Page:A history of the military transactions of the British nation in Indostan, Volume 1.djvu/59

Book I. leader, deterred all the princes of the countries through which they passed from making any resistance: and they entered the province of Arcot with as little opposition. When arrived at the city, Nizamal-muluck was struck with amazement at the anarchy which prevailed in every part of the government. Every governor of a fort, and every commander of a district, had assumed the title of Nahob, and had given to the officers of his retinue the same names as distinguished the persons who held the most considerable employments in the court of the Soubah. One day, after having received the homage of several of these little lords, Nizam-al-muluck said, that he had that day seen no less than eighteen Nabobs in the Carnatic; whereas he had always imagined that there was but one in all the southern provinces. He then turned to his guards, and ordered them to scourge the first person who, for the future, should in his presence assume the title of Nabob.

The young son of Subder-ally, accompanied by several of his principal officers, paid his visit of homage to the Soubah, who refused him the permission of returning to Vandiwash, and ordered some of his own officers to take charge of his person, directing them to treat him with lenity and respect. He then appointed Coja Abdulla Khan, the general of his army, Nabob of Arcot, and of all its dependencies, and sent a summons to Morari-row the governor of Tritchinopoly, to surrender the city. Finding that the Morattoe persisted in refusing to obey his orders, he marched with his whole army, and sat down before it: presents and promises supplied the place of hostilities in reducing it. In the month of August Morarirow evacuated Tritchinopoly, and soon after quitted the Carnatic with all his Morattoes.

Nizam-al-muluck having thus settled the affairs of the province 1744 without unsheathing the sword, returned to Gol-Kondah. Coja Abdullah continued to command the army until it arrived there; leaving one of his dependants to administer the government of Arcot during his absence. It was not before the month of March in the next year that he prepared to return, and after having been distinguished with particular honours on the day that he took leave of the