88 • H 1 N D 0 
was, under a ftrong effort, conveyed down the river to 
Calcutta, the boats of the whole fleet attending with ban¬ 
ners difplayed, and mufic founding, in the manner of a 
triumphal proceffion. In Auguft following, the remain¬ 
der was paid in gold and jewels ; and caufed not only the 
publi cbut the private' treafuries of individuals in Calcutta 
to overflow with wealth. 
Meer Jaffier Khan, being thus inverted with the fove- 
feignty or nabobfhip of Bengal, Berar, and Orifl'a, loft no 
time in difpatching his fon-in-law Meer Coirtm Khan, in 
purfuit of the unfortunate Surajah ul Dowlah. The 
wretched fugitive, having made his efcape in a boat upon 
the Ganges, hoping to be fuccouredby the French troops 
tinder M. Law, had arrived on the bank oppofite to Rau- 
jemahal ; where, with his women, prefled by hunger, after 
a fart of two days, he difembarked at the cell of a devo¬ 
tee, named Dana Shah, of whom he alked help in procur¬ 
ing viftuals. To this man, in the days of power, he had 
o fie red fome affront, the memory of which ftill dwelt upon 
his mind. The falceer received him courteoufly, and pro¬ 
vided food ; but privately difpatched information of his 
important gueft to Meer Coflim, who liaftened to the 
cell, and took him prifoner, with his women and effects. 
Surajah ul Dowlah now entreated for his life, and begged 
to be allowed a moderate income, and a retired dwelling. 
Meer Coflim Khan, diffembling his favage intentions, 
obtained by promiles a cafket of jewels from the begum, 
or princefs, to an immenfe amount. On Sunday, the fif¬ 
teenth of July, Surajah ul Dowlah was brought, a dis¬ 
graced captive, to Moorfhedabad, his late capital. When 
the people beheld him in this fallen fituation, they were 
fo penetrated with grief and anger, as to prepare to refcue 
him ; but were prevented by their fuperiors, who had ex¬ 
pedition of reward from his rival; l’o, that the virtue of 
the weak was of no effect, where the profpeft of gold was 
held up in oppofition. Surajah 'ul Dowlah was now or¬ 
dered to be put to death ; but, no one was found bafe 
enough to undertake the murder. At length, a wretch 
named Mohammuddy Beg, who from his infancy had 
been cherifhed by Surajah ul Dowlah, and from whofe 
grandmother he had received a portion with his wife 
from charity, offered to execute the horrid deed. When 
the unfortunate nabob faw him approach his perfon, he 
faid, “ Art thou come to kill me ?” and, upon receiving 
a reply in the affirmative, began to pray ; then fuddenly 
exclaimed, “ Will not they let me live fomewhere in ob- 
feurity ?” The execrable affaflin* without vouchfafing an 
anfwer, fell upon the cherifher of his early days, thus 
proftrate and in chains, and ftabbed him to the heart ! 
Meerza Mahadee, brother of Surajah ul Dowlah, was next 
ordered to be aflaflinated and, he was put to death be¬ 
tween two boards ufed to tighten bales of fhawls ! 
While thefe fhocking transactions were going forward 
with the new nabob, the utmoft efforts were ufed by the 
Englifli to expel the French entirely from Bengal. Chan- 
dernagore had already fallen, and the whole of that gar- 
rifon were to continue pmbners of war ; but, about the 
time of figning the treaty, M. Law, with a finall body of 
troops, made bis efcape, and bent his march towards Patna. 
There he had collected about two hundred French, the 
only remains of that nation in Bengal. With theft he 
was within two hours march of Surajah ul Dowlah’s camp, 
when the battle of Plafley was fought: on hearing the 
news of which, he -flopped J but afterwards, being in¬ 
formed of the nabob's elcape, he marched again to his 
afiiftance, and was within a few hours of joining him, 
when he was taken. Three days after, he was purl'ued 
by major Coqte, at the head of 223 Europeans, three 
companies of fepoys, and fifty Lafcars or Indian farters. 
The vigilant M. Law, however, had the good fortune to 
efcape. Before the return of major Coote, admiral Po- 
cock had fucceeded to the command of the fleet, in eon- 
fequence of the deceafe pf admiral Watfon, who died on 
the 16th of Augult. News alfo arrived, that the French 
had again become duccefsful on the coaft of Coromandel. 
Sulabut Jung, as has already been obftrved, had applied 
■e ' - 4 
0 S T A N, 
to the Englifn for aflirtance againrt the Frehch; but, at 
they were prevented from giving that aflirtance by the 
difafter at Calcutta, he found himfelf under a neceflity 
of accommodating matters with his former friends, and 
admitting them again info his fervice. M. Bufl'y was now 
reinforced by the troops under M. Law ; who had collected 
as many Europeans in his journey as made up 500, with 
thofe he had at firft. With this army he undertook to 
reduce the Englifli factories of Ingeram, Bandermalanka> 
and Vizagapatnam. As the two former places were in 
no ftate of defence, the greateft part of the company’s 
effects were put on fnipboard on the firft alarm 5 but, as 
Vizagapatnam was garrifonecl by 140 Europeans and 420 
fepoys, it was expefted that it would make fome defence. 
If any was made, however, it appears to have been very 
trifling; and by the conqueft of this the French became 
matters of ail the coaft from Ganjam to Maffulipatnanh 
In tlie fouthern provinces the like bad luccefs attended 
the Britrth caufe. The rebel Polygars having united their 
forces againft Mazuphe Khan, allied with the Englifli, 
they obtained a complete victory over him ; after which, 
the fepoys being prevailed upon to quit Madura, the 
conqueror feized upon that city for himfelf. 
I11 the beginning of 1758, the French made an attempt 
on Tritchinopoly. The command was given to M. d’Au- 
treuil; who inverted the place with nine hundred men in 
battalion, with four thoufand fepoys, one hundred huf- 
fars, and a great body of Mahratta iiorfe. Tritchinopoly 
was then in no condition to withftand fuoh a formidable 
power, as nioft of the garrifon had gone tc> befiege Ma¬ 
dura, under efiptain Cailiaud; but this commahder, having 
received intelligence of the danger, marched back with 
all his forces, and entered the town by an obfeure road, 
which the enemy had neglefted to guard ; and the French 
general, difconcerted by this luccelsful manoeuvre, drew 
off his forces, and returned to Pondicherry. 
Both parties now received confiderable reinforcements 
from Europe ; admiral Pocock being joined by commodore 
Stevens, with a fquadron of five men of war, and the French 
by nine men of war and two frigates, having on-board 
general Lally, with a large body of troops ; the Englifli ad¬ 
miral failed in queft of them ; and an engagement took 
place, in which the French were defeated with the lofs of 
fix hundred killed, and a great many wounded : while the 
Englifh had only twenty-nine killed, and eighty-nine 
wounded. The former returned to Pondicherry, where 
they landed their men money, and troops. But, notwith- 
ftanding this fuccels at fea, the Englifli were greatly defi¬ 
cient in land-forces : the re-eftablifliment of their affairs 
in Bengal having almcft entirely drained the fettlements 
on the coaft of Coromandel of the troops necellary for 
their defence. The confequence of this was, the lofs of 
Fort St. David, which general Lally reduced, deftroying 
the fortifications, demoiifhing alfo the adjacent villages, 
and ravaging the country in fuch a manner as filled the 
natives with indignation. - He proved fuccefsful likewife 
in the reduction of Devicottah; but, was obliged to re¬ 
treat with lofs from before Tanjour, his army being 
greatly diftrefled for want of provifions; and money in 
particular being fo deficient, that on the 7th of Auguft 
1758, the French feized, and carried into Pondicherry, a 
large Dutch ffiip from Batavia, bound to Negapatnam, 
and took out of her 5000I. in fpecie. 
From this time, the affairs of the French began to de¬ 
cline. On their retreat from Tanjour, they abandoned 
the ifland of Seringham ; however, they took Tripatore j 
but were defeated in their defigns on the important port 
of Chinglapet, fituated about forty-five miles fouth-weft 
of Madras. Their next enterprifts, on Fort St. George 
and Madras, were equally uniuccefsful. The latter was 
befieged from the 12th of December 1758, to the 17th of 
February 17593 when they were obliged to abandon it 
with great lofs: which difafter greatly contributed to de- 
prefs their fpirits, and abate their intereft with the native 
powers. • 
General Lally next refolved to attack Wandiwafh, 
which 
