This work then relates the journey of the raja to Calcutta, and the conversation with the English chief, who, it is here said, promised to write to England on this subject, and gave him encouragement to hope, that the English would deliver them from the tyranny of the nŭwab.

Some time after this, the nuwab, seeing the prosperity of the English in their commercial undertakings, raised the duties at the different places where they traded, and peremptorily demanded that two of his servants, Rajŭvullúbhu and Krishnŭ-dasŭ, who had taken refuge under the English flag at Calcutta, should be delivered up. The English not complying with this requisition, the nŭwab proceeded to Calcutta with his army, compelled most of the English to take refuge on their ships, and imprisoned the rest in the black-hole at Calcutta. This circumstance blasted all the hopes of the Hindoo rajas.

At length the English, in five ships, returned with troops, and landed at Calcutta without opposition." They immediately gave notice of their arrival to their former friends, and particularly to raja Krishnů-chŭndrărayu, who was in fact the soul of the confederacy. He and his friends won over Japhŭr-alēē-khah, the com mander in chief of Séraj-ooddoulah's troops, Krishnŭchundrŭ-rayŭ obtaining a promise from the English chief, that after deposing Séraj-ooddoulah, he should appoint Japhur-alee-khah nŭwab in his stead. Every thing being thus arranged, the English began their

'Mrityoonjŭyŭ, in the above-mentioned history, says, "In a war with the Marhattas Ourungzeb was surrounded by the enemy, and owed his escape to some English, at which he was so much pleased, that he gave them, at their request, some land at Calcutta (Kŭlikata). This was the first land the English obtained in India."

"Admiral Watson and Colonel Clive were at the head of this armament.

march towards Moorshédabad, the capital of Bengal, about 128 miles from Calcutta.

"After this, intelligence arrived at Moorshédabad,' says Rajeevu-lochŭnů, that the English were marching against the nŭwab: this prince immediately ordered the commander in chief to proceed with 50,000 troops to Plassey, and there engage the enemy, while he, with the rest of the army, would follow: the nuwab exhorted the commander, to spare no efforts to destroy the English; and the latter, giving the strongest assurances that he would give a good account of them, departed, and pitched his tents in an orchard at Plassey. Japhur-alēē-khah, however, reflecting how he might put the power of victory into the hands of the English, commanded the officers not to fight with earnestness, and, by every contrivace, threw the whole army into a state of complete confusion.'

At length the English arrived, and began the engagement. Some of the troops of the nŭwab, perceiving that their leaders did not fight with zeal, and that the balls of the English, which fell like hail, were destroying their fellow-soldiers by hundreds, were seized with frenzy, and, rushing on the English, perished.

Mohun-dasŭ, an officer of the nuwab's, went to his master, and informed him, that they were ruined, that the captains displayed no courage, and that Japhŭr-alēēkhah had certainly agreed with the English not to fight against them. He therefore intreated the nŭwab to give him some troops, and send him into the orchard to fight, taking the utmost care of his own person. The nuwab was greatly alarmed at this intelligence, and gave

Mohun-dasů 25,000 troops, who immediately attacked the English with such fury, that they began to retreat. Japhŭr-alēē-khah, dreading the consequences of a defeat, sent a messenger, as from the nuwab, informing Mohun-dasŭ, that the nuwab wished to speak with him. Mohun-dasŭ said, How can I leave the army in the midst of the battle?' The messenger asked him if he meant to disobey the commands of his master: but, perceiving that this was a snare, Mohun-dasŭ cut off the head of the pretended messenger, and pursued the engagement with fresh energy. The messenger not returning, Japhur-alee-khah was in great perplexity. At length, however, he sent a trusty person, who slew Mohun-dasŭ with an arrow, when the soldiers of the nuwab, seeing the fall of their valiant leader, fled in the utmost disorder. In this manner was this victory gained, which decided the fortunes of India.

Séraj-ooddoulah now made a precipitate flight, and, without another effort, abandoned his capital to the conquerors, who immediately proceeded to Moorshédabad, where the greatest rejoicings took place, as soon as it was known that the English had gained the victory. The English commander reinstated in their places those servants of Séraj-ooddoulah who had been the friends of the English, and appointed Japhŭr-alčē-khah nŭwab.

The wretched Séraj-ooddoula proceeded up the Ganges in a boat, and was in the utmost distress for food. At -length seeing a phŭkēēr's hut, he sent one of his people to ask for something to eat. The phŭkeer came down to the boat, and immediately discovered that it was Sérajooddoula who was begging for bread at his hands. This

** A Mŭsŭlman mendicant.

1

phukēēr had formerly been a merchant at Moorshédabad; but on account of some real or supposed crime, Sérajooddoulah had caused his head to be shaved, and the urine of an ass to be poured upon it. Laying this degradation greatly to heart, he abandoned the world, and became a phukēēr. Now, however, he resolved to take his revenge; and, to secure his victim, he invited the nuwab to sit down in his hut while he prepared some food; the invitation was gladly accepted; but during the preparations for the repast, the phŭkeer sent a messenger secretly to some servants of Japhŭr-alēē-khah, placed near that place, who immediately assembled a number of people, seized the fugitive, and brought him to Moorshédabad.

On their arrival, they gave notice in a private manner to Meerun, the son of Japhŭr-alēē-khah, that Séraj-ooddoulah was in confinement, and requested him to send word to the English. Meerun forbad them to tell any one, thinking within himself, 'If the English, or the old servants of the nŭwab, hear of his arrival, they will not put him to death; they may perhaps reinstate him as nŭwab, and then all the hopes of my family will be cut off.' He resolved, therefore, that Séraj-ooddoulah should not live an hour; and, taking an instrument of death in his hands, he proceeded to the spot where the miserable captive was placed. Séraj-ooddoulah, perceiving that Mēērŭn was coming to cut off his head, entreated him to spare his life; but finding all his entreaties vain, he remained silent, and Meerun severed his head from his body. This event took place in the year 1757.

When Japhur-alēē-khah had been nŭwab three years and one month, Kasŭm-alēē-khah prejudiced the English

governor against him, obtained the soobaship, and sent Japhur-alēē-khah a prisoner to Calcutta. Afterwards, by presents, the new nuwab had his appointment confirmed by the young badshah, then in Bengal.

Elated with the success of his schemes, Kasŭm-alēēkhah shot his wife, the daughter of Japhur-alēē-khah, with arrows, and put a number of those to death who had been concerned in killing Séraj-ooddoulah, and betraying his army. He first destroyed the two brothers of Jugut-sétů; he cut their bodies in different places, threw them into a quantity of salt, placed weights on them, and kept them in this situation till they died. Raja Rajŭ-vŭllŭbhŭ and his son he threw into the river, with vessels of water fastened to their necks, and raja Ramŭnarayŭnŭ he put to death by placing a great weight on his stomach. He also killed raja Sukhŭt-singhŭ, and others. He next collected, by various acts of plunder, a vast quantity of wealth; appointed his uncle governor of Moorshédabad, and, raising an army of 600,000 men, retired himself to Rajŭmŭhŭlů, resolving to keep the soobaship by force of arms.

The English were not unconcerned spectators of the conduct of Kasum-alee-khah. By means of Gurgee-khah, an Armenian, they kept the nŭwab in play, till they had procured troops from England, and had completed their preparations. The nŭwab at length, hearing of these preparations, ordered a general massacre of the English, on the same day and at the same hour, all over Bengal, which was in part accomplished.

About this time, 600 persons, charged with different crimes, were put to death in one day at Moorshédabad.