C 5A RB A CsT ERS: 
gan to favour our family. Aliverdi 
Khan was appointed governor of 
Patna; where my father accompa- 
nied him, and where our family have 
lived to this day in affluente, dig- 
nity, and splendour: for the houses 
we bought, and. the lands we ac- 
quired by purchase, gift or other- 
wise, during the administration of 
Aliverdi are, to this day, in our 
possession. In the year 1188, If 
was induced, unfortunately, to be- 
come security, to a considerable 
amount, for a zemindar, who al- 
ready owed me the: highest obliga- 
tions, and from whom I little ex- 
pected such a return, and so much 
perfidy as I met. with. In conse- 
quence of this misconduct, I was 
called upon by the English govern- 
ment, to pay 60,000 rupees on his 
account, which was the sum for 
which | had become bound. This 
demand coming on me unexpectedly, 
I was obliged to sell my jewels and 
plate, to the amount of 31,000 ru- 
pees, and to make up the balance 
by borrowing it from the banker. 
In this way I saved myself from the 
severity’ with which i should have 
been treated by the government to 
whom the money was due, and from 
the still more unfeeling rigor of the 
aumils, muttsudies, and other re- 
venue officers, who seemed to wait 
with a malicious eye for the signal 
from government to seize my whole 
property. I was obliged to put 
into the banker’s hands, as a se- 
curity for the money I had bor- 
rowed, the portion of land I pos- 
sessed, and to endeavour to pro- 
eure subsistence by some other 
means. But I was unable to get 
any employment, notwithstanding 
all the interest, and all the enqui- 
_ Fies which my friends made in my 
behalf. At last it pleased fortune 
781 
to give me a friend in general God- 
dard a man of merit so conspicuous 
as to need no praise, and whose 
kindness and generosity to me, as 
well as to many of my countrymen, 
entitle him to my lasting gratitude. 
Such a character is not often met 
with among the English in Hin- 
dostan. 
He was, about this time, appoint- 
ed resident at Chunarghur; soon 
alter which, he came to Azimabad, 
(Patna) where he made some stay. 
Being an old acquaintance, I went 
to see him. He had the kindness 
tu enquire about my affairs, and he 
heard, with cordial concern, the ca~ 
lamity which had befallen them. 
‘¢ | am truly sorry,” said he, ‘ to 
hear what has happened ; but as I see 
no likelihood of your getting em- 
ployment here, you had better come 
along with me, and we shall live 
upon what we can get.’ I cheer- 
fully accepted of the proposal, look. 
ing upon it, as one of the secret re« 
sources which Providence had kept 
in store for me. I accordingly got 
myself ready, and accompanied him 
to Chunar. But, on general God- 
dard’s arrival there, he found that 
the situation to which he was ap- 
pointed, was, in point of emolu- 
ment, much below what he had rea- 
son to expect, and, indeed, scarcely 
sufficient to defray his necessary ex- 
pences. ‘This circumstance disabled 
him from assisting me as he wished ; 
but he committed to my care, what- 
ever concerned the revenue matters 
of that.town. Ile allotted also, for 
my) accommodation, an excellent 
house, which had been fitted up for 
himself; and sent his own boats to 
‘bring my wife and family. When 
they arrived, he gave them a pension 
of 300 rupees a month. After be- 
having to me in this vary handsome 
manner 
