- From her Excellency the Bhow Begum to Mr. Bristow, Resident at the Vizier's Court.

THERE is no necessity to write to you by way of information a detail of my sufferings. From common report, and the intelligence of those, who are about you, the account of them will have reached your ears: I will here relate a part of them.

After the death of Suja Dowla, most of his ungrateful servants were constantly labouring to gratify their enmity; but finding from the firm and sincere friendship, which subsisted between me and the English, that the accomplishment of their purposes was frustrated, they formed the design of occasioning a breach in that alliance, to ensure their own success. I must acquaint you, that my son Asuf ul Dowla had formerly threatened to seize my Jaghire; but upon producing the treaty signed by you, and showing it to Mr. Middleton, he interfered, and prevented the impending evil.-The conspiration now framed an accusation against me of a conduct, which I never had conceived even in idea, of rendering assistance to Rajah Cheit Sing. The particulars are as follow:-my son, Asuf ul Dowla and his ministers, with troops, and a train of artillery, accompanied by Mr. Middleton, on the 16th

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16th of the month of Mohurum, arrived at Fyzabad, and made a demand of a crore of rupees. As my inability to pay so vast a sum was manifest, I produced the treaty you signed and gave me, but to no effect; their hearts were determined upon violence. I offered my son Asuf ul Dowla, whose will is dearer to me than all my riches, or even life itself, whatever money and goods I was possessed of; but an amicable adjustment seemed not worth accepting; he demanded the delivering up the fort, and the recall of the troops, that were stationed for the preserving the peace of the city. To me tumult and discord appeared unnecessary. I gave up these points, upon which they seized upon my head eunuchs, Jewar Ally Cawn and Behar Ally Cawn, and sent them to Mr. Middleton, after having obliged them to sign a bond for sixty lacks of rupees; they were thrown into prison, with fetters about their feet, and denied food and water. I, who had never even in my dreams experienced such an oppression, gave up all I had to preserve my honour and dignity; but this would not satisfy their demands; they charged me with a rupee and a half batta upon each Mohur, and on this account laid claims upon me to the amount of six lacks some thousand rupees, and sent Major Gilpin to exact the payment. Major Gilpin, according to orders, at first was importunate; but being a man of experience, and of a benevolent disposition,

disposition, when he was convinced of my want of means, he changed his conduct, and was willing to apply to the Shroffs and Bankers to lend me the money. But with the loss of my Jaghires my credit was sunk; I could not raise the sum; at last, feeling my helpless situation, I collected my wardrobe and furniture, to the amount of about three lacks of rupees, besides fifty thousand rupees, which I borrowed from one place or other, and sent Major Gilpin with it to Lucknow. My sufferings did not terminate here. The disturbances of Colonel Hannay and Mr. Gordon were made a pretence for seizing my Jaghire. The state of the matter is this when Colonel Hannay was by Mr. Hastings ordered to march to Benares during the troubles of Cheit Sing, the Colonel, who had plundered the whole country, was incapable of proceeding, from the union of thousands of Zemindars, who had seized this favourable opportunity; they harassed Mr. Gordon near Junivard, and the Zemindars of that place and Acberpore opposed his march from thence, till he arrived near Sanda. As the Sanda Nutta, from its overflowing, was difficult to cross without a boat, Mr. Gordon sent to the Fouzdar to supply him: he replied, the boats were all in the river, but would, according to orders, assist him as soon as possible. Mr. Gordon's situation would not admit of his waiting; he forded the Nutta upon his elephant, and was hospitably entertained and protected!

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tected by the Fouzdar for six days. In the mean time a letter was received by me from Colonel Hannay, desiring me to escort Mr. Gordon to Fyzabad. As my friendship for the English was always sincere, I readily complied, and sent some companies of Nejeebs to escort Mr. Gordon, and all his effects, to Fyzabad; where, having provided for his entertainment, I effected his junction with Colonel Hannay. The letters of thanks I received from both these gentlemen upon this occasion are still in my possession; copies of which I gave in charge to Major Gilpin, to be delivered to Mr. Middleton, that he might forward them to the Governour-General. To be brief, those, who have loaded me with accusations, are now clearly convicted of falsehood. But is it not extraordinary, notwithstanding the justness of my cause, that nobody relieves my misfortunes? Why did Major Gilpin return without effect?

My prayers have been constantly offered to Heaven for your arrival; report has announced it; for which reason I have taken up the pen, and request you will not place implicit confidence in my accusers, but, weighing in the scale of justice their falsehoods and my representations, you will exert your influence in putting a period to the misfortunes, with which I am overwhelmed.

Copy

Copy of a Letter from Colonel Hannay to Jewar Ally Cawn and Bahar Ally Cawn.

I had the pleasure to receive your friendly letter, fraught with benevolence; and whatever favours you, my friends, have been pleased to confer respecting Mr. Gordon afforded me the greatest pleasure.

Placing a firm reliance on your friendship, I am in expectation, that the aforesaid gentleman, with his baggage, will arrive at Fyzabad in safety, that the same may oblige and afford satisfaction

to me.

A letter from Mr. Gordon is enclosed to youI am in expectation of its being enclosed in a cover to the Aumil of Saunda, to the end that the Aumil may forward it to the abovementioned gentleman, and procure his reply. Whenever the answer arrives let it be delivered to Hoolas Roy, who will forward it to me.

Always rejoice me by a few lines respecting your health (Continue to honour me with your correspondence).