Page:A history of the military transactions of the British nation in Indostan, Volume 1.djvu/133

Book II But the wealth of which Nazir-jing had taken possession enabled him to keep his father's army in pay; and this was so numerous, that the forces which Murzafa-jing had collected were not sufficient to oppose him with any probability of success. This prince therefore kept the field in the countries west of Gol-condah, with an army of 25,000 men, waiting for some lucky event that might enable him to attack his uncle with more advantage. Chunda-saheb, soon after his success at Chitterdourg, heard of the situation of Murzafa-jing's affairs, and regarding him as a prince, who, like himself, from the similarity of their fortunes, was obliged to try the chance of bold and desperate enterprizes, he determined to join, and offer him the service of his sword: his military reputation caused him to be received with open arms, and the troops which he brought with him were taken into Murzafa-jing's pay. Chunda-saheb highly acknowledged his light to the soubahship of the southern provinces, and soon gained his confidence by the zeal he expressed for his cause: he then explained his own pretensions to the government of the Carnatic, and easily prevailed on his new lord to confirm his titles by letters patent, appointing him to the Nabobship of Arcot but the obtaining of this favour was not the only proof of the great ascendance which he had acquired over the young prince's mind. He represented that the countries near Gol-condah were too much awed by the terror of Nazir-jing's army to declare in Murzafa-jing's favour, until he could collect a much greater force than that which accompanied him at present; and that the same dread would be a perpetual obstacle to the augmentation of his army in the countries where he now kept the field; but that his force was fully sufficient for the conquest of the Carnatic against his own rival An'war-odean Khan; that this conquest, by putting them in possession of the extensive territories which lie between Arcot and Cape Comorin, would furnish such resources both of men and money, as might enable him to return and attack Nazir-jing with equal force. Chunda-saheb then offered himself as the companion and conductor of Murzafa-jing, until this hardy enterprize should be accomplished, or, if fortune frowned, until they should both perish in the attempt. The romantic cast of this project could not fail of making the strongest impression on the mind