186 W. Irvine — Later Mughals (1707-1803). _ [No. 2, 
house: Pressure was put upon Chabélah Ram, but he refused A‘zzu-d- 
din’s overtures. He was tempted with an offer of a mansab of 3,000 
Zat, 2,000 horse, the title of Rajah, robes of honour, a standard and 
kettle-drums (the last three having been brought with the prince from 
Dihli). After this offer was refused, they demanded all the treasure which 
had come from Bengal and all the money in the Imperial chest. Chabélah 
Ram prevaricated and ceased his visits. Much disconcerted at this 
failure, A‘zzu-d-din continued his route. The faujdars followed with their 
own troops, march by march, but pitched their camps two miles or more 
from the main army. It was now quite obvious to the Prince’s advisers 
that Chabélah Ram would seize the earliest opportunity to make his 
escape. Accordingly, when they were at Kajwah, Lutfu-llah Khan 
(then known as Sarfaraz Khan) was sent at the head of their best 
troops with a request that Chabélah Ram would move his camp close 
to theirs, or that, in compliance witha written order from Jahandar 
Shah, then first produced, he should march into Audh, to which govern. 
ment he was thereby appointed. Chabélah Ram accepted the second 
alternative. Next day, giving out. that he wished to bathe in the 
Ganges, and would thence continue his road to Audh, he moved to the 
river bank at the Khamsarah ferry, some five miles from Kajwah | He 
was still trying to find out the easiest road to Allahabad, when spies 
brought word that Farrukhsiyar’s camp was not further off than two 
or three marches, and the news was to him “ as a rain cloud to a thirsty 
man ina desert.” At early dawn he made a forced march and soon 
joined Farrukhsiyar. 1 Chabélah Ram and his nephew, Mahta Girdhar 
Lal, were received with honour, their offerings accepted, and gifts 
conferred on them. ‘Ali Asghar Khan, too, who had been watching for a 
chance of escaping, joined Farrukhsiyar at Kunwarpur a few days after 
Chabélah Ram, and shortly afterwards, on payment of five lakhs of 
rupees, was made Khan Zaman. 
Chabélnh Ram’s arrival was most opportune, and from the money 
in his possession, he now began to advance fifteen thousand rupees a 
day. Farrukhsiyar also borrowed from some merchants of Bengal and 
Patnah, who joined the camp and travelled with it, the terms being 
sawae, or a return of the principal and 25 per cent, plus promises of 
titles and rank. The Prince’s troops had been in great distress on the 
march. His leaders, nay he himself, only received every now and then 
a little khicri (a poor man’s dish, made of pulse and spices), and the 
day that they got this food was counted as a festival (‘Id). The common 
soldiers lived on what they could pick up in the fields, such as green 
1B. M. 1690, fol. 160 6, says he joined at Bindkah. According to Ijad, 80 a, 
the carnp was there on the 24th Shawwal (23rd Noy. 1712). 
