Page:A history of the military transactions of the British nation in Indostan.djvu/170

164 which were towed by the Indian rowers against the stream; for the tide flows no farther than Hughley. The Sepoys marched in sight of the boats along the high road made by the Mogul government, and continuing from Hughley to Patna. The Nabob entertaining suspicions of Nuncomar, had lately sent a new governor to Hughley, who threatened to oppose the passage of the boats; but the twenty-gun ship coming up and anchoring before his fort, and a menacing letter from Colonel Clive, deterred him from that resolution. As soon as the army left Chandernagore, Colonel Clive sent away two of the Nabob's messengers, who were in his camp, with a letter of the following purport: "That the Nabob had used every subterfuge to evade the accomplishment of the treaty of February; that he had in four months restored only a fifth part of the effects he had plundered from the English; that he had scarcely made peace, before he invited Mr. Bussy to come from the Decan, and assist him in extirpating them once more out of his dominions; that the party of French troops, with Mr. Law, were at this very time maintained at his expence within 100 miles of his capital: that he had, on groundless suspicions, insulted the English honour; at one time sending troops to examine their factory at Cossimbuzar; at another, driving their Vacqueel with disgrace out of his presence: that he had promised a sum of gold rupees; then denied that promise; and then sent Omichund from the city, under pretence that it was he who had deceived the English commanders in that business. On the other hand, the English bore all these injuries patiently, and had even taken the field assist him when alarmed by the approach of the Pitans; but at length seeing no other remedy, their army was now marching to Muxadavad, where they intended to refer their complaints to the decision of the principal officers of his government, namely Meer Jaffier, Roydoolub, the Seats, Meer Murdeen, and Moonloll; to which arbitration it was hoped that he would acquiesce, and spare the effusion of blood." Monickchund, the late governor of Calcutta, having received some hints of the confederacy from Omichund, had proffered his alliance