Siyar al-mutaʾakhkhirin 25.6
A Translation of the Seir Mutaqherin (Haji Mustafa) 25.6
- Language
- English
25.6.1
It was at this time, that is, about the end of the year 1192, of the Hedjrah, that Colonel Godard, who had always shewn me a deal of friendship and attachment, having set out from Lucknow for Calcutta, to put an end to some questions and answers of his own, I availed myself of that opportunity and of the Colonel's countenance, to repair from Azim-abad to Calcutta, in order to push an affair that concerned me greatly; and great were the hopes I had conceived; when the poor Colonel by a sudden stroke of chance, was obliged to give up his own schemes for returning towards Lucknow, and to prepare himself for an expedition in Decan. For he was appointed to a command in the army which was to march from Lucknow and Ilah-abad; a disappointment that affected already his affairs as well as his spirits. This departure of the Colonel's having left me alone and without support, I lost all hopes of succeeding in my own business, especially as the English, immersed in disputes amongst themselves, and in preparatives of war, did not pay any attention to the affairs of Hindostanies. To mention such matters in these historical sheets, would be improper. What for to go on singing dirges upon my destiny, and uttering complaints against the world? Whatever is predestinated to happen in a certain time and in certain circumstances, will certainly come to pass. "Let us will or not will, what is in our destiny shall come to pass assuredly."
25.6.2
The cause of Colonel Godard's discontent was the appointment of Colonel Lesley to the command of the above army, in consequence of his superior rank in the service, to whom of course he would be obliged to obey. Now Colonel Godard was upon very bad terms with him; nor had Lesley the least capacity or fitness for such a command. But according to the rules of seniority, customary amongst the military of that nation, Colonel Godard had been obliged either to resign entirely the service, or to submit to him. As I had long conceived an attachment for that officer, I used to tell him, that the expedition in which he was embarked, was an object of the utmost importance. But he was so proud of the easy conquests and the repeated victories of his nation, that he thought the whole an easy matter; and he would often answer that two regiments of their Talingas were enough to beat all the Hindostanies put together. Such high-flown notions of his, rendering it improper and useless in me to insist upon my admonition, I chose to be silent. As for Colonel Lesley, that officer, in consequence of his appointment by the Council, set out from Ilah-abad to repair to Calpy, from whence he was to begin his march through the Bundul-cund, and the dependencies of Barar, quite to Aoreng-abad, and so on to Decan. His orders were to take Ragonat-rao with him, and to effect a junction with the army from Bombay at the appointed place;
25.6.3
after which he was to proceed jointly with him in the business of bringing the Marhatta rulers to a submission in the manner projected by the Council of Calcutta. The Governor had taken care to facilitate the success of this expedition, by dispatching to Great-Naigpoor, Mr. Elliot, a man who in sincerity of speech, and propriety of conduct, has few equals amongst his own countrymen, as well as amongst the Hindostanies. His orders were to renew the treaties, and to pay slowly the balances of money due by the Revenue of Bengal to Moodda-dji and to the posterity of Rago-dji-bhossla; and he was to return after having put that court in good humour. Naigpoor is the capital of the country held by Rago-bhossla, as Mucasdar of the province of Barar. This Rago is the same who after a twelve years' bloody war with Aaly-verdy-qhan, whom he had fought with a variety of successes, had at last made an accommodation with him, by which the English his successors have abided inviolably, avoiding all disputes on that subject with the Marhatta's posterity; trusting nevertheless so far to their own power and prevalence as never to pay regularly the pension stipulated by that Viceroy. They act in that business in a languid, ambiguous manner, giving little at a time, and withholding much. Not but that messages and letters were going on constantly from Naigpoor to Calcutta, demanding the outstanding balances; but yet it was in a soft moderate style. In short, the intent of Mr.
25.6.4
Elliot's embassy was to renew the treaty, and to manage so, as that Rago's sons and dependants should not offer any opposition to the English army, then marching towards the Decan; nor meanwhile avail themselves of the opportunity to make an irruption into Bengal and Bahar. Now it must be observed that as Rago's posterity on one hand were nephews to the Sahoo Radja, and pretenders to his dignity and station; and on the other Baladji-rao, after the said Radjah's demise, had availed himself of the power and authority of his office of Generalissimo of the forces, to take possession of the dominions and treasures of the deceased, and had set aside the right of Rago's posterity to the throne; the Court of Naigpoor therefore did not live upon good terms with the Court of Poona; and neither Moodda-dji, nor his Ministers, made any difficulty to renew the pact and agreement with the English. So that the Colonel's army marched on without opposition, and the provinces of Bengal and Bahar meanwhile remained free from their ravages. Unluckily as Mr. Elliot was cutting his way thro' a mountainous tract in the height of the rains, he was suddently overtaken by his last hour, and having laid his foot in the valley of death, he departed for eternity. His embassy was taken up, and its intent fulfilled, by the younger Mr. Anderson, who returned to Calcutta by the way of Azim-abad and Bahar.
25.6.5
As for me who had conceived such mighty hopes on my coming to that city in Colonel Godard's company, with whose assistance I was to carry a point in the Council, and who besides had an old acquaintance with the Governor, I could obtain only two or three interviews with him, in one of which, he asked me whether at any time I had been in Decan? I answered that I had never been there, but that I had some little knowledge of the affairs of those parts; and I continued the discourse in these words: "Colonel Godard, who wanted to carry this poor man with him, as a friend and companion, proposed two conditions to me: The first, that the office of Monshy should be under the sole direction of this most inconsiderable of men, without whose inspection and correction no letter should be dispatched. The second, that the poor man should also undertake the voyage and embassy into Decan. The second condition I declined, on account of old age, and the fear of remaining a longwhile parted from my children and family, but especially of being deprived of the happiness of keeping prostrated at the feet of a mother, who had an affection for me. In short, as my destiny had not set apart any grain or water or air for me in Decan, the voyage did not take place." As to the affair for which I had come with Colonel Godard, that gentleman on setting out for camp recommended it to Mr. Elliot;
25.6.6
and this best and most obliging of men obtained in fifteen days a letter from the Governor to the Council of Azim-abad, which he backed by another, very strong of his own, and also by another to Mr. Anderson, who was then a Member of that Council and an intimate friend of his. My business was in a fair way, when Mr. Anderson was recalled to preside at the Board of Revenue in Calcutta, and Mr. Golding set out for Europe. So that my affair which was already in a fair way, remained spoiled, and is at a stand, until my destiny shall produce some favourable event. But it is time for us now to leave my private affairs, and even the English army with what adventures it shall chance to have in Decan; it being my intention to postpone that narrative to a view of the state of affairs in Calcutta and in Bengal.
25.6.7
We have sometime ago left Rabiah-begum, departing for the other world with all the tokens of the sincerest repentance. Her daughter, Banni-begum, followed her a few years after, and departed this life in the year 1193, when Mahmud-reza-qhan was already out of office. Her distemper was a loss of blood, for which some body having given her an astringent remedy to repress the superabundance of blood, it stopped likewise all the customary evacuations of every kind, until it struck into her heart and brain. Mahmed-reza-qhan sent her a remedy intended to strengthen both. It availed nothing; and she departed for her long pilgrimage. Her wealth, which was great, was taken possession of by that Minister, in appearance to guard it against accidents; and it was reported that it had been received by her heir. But no one has ever been able to say, that he had seen that heir, or heard of the division of that money and of those jewels which she was known to be possessed of. Doubtless that piece of knowledge is reserved for the Glorious One, Who knows all things.