Page:A history of the military transactions of the British nation in Indostan.djvu/276

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270
The War of Bengal.
Book VIII.

from Colonel Olive, to whom it had been sent by an express-boat from the English resident at Chuprah, signifying that "his spies had met messengers on the road, who said, that they had delivered letters from the widow of Allaverdy to Ramnarain, the governor of Behar, and were carrying others to Sujah Dowlah the Nabob of Oude, requesting him to march, and join Ramnarain against Meer Jaffier." This, if true was the most powerful confederacy which Jaffier could have to fear, and bore strong marks of originating from Roydoolub, from his attachment and respect to Allaverdy's widow, which he openly continued, notwithstanding the elevation of Jaffier. Clive foreseeing the animosity which the intelligence would occasion, suppressed his own suspicions; but ordered the troops at Cossimbuzar to join the Nabob on the first call; and promised to march himself, if necessary, with the main body from Calcutta and Chandernagore. These proffers abated the tumult of the Nabob's troops; and the mediation of Mr. Watts produced an interview between the Nabob and Roydoolub, on the 17th of October, when each swore oblivion of former distrusts, and future friendship; and upon this apparent reconciliation, the Nabob ordered his whole army to assemble on the plains of Geriah, six miles from the city.

A few days after, a fresh insurrection appeared in another part of the province. The two sons of the Nabob Suffraze Khan, whom Allaverdy had spared when their father fell, defending his diadem, remained on the accession of Jaffier in the city of Dacca, where they had lived 1 6 years, without shewing either abilities or inclination to raise disturbances. Nevertheless they immediately became objects of suspicion to Jaffier, who in the first days of his government brought back the elder, Haffizally Chan, to Muxadavad: there seemed little occasion to fear him, for his letter to Clive on this occasion was written with the humility of a beggar: but the other, Ammannee Chan, either from nature or despair, exerted more resolution. The governor sent to Dacca by Meer Jaffier came very poor; and so much money of the revenues had been drawn to Muxadavad, that the force he kept up even in the fort did not exceed 200 men, who were ill paid, and the