Fall of the Mughal Empire v1.c9.s1.13

v1.c9.s1.13

In the meantime, Mir Habib, dreading an attack by the Nawāb of Bengal in the coming cold weather, appealed piteously to Raghuji in October,—"If your army arrives here [at Katak] soon, so much the better. If not, write what I should do." He agreed to pay a subsidy of eleven *lakhs* of Rupees to Raghuji, and Raghuji in return promised to send his troops for the defence of Orissā in the month of Kartik (October). But it was very difficult for Raghuji in his financial distress to fit out an expedition. A news-writer in his camp in Berār reported on 8th December, "Raghuji is enlisting men, but is unable to pay them in cash. He has decided to send a force into Bengal under Jānoji with the contingents of some officers [named here], none of whom has actually more than 100 to 500 men under him. They expect to muster ten thousand, which is very unlikely." [*S. P. D.*, xx. 41 and 44.] Thus, there was delay in the Rājā's reinforcing Mir Habib in Orissā.