Storia do Mogor 294.2
Storia do Mogor (Irvine) 294.2
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294.2.1
But at last the pressing solicitations of certain traders, European and Hindu, setting forth the misery endured by the smaller people and the poor of the place, compelled the governor to countersign an agreement to pay the above-named sum. On their side, the Mahomedans promised to raise the blockade and secure the return of the cloth and money they had seized. All these negotiations occupied nearly one month, and they were not completely finished until May 17. On that day the blockade was raised, and the English on their side made ready to carry out what they had promised.
294.2.2
To this intent they sent on the twenty-fifth of the said month an official of the Company to San Thome to carry out the business. But when he arrived at a village called Triblicani (Triplicane), half way to that town, he learnt that the general and all his troops had departed, whereby he was forced to retrace his steps before anything had been done. The next day I visited Big Mount, where I found the nawab and the diwan in my house. I expressed my joy at the termination of the dispute. On their side they gave me a thousand marks of kindness and favour. I entertained and regaled them to such extent as was in my power. They told me it was the fault of the English that things had not been settled much earlier, and their procrastination was the cause of it. Soon I took my leave, and we separated with numerous expressions on both sides of esteem and friendship. They informed me that they left behind their procurator (? wakil) to carry out the conditions they had agreed on with the English and receive the promised money.
294.2.3
Some time back we left Aurangzeb engaged in besieging the fortress of Khelna (IV. 33). The prince still persists, though with small success. On his side the Shiva Ji (Mahrattahs) exerts himself to frustrate him and cause him as much injury as possible. He selects the spots that he deems the most unprotected, and he has recently fallen upon the town of Borampar (Burhanpur), and after making of it a scene of desolation, has captured and carried off the governor. His prisoner could only secure release by force of paying money. The rajah turned his arms next [107] in the direction of Gulkandah. After appearing before that town, he entered it as into a conquered country, menaced it with fire and sword, and in the end forced the governor to pay him a considerable sum to save it from pillage.
294.2.4
The aged monarch heard of all these disasters, and felt them to the quick. He revolved in his mind all sorts of plans for preventing in the future such losses and disorders. They injure him both in his honour and his interests. He has observed that all these things are principally due to the great agility of the Shiva Ji cavalry in carrying out their master's orders ; he has, therefore, decided — and he could not do otherwise — to equip for war some fifteen thousand camels, and mount as many men on them, fitted out with all the arms and necessary materiel for making a good defence while on the march. He has no doubt that this device will prove most efficacious for forestalling and stopping the endless ravages of this rajah. The reason is that these animals can easily, without being much distressed, cover forty or fifty leagues every day. Such a journey cannot be accomplished by the smartest cavalry. If this corps can be formed, it will infallibly answer his purpose. But, while it is easy to procure camels, it is almost impossible to find enough men able to stand the tossing motion of these beasts. The men trained to ride them in this fashion are extremely few.
294.2.5
In the month of May in the same year [1702] Aurangzeb, knowing the rainy season would soon arrive, and aware of the impossibility of undertaking anything until it was completely over, found it advisable to make a last effort to take the fort of Khelna. For this purpose he invested it still more strictly, having now some better troops. All his attempts were useless — nay, the enemy cut into pieces for him nearly six thousand mansabdars (officers). They were killed among the hills where that fort is situated. From this cause he was forced to abandon the enterprise, putting it off to a season and occasion more favourable to his designs. Everybody in India knows that Agrah is the place where the Mogul collects all his treasure, and thence withdraws subsequently such money as is required for the payment of his troops, even when the army is on the march. This money arrives only at intervals, and is used to pay those troops who serve directly under his orders. By this procedure he now and again suffers loss ; for in spite of these remittances being furnished with a strong escort, there are some of his children who do not invariably maintain the respect and loyalty due to their king and their father.
294.2.6
Not long ago A'zam-tara [i.e., A'zam Shah] did something to prove the above to be true. There was on its way to Aurangzeb's army a considerable sum of money destined for the payment of his soldiers. He stopped the convoy and took the money. It must be admitted that the prince wrote at the same time a most respectful letter to his father, attempting excuses for the act by stating the straits he was in for money. This was the reason forcing him to take what had been meant for his father's use. Furthermore, his majesty knew well where to find more. However, in spite of all this submissive language and excuses, the old man resented this trick most acutely, without making any outward sign. Seeing there was no remedy, he was content to hide his displeasure for fear of making matters worse. In the course of my history I have often spoken of the general Ja'far Khan. He was the man of all those at court who made the greatest show, and was the most judicious in dealing with all sorts of people. What I have already said will be sufficient proof of that; but as I had forgotten some of his doings, which have since come to mind, I think it right not to deprive the attentive reader of the pleasure of hearing about them. Besides, what is done in India is so different from the habits and customs of Europe, that I imagine the smallest things happening there are worth communicating to Europeans.
294.2.7
The justice meted out by this lord to a man, who supplied his household with herbs and vegetables during his journey to Kashmir, marks equally his uprightness of mind and the profuseness of his expenditure. This man, then, of whom I speak, brought his accounts at the end of the year to the treasurer of this general's household, wishing to be paid for the supplies he had sent in. Having examined the accounts, this official found the amount so enormous that he decided to strike off the sum of eighty thousand rupees. The tradesman could not, and would not, allow this, and carried his grievance before the master of the house, and he on the instant ordered the payment of the whole demand, and forbad all further discussion. Everybody in India knows how dear and scarce essence of roses is; though in some years it is less scarce than in others. Yet neither scarcity nor high cost deterred this general from having his horses rubbed with this liquid as a matter of course. However, a year came in which he was forced to do without this luxury, for none could be found at any price. One of Ja'far Khan's grooms made a profit out of this dearth, for during the years of its abundance he had taken the trouble to accumulate, drop by drop, some twenty-five ounces from the drippings off the horses when he washed them. This poor man sold that quantity at fifty rupees the ounce, which placed him in easy circumstances, to the astonishment of those who heard the story.
294.2.8
While this noble was just and liberal, he had also a great and generous mind, and no occasion escaped him of giving proof of it. That was shown [109] more especially on an occasion, of which these are the details. The king took it into his head to fix the costume of the women in his harem, dividing them into groups or companies — that is, so many got up in such a manner and in such colours, another company in another colour, and so on for the whole of them. He was also anxious that these clothes should all be of the finest materials procurable. But when he set to work on this fantastic idea, he found there were three pieces of stuff deficient in the quantity required for one of the divisions. He had these pieces searched for everywhere, but nowhere could they be found. Finally, they told him that he might perhaps find some pieces at Ja'far Khan's, for he was always provided with whatever was most scarce and curious.