282 BRITISH INDIAN GOVERNMENT. 



of the war, however, solicitations and even requisitions 

 were addressed to him, both for additional advances in 

 money and for a contingent of troops ; and as the rajah 

 showed extreme reluctance to comply with these demands, 

 employing some of the usual diplomatic artifices to evade 

 them, the governor-general formed the resolution to throw 

 him into prison, and seize his whole treasure. This first 

 design was effected while Mr. Hastings himself was at 

 Benares, whither he had repaired with seeming rashness, 

 attended only by a few companies of sepoys. The citizens, 

 inflamed at the outrage offered to their chief, rose with a 

 spirit seldom displayed by an Indian populace, cut in pieces 

 the small detachment of soldiers, and enabled him to regain 

 his liberty. Had they advanced with promptitude, they 

 might have satiated their vengeance by the death of Mr. 

 Hastings, who had round him only a handful of men ; but 

 they lost the opportunity, and he made his way to the strong 

 fortress of Chunar. As soon, however, as he could muster 

 his strength and commence active operations the Indian 

 troops dispersed ; upon which the people returned to their 

 usual submissive habits. The castle of Bidgegur, to which 

 the rajah had retreated as his last resource, was reduced ; 

 but Cheyt Sing effected his escape, and the treasure it con- 

 tained was found, with feelings of deep disappointment, to 

 fall short of 300,0U0L 



The spoil of the Rajah of Benares having thus failed to 

 afford the expected supply, Mr. Hastings was driven to a 

 still more unwarrantable resource. An agreement was 

 made with Asoph-ul-Dowlah, relieving him of a great part 

 of the subsidiary force which he was bound to maintain, on 

 condition of his immediately paying a large sum of money. 

 The full understanding was, that this should be drawn from 

 the coffers of the Begums, two aged ladies, the reigning 

 nabob's mother and grandmother, to whom his father, 

 Sujah Dowlah, had left the greater part of his accumulated 

 wealth. It was well foreseen that nothing but the severest 

 torture could induce these venerable dames to yield up their 

 treasured hoards ; and, as every principle of duty and de- 

 cency forbade the application of this to their own persons, 

 their favourite eunuchs were seized, thrown into dungeons, 

 and treated with the utmost indignity. Thus, after long 

 delays and evasions, there was extracted from them nearly 



