CHAP. X.

the wane, but it was still recognised as the supreme
authority throughout Hindustan. Shuja Khan was
not a stern tyrant, like his father-in-law, Murshed
Kuli Khan; on the contrary, he laboured hard to
propitiate his grandees. He sent trays of excellent
dishes of every variety of victuals to all persons in
his service with whom he was acquainted, sometimes
twice a week, sometimes every other day, and some-
times every day. Whenever the compliment was
once paid, it was never discontinued. He sent
presents to every stranger of note who came to
Murshedabad, and even to strangers who were un-
known, provided their manners and language showed
that they were gentlemen. At the same time none
of his servants or dependants were allowed to take
a gratuity; all who disobeyed were dismissed his
service, and all informers were handsomely rewarded.
Shuja Khan also entered the name of every one he Peculiar money
knew in a memorandum-book with ivory leaves, and
every now and then he added a sum of money to one
In such cases he did not order the

of the names.
amount to be paid to the person named, but he sent
for some Zemindar who was behindhand with his
rent, and told him that the person in question had
been appointed to enforce payment of his arrears,
and that he must give him in addition the sum speci-
fied as a perquisite. The offending Zemindar always
complied with the demand, and generally gave an
extra present to the person who had been so recom-
mended by the Nawab.

presents.

Nawab of Bengal

1739-42: his

Sarfaraz Khan, son of Shuja Khan, now succeeded Sarfaraz Khan, to the throne as Nawab of Bengal and Orissa. He was and Orissa, quite as much a slave to his pleasures as his deceased arrogance. father, but he was more insolent and violent. He did

CHAP. X.

Unpardonable affront to Jagat Seit.

Intrigues and conspiracies.

not dismiss the three ministers, Haji Ahmad, Alam Chand Rai, and Jagat Seit, but he treated them with a contemptuous arrogance which was intolerable. He abused Haji Ahmad in the foulest language, and taunted him with having been the pander to Shuja Khan. He even treated Alam Chand with indignity because that venerable Hindu ventured to remonstrate with him on the bitterness of his tongue.

Soon after his accession Sarfaraz Khan gave mortal offence to Jagat Seit. The grandson of the Hindu banker was married with great pomp, and the Nawab persisted in seeing the face of the bride without a veil. Jagat Seit implored him to abandon the idea, as the exposure of a girl's face to a strange man would render her impure in the eyes of the family. But the Nawab was deaf to every entreaty. He sent a party of horsemen to surround the house of Jagat Seit and bring away the girl to his palace. She was sent back the same night without further injury; but the whole family was overwhelmed with the disgrace, whilst the unfortunate bride was condemned to widowhood for the remainder of her days.

Under such circumstances there was treason in the air. Every one was eager to plot against the Nawab, but afraid of exciting his suspicions. Haji Ahmad sounded Jagat Seit and Alam Chand Rai, and found they were ripe for revolt; whilst the Nawab's master of the ordnance arranged to load the artillery with nothing but dust and powder. At last a conspiracy was formed for dethroning Sarfaráz Khan and setting up Ali Vardi Khan as his successor in the Nawabship of Bengal and Orissa, in addition to Behar.

Х.

the conspirators.

The troubled state of Hindustan was singularly CHAP. X. favourable to the conspirators. There was nothing to Fortune favours fear from Delhi, for the imperial authority had been shattered by the invasion of Nadir Shah, and the Moghul court was in a state of stupor. There was nothing to fear at Murshedabad so long as Sarfaráz Khan was kept lulled in a false security. There was more difficulty about opening up a communication with Ali Vardi Khan at Patna, as letters might be intercepted; but the two Hindu ministers prevailed on Sarfaraz Khan to send Haji Ahmad into exile, and thus the latter was enabled to make his way to Patna without exciting suspicion or alarm.

at Patna.

The two brothers soon organised a rebellion at Secret rebellion Patna. Both indulged in a little preliminary duplicity. Haji Ahmad exaggerated the indignities he had received at Murshedabad. Ali Vardi Khan lamented that the safety of his family could only be ensured by rebelling against the son of his patron and benefactor. Ali Vardi Khan also sent a crafty letter to Sarfaraz Khan, imploring him to forgive the unfortunate Haji Ahmad, and to restore him to his former favour.

ing-in of officers.

Ali Vardi Khan had no intention of waiting for a Solemn swearreply to this letter. He assembled all his officers, and obliged the Muhammadans to swear on the Koran, and the Hindus to swear on a vessel of Ganges water, that they would be faithful to his cause and would follow him to the death. He then told them that he was about to march against the Nawab Sarfaráz Khan to redress the wrongs committed on his family. The officers were staggered at the idea of rebellion, but they had taken the oath; and Ali Vardi Khan clenched the business by promising to discharge

СНАР. Х.

Sikliguli pass

from Behar into Bengal.

An empty treasury.

Services of
Omichund, the
Patna banker.

all arrears of pay, and to distribute an additional sum of three hundred thousand rupees the moment they had marched through the pass of Sikliguli and entered the plains of Bengal.

The possession of this pass was of the utmost importance to Ali Vardi Khan. It was supposed to be the only passage leading from Behar into Bengal. It was of considerable length, but only ten or twelve feet wide, and was bounded on one flank by an impenetrable forest, and on the other by the river Ganges. Had Sarfaraz Khan been alive to the coming rebellion, he might have blocked up the pass with a small body of men. hurried through by forced marches for the sake of the promised money, and entered the plains of Bengal before Sarfaráz Khan was aware that it had left Patna.

As it was, the rebel army

When, however, Ali Vardi Khan had escaped the perils of the pass he encountered a new danger. His treasury was nearly empty, whilst his officers were clamouring round his tent, and refusing to march a step farther without the money. He dismissed them with an air of authority, assuring them that they would be paid at once, whilst he was well aware that he could not satisfy a tenth of their claims. He had a secret conference with his confidential servants. Some proposed sending to Murshedabad and borrowing the money of Mir Jafir. of Mir Jafir. Others saw no alternative but to beat a retreat and return to Patna. Accordingly Ali Vardi Khan was in despair.

At this crisis a Patna banker named Omichund solved the difficulty. Omichund had accompanied the army to carry on his usual money-lending business with the officers and men. He had only twenty

thousand rupees in hand; but with this small sum, added to the balance in the treasury, he pledged himself to satisfy the army. Under his directions, Ali Vardi Khan ordered the troops to assemble to receive the promised pay. Every man hastened to the spot with his account already made out in his girdle or turban. The paymaster was ordered to pass all the small accounts with the utmost promptitude, and pay them with cheques on Omichund, but to subject all the larger claims to a lengthier examination. Meanwhile Omichund feigned to be equally eager to cash the cheques; but nearly every man owed something for advances and interest, and the debt had to be calculated and deducted from every cheque. Accordingly darkness came on before the more important cheques were cashed, and Omichund feigned to be so fatigued as to be obliged to defer further payments till next morning. When the night had set in the kettledrums were beaten throughout the camp; proclamation was made that Safaráz Khan was approaching with the Bengal army, and preparations were made for battle at daybreak. Next morning Ali Vardi Khan began the march to Murshedabad, keeping up the alarm and expectation of the soldiery until he actually encountered the army of Sarfaráz Khan.

CHAP. X.

death of Sarfaraz

The fighting which followed was a farce. There sham battle: was much smoke and confusion, but very little Khan. slaughter, except amongst the faithful few that remained staunch to Sarafáz Khan. At last Sarfaráz Khan and most of his adherents were slain, whilst his brother-in-law, Murshed Kuli Khan, fled away to Orissa to hold that province against the conqueror.

The death of Sarfaraz Khan put an end to the