Page:A history of the military transactions of the British nation in Indostan.djvu/286

280 Both by their emissaries, for they dared not write, and the order of encampment prevented visits, explained their ideas of the Nabob to Clive, and artfully insinuated dangerous intentions even against the English. Clive knew not what to apprehend, but did not entirely reject the opinion of treachery; and to prevent it, crossed the whole of his army with the boats and stores, into a large island in the Ganges, which lies opposite to Bankapoor, where they were separated from immediate communication with the shore. He at the same time sent Mr. Watts to £he Nabob, to discover the meaning of his last request, and to complain seriously of his conduct to Ramnarain, whom he had kept in the camp instead of permitting him to return with proper marks of dignity to the city, contrary to his promises at Rajahmahal. Mr. Watts perceived no symptoms of treachery in the Nabob, but likewise no willingness to conclude the business of Ramnarain, which he said he should defer until he saw colonel Clive. On the 12th, the Nabob came into the city; and Ramnarain likewise, but without any marks of authority. The Nabob kept his army on the eastern side, instead of encamping them, as he had proposed at Bankapoor, to the west. On the 14th, Clive visited him, and this was the first time they had met, since they parted at Rajahmahal. The Nabob imputed the delay of Ramnarain's appointment to Roydoolub, who had the accounts and arrangements to settle. It is probable that Roydoolub, finding Clive less impressed with resentment against the Nabob than he wished, thought this delay would not fail to exasperate him; which the Nabob now turned on himself, and had well nigh made a quarrel between them, if Clive had not recollected the necessity of suspecting the views of all, and of entering into none beyond what was conducive to the public welfare.

Much more time would probably have been wasted in the conflict of these intrigues, if news had not arrived from the westward, which renewed the former apprehensions of the approach of Sujah Dowlah from Luck now, who was now to be accompanied by a great body of Morratoe horse, and as before by the party of Europeans with Mr. Law, who were remaining under his protection and support