Storia do Mogor 335.3
Storia do Mogor (Irvine) 335.3
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335.3.1
The sharp-witted viceroy, in order to force the son to admit his origin, sent for a hide, and set to work to cut out boots as worn in Portugal. He was unable to carry out his intention after many attempts. While thus occupied the gentleman came in and noticed that his Excellency was not even near succeeding in what he wanted to do. This forced him into saying: 'What is it your Excellency wants to do? Why are you taking all that trouble?' He answered that the leather was for a pair of boots after the pattern of their country. The gentleman, without guessing the viceroy's object, put himself at once into the proper attitude for cutting them out, saying that from infancy he had been used to wearing boots and riding on horseback.
335.3.2
By this trick the quick-witted viceroy learnt what the man had been, but allowed no sign of it to escape him; and after a longish conversation on different subjects, he told him that he was in need of a loan of 50,000 seraphim (? ashrafi), which he would return on the following day. The young man forwarded the money at once. Next day the viceroy sent for the good old man, and made him hide in the room where the money was placed. He then sent for the young gentleman, and, taking his hand, led him into that room, saying to him: 'Behold your father, to whom you are under great obligations; make up your mind to give him all that is necessary to travel home again. Indeed, he must be allowed to carry away the 50,000 seraphim, and by that payment I shall have acquitted myself towards you in regard to my debt.' He added some severe words of reproof, and sent him away. Thus the old man went back to Portugal well provided. This story shows how the wisdom of men in power may remedy many things, and how much greater is the success obtained by such means than by violence. There was in the Mogul country an officer named Fatulacan (Fathullah Khan), an Uzbak or Tartar by race. He started from Hindustan at the head of a large body of troops, convoying a large sum in gold and silver coin for the disbursements of the royal army. When they arrived at the town of Aurangabad, the insolent Mogul soldiers began to rob many of the shops [158] and beat men in different quarters of the town.
335.3.3
The governor of the place was 'Ali Mardan Khan, the same who had been captured twice by the Mahrattahs. He sent some troops to suppress this unexpected disorder. But when the soldiers arrived the mutinous Moguls declined to pay any attention to them; thus a fight arose between the two sides, and several dead were left on the field. Fathullah Khan was much incensed by this, ordered his drums to beat, assembled his cavalry, and marched against the governor of the town. The latter, when he received this report, sent out messengers to stop the advance, requesting the commander to retire and resume his journey. Fathullah Khan declined to listen, an engagement took place, and three hundred horsemen were slain and four hundred wounded. Fathullah Khan was obliged to withdraw. When the matter was brought before the king, he deprived Fathullah Khan of his rank and pay, called him a thief, and said the only thing he knew was how to rob the king's domain, which even the Mahrattahs themselves were not guilty of. As for 'Ali Mardan Khan, he was promoted, and highly praised for protecting the towns and country belonging to the Mogul Empire.
335.3.4
This great king (Aurangzeb), finding himself so advanced in years, with little hope of living much longer, tried to invent some means of taking the fortresses and lands held by the Mahrattahs. He thought of a deception by which he hoped to raise discord among the Mahrattah leaders. There was in captivity a son of Sambha Ji, whom he (Aurangzeb) had brought up from his infancy. He summoned him to his presence, struck off his fetters, put on him a set of rich robes, and ordered his own son, Kam Bakhsh, to take charge of him. He was accorded his liberty, and the rank of a haft hazari (7,000) was conferred on him. He was given the right to receive one-fourth of the revenues of various provinces in the Dakhin and the two Karnatiks. As for the prince (Kam Bakhsh), he was made lord of the provinces of Bijapur and Gulkandah, as also of all the fortresses in the two Karnatiks. Aurangzeb told the prince he meant to leave him behind in the Dakhin to take his place, intending himself retire to the town of Dihll, there to live at his ease and seek God's favour during the few days of life that remained. This news spread abroad at once in all directions, and many persons rejoiced, hoping thereby to obtain employment. But one year has already gone by without to this day any steps being taken to put this plan into execution.
335.3.5
All these artifices were resorted to by Aurangzeb merely in the hope that the Mahrattah captains would flock in numbers to enter the service of the prince, his son, and that the union existing among them would in this way be broken up. However, they knew the tricks of this monarch, and took no heed of his orders, but found it much more worth their while to plunder and carry off treasure from the different parts of the empire. As for the Mahrattah prince, to whom he had given freedom, all that he gained was the repute of having a large allowance without other profit, for he continued to be strictly guarded by careful warders. This prince (Aurangzeb), finding that his troops could inflict no harm on those of the Mahrattahs, started several subtle devices, according to his usual practice [159]. He wrote several letters to a Brahman, Ram Chand Pandit, who is bringing up the son of Shiva Ji and rules over all his might, inviting him (the Pandit) to court. He promised him that he should be appointed grand wazir on account of his exceeding great wisdom. He had need of a man like him, one who possessed superior judgment. But on all those promises no hopes were built; they knew already by long experience the true nature of his faithless promisings.
335.3.6
It happened that in the kingdom of Bijapur other troops of the Mahrattahs encountered some captains of the Mogul: there was a fight, and the Mahrattahs were the conquerors. They killed the leader, Sequinazam (? Shekh Nizam), and his son; while Solimancan (Sulaimān Khan), brother of the Dā,ūd Khan of whom I spoke above, was made a prisoner and taken to the captain Gemsircan (Jamshīd Khan). In the month of January, 1704, the Mahrattahs entered the kingdom of Bījāpur, and collected from several of its provinces one-fourth of all the revenues (for he who did not pay willingly and at once was robbed of all that he had, and even the principal men of the villages were taken prisoners). In this way they were so successful that they reached their homes without any hindrance.
335.3.7
In the month of February of the same year (1704) there appeared another force of twelve thousand horse and ten thousand foot, which attacked a factory (habitation) called Policonde (Palakollu), five leagues from Machhlīpatanam (Masulipatam). This army took up its quarters at the above place, and thence dispatched troops in different directions, and exacted everywhere one-fourth of the revenues with great rigour. The deputies of the king, the governors and generals of the regions, could not prevent these extortions. As to the port of Masulipatam, it was fortified as well as could be managed; five earthen bastions surrounded by thorn hedges were erected, and twenty-five pieces of artillery were mounted. The English and the Dutch mounted guard with great exactitude; but the Mahrattahs, having taken all they could get, retired.
335.3.8
One day the governor of Masulipatam left the fortress for a factory (habitation) near the said place; it is called [blank in original]. Thereupon the Dutch seized the occasion. They already had their eye on the fortress, and on the treasure stored there for safety by some people of the neighbourhood, who were afraid of being plundered by the enemy. The Dutch determined to take possession, and raised a dispute for that purpose. They sent some of their people at the head of armed messengers (peons) with flags flying and drums beating, just as the governor did when he went out for recreation. When the governor knew of this attempt he broke up the drums and made a row, but the Dutch dissembled and went back to their house. Next day they seized the gates, fortified the bastions, and trained the guns upon the town. They sent infantry to the governor's house, and ordered the rest of his men to withdraw. The Mogul troops obeyed, and the Dutch took possession of the fortress with the money in it, but did no harm to the inhabitants.