Page:A history of the military transactions of the British nation in Indostan.djvu/141

Book VII. rampart of the Morattoe ditch, contiguous to which the road lies; and their only danger would have been in front, from onsets of cavalry, and the discharge of what pieces of cannon the enemy had got near the garden.

The Nabob's army was much more disheartened than the English. They had lost 22 officers of distinction, 600 common men, four elephants, 500 horses, some camels, and a great number of bullocks. The Nabob himself having never before been so near the tumult of a battle, regarded the attack of his camp as an effort of uncommon intrepidity, accused all his own officers of cowardice, and would have immediately retreated out of the company's territory, had they not promised to be better prepared in future. Accordingly his whole army passed the succeeding night on the watch, firing cannon and musketry until day-light, in order to encourage themselves, and to deter the English from attacking them again.

The next morning Rungeet Roy, by the Nabob's order, wrote a letter to Colonel Clive, complaining of the hostilities which he had committed; but making proposals of peace. To which Colonel Clive, in a letter to the Nabob himself, replied, that he had marched through his camp with no other intention than to convince him of what the English troops were capable, who, he said, had cautiously hurt none, excepting such as had opposed them; but that he was willing to renew the negotiation. The Nabob, instead of resenting the scoff, ordered Rungeet Roy to continue the correspondence; and under the pretence of acting consistently with his professions of peace, moved his whole army, and encamped about three miles to the north-east of the lake, they passed in sight of the English camp and were again suffered to proceed without molestation.

Messages of negotiation continued, brought and carried by Omichund and Rungeet Roy; and, on the 9th of February, a treaty was concluded of the following purport: "The Nabob agreed to restore the Company's factories, but only such of the plundered effects and monies as had been regularly brought to account in the books of his government. He permitted the English to fortify Calcutta in whatsoever manner they should think expedient; allowed them