Page:A history of the military transactions of the British nation in Indostan, Volume 1.djvu/166

158 the soubahship of the Decan; the viceroy of which division is, by a title still more emphatical than that of Soubah stiled, in the language of the court, Nizam-al-muluck, or regulator of the empire: his jurisdiction extends in a line nearly north and south, from Brampore to Cape Comorin, and eastward from that line to the sea. Gol-condah, one of these provinces, comprehends what Europeans call the Nabobships of Arcot, Canoul, Cudapah, Raja-mandrum, and Chicacole; so that there were under Nizam-al-muluck, thirty such Nabobs, besides several powerful Indian kings, and many others of lesser note: the number of subjects in the Decan probably exceeds thirty-five millions. Of this great dominion, Murzafa-jing, from a prisoner in irons, and condemned to death, saw himself in the revolution of a few hours declared almost the absolute lord, and with the prospect of maintaining possession of it; for his pretensions were highly supported by the Vizir at Delhi: but the sun did not set before the joy inspired by this sudden change of his fortunes was tainted with anxiety; for the Pitan Nabobs began to demand imperiously the rewards they expected for the parts they had contributed to his elevation: their pretensions were exorbitant, and even inconsistent with the principles of the Mogul government. It is not to be doubted that Murzafa-jing had, during his imprisonment, promised every thing they thought proper to ask, not intending to fulfil more than what the necessity of his affairs should oblige him to; but the presence of the French troops now rendered him little apprehensive of their resentment, and to them alone he entrusted the guard of his person, and the care of his treasures: however, not to irritate the Nabobs, by an absolute rejection of their claims, he told them that his engagements with the French nation would not permit him to determine any thing without the advice and participation of Mr. Dupleix, and encouraged them to hope that every thing would be settled to their satisfaction at Pondicherry.

Here the tidings of Nazir-jing's death, and of the enthronement of his nephew, arrived in the afternoon: it was first brought to Chunda-saheb, who forgetting the ceremonies and attendance without which persons of his rank never appear in public, quitted his house alone,