Siyar al-mutaʾakhkhirin 42.2
A Translation of the Seir Mutaqherin (Haji Mustafa) 42.2
- Language
- English
42.2.1
All this while Abdul-ahed-qhan was so far master of the Emperor's heart and mind, that he governed the household and the Court with a single nod of his head; but his main business seemed to be to demolish Nedjef-qhan's power and influence. He was perpetually upon the watch to hurt him, like a serpent rolled upon itself; but the late victory entirely damped his ardour. As soon as he heard of this total defeat of Zabeta-qhan, a man on whose pride and prowess, as well as that of his national troops, he had so much relied for humbling Nedjef-qhan to dust, he concluded that it was preposterous in him to contend any more with so successful a rival. But, as at the same time this defeat of the Rohillahs had also greatly weakened the Sycs, their new allies, he resolved to avail himself of this event; and he concluded that the best party he could take would be to put himself, with the young Shahzadah, at the head of an army, with which he might, by marching up to Ser-hend, subdue a power that seemed to be already in distress; for he reckoned that after having brought them to terms of submission, he might join their forces to his victorious troops, and then fall at once upon his odious rival. This design having been approved by Shah-aalem, that Prince ordered his elder son, Djuvan-baqht, and his younger son, Ecber-shah, to join the Minister;
42.2.2
and the latter was already encamped in the outskirts of the city, when he published, "That whoever was a soldier, would find service in his camp, and ought to come to his standard." The city being full of military men, who breathed nothing but war, his camp was soon filled with a mighty army; and as soon as it was known that there was a perfect concert between the Emperor and him, several Commanders who resided in the country, and some others who had a character, but were accustomed to live by war, came from far and near, and joined his troops; so that the encamped army received daily additions. The Emperor, at the same time, having laid his commands on Nedjef-qhan, the latter sent a body of his own troops to join the Imperial Prince; and by such a step, he gave the expedition an air of concert which in reality it had not. The Minister having by these means furnished himself with feathers and wings, pushed forwards; and in emulation of Nedjef-qhan's boldness he advanced beyond Serhend, where, instead of seeking the enemy, he commenced a negotiation with the principal of the Syc rulers; he made a muster of his power, and exhorted him to a timely submission, but all this while he had not minded the poet's advice : " A wooden sword, engaging like one of steel, " Is not likely to support the comparison. "
42.2.3
The Syc observing that the Minister spent his time in negotiations, soon guessed the temper of the man he was to deal with, and breaking at once the conferences, he prepared to fall upon his enemy. Accordingly he attacked the next day. Some skirmishes took place, but nothing like a general engagement ; and yet this was enough to damp Abdul-ahed-qhan's spirits at once. Without having suffered any loss, or even any check, he took fright at the sight of unsheathed sabres ; and his cowardly timorous nature informing him internally that he would never stand the brunt of a battle, he took the Shah-zadah with him and fled without once turning about to look behind on those numerous troops of his, where not a single man had yet moved a foot from his post. After this flight, the troops retired of course, and Nedjef-qhan's corps was amongst the first that retreated ; but it was in so good order, that no one would choose to approach it. Some other Commanders followed, and retiring in good order, marched off unpursued. Numbers of the bravest of the other corps joining together, retired at a slow pace likewise ; but numbers of others, after having through their own ill conduct, or the incapacity of their Chiefs, roamed about for sometime, dispersed at last, and were then set upon one after another by the enemies, who despoiled them of both arms and horses, as well as clothes.
42.2.4
It was in such a dismal condition that they fled to their homes, and most of them to the capital, but not without undergoing a variety of hardships. Such a complete disgrace was enough to humble the Minister; but it served moreover to demolish him totally. Nedjef-qhan thought of making his profit of it. He had all along stood still like a mark to be shot at by Abdul-ahed-qhan and his party, and he had all along put up with the daily injuries he received from him. But thinking now that his concerns were blended with those of an incensed public that cried for vengeance, and concluding that there was no safety for him as well as for the public, but in the removal of that man from all power and influence, he supplicated the Emperor to remove that disturber of the public repose from all his offices and employments, and to send him into condign confinement. The Emperor, who is a strange sort of a man indeed, and of a character that borders upon foolishness and imbecility, made haste to obey his General's mandate; and the latter without losing time, made haste to send a number of trusty officers to the Minister's house, where they seized and confined his person, and confiscated his whole fortune. Out of all that wealth, the General took nothing for himself but his Library, and his Pharmacy, and collection of drugs and fossiles, which really contained great curiosities;
42.2.5
but he sent to the Emperor the money, furniture, and jewels — three articles that amounted to a great number of lacs. After this operation Nedjef-qhan sent several Commanders of his own, who repulsed the Sycs and drove them back to their homes; and these officers exhibited in other respects so much bravery and conduct, that the Sycs acknowledged Nedjef-qhan's superiority, and behaved submissively to him, although those mendicants turned soldiers, had been during all these troubles receiving such continual additions, that they now reckoned their numbers by lacs. Nedjef-qhan, having now confirmed his power by that act of authority, has seen his name become an object of dread and respect all over the provinces of Delhi and Acber-abad, where he lives with the utmost splendour and dignity. His character now commenced spreading abroad, and making impression even on the English, a nation acute, provident, and that sees deep into futurity; and he that had been left hitherto unnoticed and unminded, now received an Envoy from General Coote, who happened to be in that neighbourhood. This Envoy was Mr. Massac, who delivered a message full of complaints, mixed with some threats, in which he mentioned how much the English had hitherto borne and forborne. Nedjef-qhan returned a firm answer, and such as was calculated to impose silence, and to quash all further discussions.
42.2.6
But many dangerous troubles having arisen at this very time in the south of India, a stop was put to all further discussions with that rising conqueror; otherwise, there is no doubt, but the disputes would have grown warmer between the two parties, and that the respective pretensions would have been supported by armies; so that it is highly probable, that Nedjef-qhan would have appeared in the field against the English. We must wait to see what may be the subsequent events, and in whose behalf the Divine protection shall be pleased to declare itself; what nation shall prevail by the superiority of its fortune in the contest, and on whose standards the gale of Divine Providence shall be pleased to blow. "Let us wait till we see which of the two parties, the prevalence of fate "Shall raise to the skies, or depress and crush for ever." But as we have already mentioned succinctly, in the former volume, such authentic accounts of the affairs of Decan as had come to our knowledge, and have inserted them in the body of our history, it is not therefore out of its place that we should continue to impart to the reader such further creditable intelligence as is come to hand in the month of Shaaban and the beginning of the month of Ramazan, in the year 1195 of the Hedjra.
42.2.7
According, then, to those accounts, General Goddard, after having taken the Fortress of Bessi, which is one of the strongest and most important fortresses under the Marhatta power, marched with intention to make himself master of Punah, the Capital of that Empire, the centre of its power, and the residence of all the principal Grandees and rulers of that nation. This undertaking was opposed by several Marhatta Generals, who joining their forces together, advanced some stages from Punah towards the salt-water, where they fought the English troops with a variety of successes, but in such a manner, however, that not a day passed without some severe action, in which the Generals on both sides exerted themselves to the utmost of their abilities and courage, and vast numbers of brave men fell every day on both sides. At last a final engagement took place, in which General Goddard was defeated; but he had the abilities and presence of mind to assemble the few men that had escaped the slaughter (and these did not exceed two thousand men), and to make good his retreat towards the sea, abandoning his cannon and baggage; there he found ships ready, in which he embarked with his men, and reached Bombay. This is an island defended by a strong fortress of the same name, built long ago by the English, and replenished with every necessary for a long defence; there he remains actually waiting for reinforcements, and for an opportunity of re-commencing his operations.
42.2.8
There is some report that he is gone to Bender-soret (Surat); but the truth of this God knows. What is come to our knowledge of late is this, that another English army, under the command of Colonel Camac, another Commander of great conduct and bravery, had penetrated into the province of Malva (where the English were already in possession of the famous Fortress of Goaliar), and had made themselves masters of a number of strong places, and a vast extent of country. But these conquests brought upon him a great army of Marhattas from Decan, who, by intercepting his convoys and forages, and by repeated engagements with his troops, as well as by reducing to straits his garrison and troops in Goaliar, so harassed that officer, that he was obliged to surrender that fortress to the Radja of Gohud, its owner, and, moreover, to evacuate all his other conquests; after which he retreated towards Calpy and Atava. That Commander arrived in that neighbourhood after a very fatiguing retreat, and took up his quarters there.