Vol. Ill, No. 6.] The Conquest of Chatguon. 409 



-of Arracan have neglected the defence and munitions of the fort, 

 and mostly depended on us [for this purpose]. But now that 

 they have heard of the conquest of Sondip, [157, a] they have 

 ordered a large army and fleet to reinforce [the defence of 

 Chatgaon], If the Mughal force attacks the fort before the 

 arrival of this reinforcement, its capture would probably be very 

 ■easy. The Nawwab, who had been day and night thinking how 

 to realise this object, regarded the coming over of the Feringis as 

 the commencement of the victory, and decided not to let this 

 opportunity slip. 



From Jagdia, the frontier of Mughal Bengal, to Chatgaon, a 

 distance of 30 kos, is an utterly desolate wilderness. The expedi- 

 tionary force would have to be supplied with provisions [from 

 Bengal] till after Chatgaon was reached, besieged, and captured. 

 As the Bengal crew were mortally afraid of the Magh flotilla, 

 [157, 6] provisions could not be sent by water, though the means 

 of transport in this province are confined to boats. Hence, when 

 in Jahangir's reign, Ibrahim Khan Fatih Jang decided to attack 

 'Chatgaon, for two years before setting out he collected provisions 

 at Bhalua and Jagdia. 



Composition op the Expedition. 



r 

 W 



[158, a.] It was decided that the Nawwab's son, Buzurg 

 ned Khan, with 4,000 troopers would conduct the campaign, 

 while the Nawwab would look after the work of keeping the 



army supplied with provisions. If the siege were protracted he 

 would quickly go and join his son. On the 24th December,^ 

 1665, at a moment auspicious for making a begfinning, [158, fc] 

 Buzurg Ummed Khan started from Dacca. Under him were 

 appointed Ikhtisas Khan, a commander of 2,500 (1,000 troopers), 

 Sarandaz Khan, a commander of 1,500 (800 troopers), Farhad 

 Khan, a commander of 1,000 (150 troopers), Qarawwal Khan, 

 a commander of 1,000 (800 troopers), Rajah Subal Singh 

 Sisodia, a commander of 1,500 (700 troopers), Iba Hu! 



daro gh a of the nawwara^ 



darogh 



(200 



800 (150 



troopers), other Imperial officers with their followings, all the naq- 

 dis and dhdis except a few who were engaged in special works, and 

 2,500 troopers in the Nawwab's pay. All the amirs, mansabdars^ 

 sarddrs, and Jama'dSrs were presented with robes of honour, 

 horses, swords, and shields, according to their ranks, Mir Abul 

 Fath was appointed duvSn and Muhammad Khalil paymaster 

 and newswriter of the force. From Dacca [159, a] Mir Murtaza, 

 -and from Sondip Ibn Husain, Muhammad Beglbakash, Munaw- 



i The ^Alamgirndmah, p. 948, gives 25th December as the date, and saya 

 that the expeditionary force was composed of ** Buzurg Ummed Khan with 

 two thousand troopers of the Nawwib*s own tabindn (followers), Syed 

 Ikhtisas Khan Barha^ Subal Singh Sisodiaj Miana Khan, Kara Khaji and 

 some others.'* 



