Fall of the Mughal Empire v1.c9.s4.6

v1.c9.s4.6

But the result was as every body had foreseen. Six or seven days after Alivardi had marched out of Katak, Mir Habib reappeared before that town, defeated and captured the seven days' *nāib-nāzim*, who, however, fought most gallantly against tenfold odds and was severely wounded,—and so the Marāthas recovered the capital of Orissā. Thus, Alivardi's work was undone within a week. But the Nawāb was in no position to return to Katak and expel the Marāthas. His troops had been suffering unspeakable hardship and privation in their homeward march. The June sun was fierce overhead, with no avenue of trees along the roads; then the monsoon burst and it rained heavily day after day, the *nālās* across the road turned into raging torrents; no food could be procured locally. Under such circumstances, the draggled Bengal army reached Balesar on 6th June. It was in no condition or mood to face a new campaign and repeat this labour of Sisyphus. The Nawāb's health was breaking down under his recent exertions. So, he set his face homewards, and reached Murshidābād at the beginning of July. [Siyar, ii.