conduct has preserved to this day, though he has been involved in a series of domestic feuds, and was once invested and reduced to extreme distress by a powerful army*. The districts which had been allotted to Abed Ullah, for a short time considered the ruling chief, were now bestowed on Saud Ullah Khan: who again rose to his former superiority of station. Hafiz Ahmed, having acquired by his office, military ability, and genius, and his extensive influence in Rohilcund, gradually diminished, and at length wholly superseded, the authority of Saud Ullah, who assenting to the offer of a pension, Hafiz was avowedly advanced to the supreme administration of affairs. The cause of this revolution is ascribed to the indolent and dissipated genius of Saud Ullah, who, it was represented by the party of Hafiz, would soon waste the resources of the country, and entail a disgrace on the nation. Without searching into remoter motives, it may be directly imputed to the ambition of Hafiz, who no longer held in remembrance the hand that had raised him to honours, and had committed a son to his protection; but rent without a scruple every bond that confined his schemes of grandeur. Hafiz Rhamut

* The combined army of English and Shujah-ud-Dowlah in 1774. It is said that the other chiefs contributed to this payment, which amounted to eight lacks of rupees per annum.

had borne a part in the actions of his countrymen in India; he had seen that no limits are affixed to power, and that no duties, prescribed for the guidance of men, impede the strides of ambition. The death of Saud Ullah Khan, which happened in 1761, at Owlah, contributed to fix the power of Hafiz Rhamut, and relieved him from his proportioned payment of the sum, that had been assigned for the maintenance of that chief.

THE want of established facts for describing in regular order the History of the Rohillas, confined me to the use of such materials, as immediately mark their military progress, or lead to the essential changes of their government. In my Rohilla papers it is mentioned, that on Sufdar Jung's death*, Ghaze-ud-Dein, the Vizier of the Empiret, joined by Ahmed Khan Bungusht, marched an army into Oude, and commenced hostilities against Shujah-ud-Dowlah, who had refused to make any pecuniary acknowledgments to the court on the event of his accession, or render an account of the personal estate of his father §. Shujah-ud-Dowlah, aware

*He died in the year 1754.

† Ahmed Shah then sat on the throne of Delhi.

The Navaab of Furruckabad.

§ In Mahometan States, the prince, on the death of a subject, becomes the heir of his property; which is often remitted to the family on the payment of a moderate fine.

of his inability to resist this attack alone, solicited the aid of the Rohilla states, who assenting to the request, came into Oude with a large force. The Rohilla chiefs ultimately effected a cessation of hostility between the contending parties; and being chosen to decide on the claims preferred by Ghaze-ud-Dein, it was stipulated that Shudah-ud-Dowlah should appropriate certain districts of the annual value of five lacks of rupees, to the use of the Imperial family. Nor was this engagement acceded to by Ghaze-udDein, until Saud Ullah Khan had agreed to become security for its performance*.-Saud Ullah Khan, in 1760, had accompanied the Rohilla army to the relief of Najeb Khan, one of the Rohilla chiefs, who was invested by a body of Marhattas at Sookertalt; and this appears to be the last public act which Saud Ullah performed.

THAT you may view more comprehensively the situation of the Rohillas at the period of Saud Ullah's death, it is necessary to lay before you a brief description of those officers, who at that time held possessions in Rohilcund.

DHOONDY Khan, in the partition of lands

* It was on this occasion, I believe, that Shujah-ud-Dowlah and Saud Ullah made an exchange of their turbans.-This ceremony is observed by the Mahometans in India as a pledge of friendship, and sometimes it is practised in the ratification of treaties.

The name of a village, and ford of the Ganges.-Sec Rennell's map.

which were assigned to the chiefs, obtained the districts of the Bissouly, Morababad, Chaund-, pore and Sumbul*. He died previously to the Rohilla war, 1774, leaving three sons, the eldest of whom, Mohubbullah Khan, succeeded to the largest portion of his territory. Mullah Surdah Khan, to whom the districts of Sunejah. Kote, and some other adjacent lands had been assigned, left six sons; amongst whom dissensions arising about the division of the inheritance, the two eldest, Ahmed Khan and Mahomet Khan, had recourse to arms, for the decision of the contest. Ahmed Khan, supported by Hafiz Rhamut, defeated his brother in an action, and took him prisoner §. Futtah Khan, one of the early associates of Ali Mahomet, who had accumulated much wealth from the office he had so long filled, held the districts

*Towns in Rohilcund.-See Rennell's map.

This chief, confiding in an engagement made with the Vizier, in which it was stipulated that he should not be molested by the com bined army, did not appear in arms during the Rohilla War, 1743. But the Vizier, violating the agreement, stripped him of his territory and treasure.

Situate at the distance of forty-four computed miles to the westward of Bareily.-Vide Rennell's map.

§ Ahmed Khan commanded part of the Rohilla army in the war, 1774.

Futtah Khan held the office of treasurer, a master of the household.

of Bandaum, Aussete, and Hessinpour. This officer, who died before the expulsion of the Rohillas, was succeeded in the territorial property, by his eldest son, Ahmed Khan †. The widow of Saud Ullah Khan, held in high estimation for a liberality of disposition and pious deportment, resided in the town of Owlah, which had been, by the consent of the chiefs, committed to her immediate charge. After the death of Saud Ullah, when the common authority of the government had devolved on Hafiz Rhamut, it is not seen that the Rohilla arms were extensively employed, or that any important revolution affected their state. They had, previously to the Vizier's invasion of Rohilcund, carried on a desultory war with the Marhattas, and seized on their districts in the Duab, which continued a short time in the Rohilla possession. The Marhattas who afterwards came in great force, expelled the Rohillas from the Duab, and laid waste the eastern quarter of Rohilcund. As a short history of the life of Shujah-ud-Dowlah will be annexed, in which the principal events of the Rohilla war are no

* Towns lying in the west and south quarters of Rohilcund.

† Ahmed Khan, the son of Futtah Khan, after the defeat of the Rohillas in 1774, joined the army of Fyze Ullah, at Laldong, and retired with that chief to Rampour.