HISTORY OF MAURITIUS. 
453 
account of the internal revolution in that country, which threatened to deprive the 
English of the fruits of their astonishing successes. 
The most ancient branch of the family of Tamerlane being extinct, another which, 
had been driven from Bucharie into Persia, passed at. length into India, where the 
veneration of the inhabitants for a descendant of Timur-beg, or Tamerlane, w r as 
so great, that he ascended the throne of his ancestors, under the name of the Great 
Mogul, or great conqueror; and for a considerable period, both he and his poste¬ 
rity were entirely surrounded with Mogul guards, and established a most absolute 
despotism over his Indian subjects. Though no difficulties were thrown in the 
way of their succession, the emperors, nevertheless, who had reigned since Au- 
rengzebe, have always thought it necessary to represent themselves as the descend¬ 
ants of Timur-beg. 
At the time which is the object of our present consideration, the Mahrattas 
formed the military force of India, and having deposed the last Great Mogul, his son, 
Sha Zaddah, assumed that title; though his authority was disputed by several pro¬ 
vinces : but being assisted by Mr. Law, who was nephew of the person so well known 
for the Mississippi scheme, with about two hundred fugitive French, he made con¬ 
siderable progress in confirming his title. At length Law persuaded him to put him¬ 
self at the head of eighty thousand men, and to march against the English in Bengal. 
They were met by twenty thousand native troops and five hundred English, 
under the command of General Carnac, who entirely defeated them, and made 
the young Mogul and Mr. Law both prisoners, on the same day that Pondicherry 
surrendered. 
Fortune was equally favourable to the English in other parts of India. Jaffier 
Aly Cawn, who had been raised, as we have already mentioned, to the rank of Nabob 
of Bengal, became intoxicated with his power, which deprived him of the protection 
of the English, who compelled him to resign his government in favour of his son- 
in-law. The new Nabob confirmed and even increased the privileges of the English 
in Bengal; so that the Dutch became jealous of their power, and made a fruitless 
attempt to drive the English from that country. 
During these events in India, Count D’Estaing, a French marine officer, with 
only two frigates, surpassed all his countrymen who were employed in the naval 
service in any other part of the globe. In October, 1759, he destroyed the English 
