Page:A history of the military transactions of the British nation in Indostan, Volume 1.djvu/259

Book IV after the death of that prince, accompanied the camp, now found means to escape out of it, and went directly to Aurengabad, where he contributed not a little to inflame the minds of the people against Salabat-jing, describing him as a weak and infatuated prince, who had dishonoured the Mogul government, by subjecting himself, and his authority, to the arbitrary will of a handful of infidels, who grasped at nothing less than the sovereignty of half the Mogul empire under pretence of giving assistance to the rightful lords.

These reports were two well founded not to make an impression, and the consequences of them were so much apprehended, that Salabat-jing did not think it safe to appear in sight of the capital, before he had acted the stale but pompous ceremony of receiving from the hands of an ambassador, said to be sent by the Great Mogul, letters patent, appointing him viceroy of all the countries which had been under the jurisdiction of his father Nizam-al-muluck. The man, no doubt as fictitious as the writings with which he was charged, was treated almost with as much reverence as would have been paid to the emperor, whom he pretended to represent. The prince himself, accompanied by the French troops, advanced a mile beyond the camp to meet him; and the delivery of the letters was signified by a general discharge of all the cannon and musketry in the army, after which he sat in state to receive homage from his officers; Mr. Bussy, as the first in rank, giving the example. The army then continued their march to the city, where they arrived on the 18th of June, and found that their appearance, and the reputation of the Mogul's favours, had suppressed whatever commotions might have been intended. A few indeed knew for certain that Gazy-o-din Khan had received the commission assumed by his brother, and was preparing to assert it at the head of an army; but the voices of these were lost amidst the clamours of a populace, impatient to see a Soubah of the Decan, once more making his residence in their city, which had been deprived of this advantage ever since the death of Nizam-al-muluck.

The entry into Aurengabad was more splendid and magnificent, than that which had been made at Gol-condah: and the city merited this preference, being, next to Delhi, the most populous and wealthy in