gagements with him, and had ever been the inveterate enemies of his house. The Government appear to have been deeply embarrassed by the Vizier's requisition: they saw the danger of carrying their arms against a remote and warlike people, and they felt a difficulty in framing the cause of a war against a nation from whom they had received no injury. After an indecisive deliberation of some days, they consented to commit the unreserved management of the Oude negociation to the Governor.

He also expressed an aversion to extend the military operations of the English to so distant a quarter, and proposed, that a demand of such magnitude should be made for the aid required, that the Vizier would necessarily be induced to withdraw the application. Conformably to this counsel, an English brigade was tendered to the Vizier, for the purpose of promoting the conquest of Rohilcund; on the condition of four lacks of rupees being paid to the Company on the completion of the service, and the monthly subsidy of two lacks and ten thousand rupees, during the residence of the troops in his dominions. The conduct of Government does not authorize an inference that the Vizier would ultimately refuse his assent to these terms; for an order was dispatched to the factory at Patna, directing that the motions of a brigade stationed

in that quarter, should, without further communication with the Presidency, be directed by the future instructions of the Vizier, who was at the same time advised of the measure that had been adopted. The Vizier, thus powerfully aided in the prosecution of his favourite scheme, conducted his operations with celerity. The Governor had not informed the Council of the Vizier's designs on Rohilcund until the latter end of November*, yet the brigade marched in the following January, and in the short space of about three monthst, the Rohillas were completely defeated in a pitched battle that was fought in the centre of their country. Near five thousand of them were killed and wounded; but the loss became irretrievable by the death of their chief, who was slain in the action. Hafiz Rhamut, though he bled in an honourable case, merited a milder fate. He had never been the enemy of the English, and he had protected Shujah-ud-Dowlah at the lowest ebb ‡ of his fortunes.

AFTER the engagement, Fyze-ullah Khan retreated with a large party of the routed army

1773.

The battle was fought on the 23d of April, 1774, near the village of Tessunah.-For the situation, Vide Rennell's map.

Shujah-ud-Dowlah, with his family, took refuge in Rohilcund after the battle of Buxar.

to Lall Dong*, where he took post on the side of a steep hill. The Vizier, accompanied by the English brigade, invested the intrenchments of the Rohillas, who being reduced to various distress, from a confined unhealthy situation, and serving under a leader of no military talents, they proposed earnest terms of accommodation to the English commanding officer; who urged, and prevailed on the Vizier, after a long struggle, to liberate Fyze-ullah, and cede to him a certain territory in Rohilcund. This chief, before the war, held the Jaguir of Rampour, rated at five lacks of rupees; but this convention † invested him with a revenue of fifteen lacks, and the most fertile quarter of Rohilcund.

"

* The northern boundary of Rohilcund.

"Whereas friendship is established between me and Fyze"ullah Khan.-I give unto him Rampour, and some other districts dependent thereon, altogether amounting to 14 lacks and 75,600 rupees yearly; and I direct that the said Fyze-ullah Khan do on "no account take into his pay above 5000 soldiers. I engage, at "all times and on all occasions, to preserve the honour of the said Fyze-ullah Khan, and to act for his good and advantage, on the "condition, that he shall look to no other power but mine for, support; that he engages to correspond with no other state than "the English. Our enemies and friends are mutual. Fyze-ullah "Khan shall assist me with 2 or 3000 troops according to his "ability. If I go in person on any expedition, or to any part of "my dominions, Fyze-ullah Khan shall attend me; and as the "number of 5000 troops which Fyze-ullah Khan is allowed at all "times to keep up, is small, and he may be unable to bring them "all into the field with him, in such case, I will place from 2 to

FYZE-ULLAH-KHAN, having concluded the negotiation, which was wholly effected by the English officer, with whom a counterpart of the treaty was executed, that the sanction of the Company might be obtained, he paid, according to a previous stipulation, a gratuity of fifteen lacks of rupees to the Vizier. The change of the system of the Bengal government which began to operate at this time, and was hostile to the councils of Shujah-ud-Dowlah, might also have impelled him to a speedy conclusion of the Rohilla treaty.

IN the year 1783, Fyze-ullah was liberated from all military vassalage to the Vizier, on the payment of a sum of money to the English resident at Lucknow, which was applied to the ⚫ service of the Bengal Government.

"4000 men under his command, that he may join me with be

coming dignity: the pay of these additional troops to be found "by me. It is upon the above mentioned considerations that I "consent to settle upon Fyze-ullah Khan the said country, and

engage to support his interests. If he continue firm in the per"formance of this treaty, by the grace of God, I never will be "backward in consulting his advantage and good. He is to cause "all the Rohillas to cross the river Ganges. Sworn by the Holy "Koran, calling God and his Prophets to witness to the perform"ance of these articles."

Extracted from the Bengal Col. Champion's Rujjeb 1188 Hegirah. October, 1774 A. D.

Records of 1774. ·

Seul.

BUT had Shujah-ud-Dowlah been permitted to pursue the system of policy which had been observed to the other Rohilla chiefs, Fyze-ullah would at this day have languished in poverty and dependence. Happily for this chief and the residue of his nation, who have now fertilized and made populous a large tract of country, a powerful advocate came forth in their behalf, who, though the leader of a subsidiary body; assumed, in an honourable cause, the efficient power of protection. The Vizier, in an acrimonious complaint preferred against this officer, observes, "that as it had been his absolute "determination to extirpate the Rohillas, and "for that purpose requested the assistance of "the English troops, was it not higly improper "in the commanding officer, to enter into "such a correspondence without his permis"sion?" The Vizier had in truth resolved to destroy the Rohillas, or expel them; and this resolution shaped the whole form of his conduct during the campaign in Rohilcund. He entertained so rooted a dread of this people from their valour and haughty spirit, or perhaps a consciousness of the injuries he had already committed, that he would not permit those that were subjected to remain in any part of his dominions.

Ar the close of this general description of