he sent him, as his own agent, to the English camp, with a commission to spare nothing that might procure him a letter, according to the wish of his heart, from Colonel Clive. After which, he assured him, he would soon come to terms with the Navvab. Govinda-mul waited on Mir-djaafer-qhan, and informed him, "that Ram-narain would not come to pay him his respects, unless the English mediated some terms with His Highness, and pledged their good faith as guarantees. That otherwise, God only knew what might happen!" On the Navvab's answering, that he had no objections, Govinda-mul applied to the Moonshy, or Persian Secretary; and having gained him over to his party, he obtained from him such a minute of a letter, as he wanted, and brought it to the Navvab. But as the agent was apprised that Mir-djaafer-qhan could neither write nor read fluently, and that when once duly seasoned with his dose of bang, he was incapable of attending to business, especially after his meal;
19.3.7
so those two shrewd ones, who knew his character, made choice of that moment to present their letter. The old Navvab excused himself on his having a headache, and his not being able to read at present; but he added, however, that he would hear the purport. Such a purport, therefore, was mentioned to him, as differed widely from the real letter, but, however, suited his intention and mind; so that after having heard it, he ordered a letter to be drawn up accordingly, and shewn to Colonel Clive. Govinda-mul having carried his point, folded up the letter, and ran to the Colonel. This Commander took a copy of it, signed and sealed the original, and then returned it to the Navvab. It contained "an invitation to come over to the English camp, with assurances of his taking it upon himself to have him confirmed in his Government, and to see him secured in his life, property, and honour, without being "liable to be called to any account whatever, for either the management of the revenue, or any other matter." Govinda-mul, furnished with such a piece, took his departure from thence, without returning to the Navvab's camp; and spreading his wings full in the expanse of success, he arrived at Ram-narain's palace, where he shewed him the letter, and its minute. Such a sight could not but quiet that Governor's mind; and as he had now carried his point, and was totally freed from his fears, he resolved to wait upon the Navvab;
19.3.8
and having spied a favourable hour, he set out to shift his ground.