Page:A history of the military transactions of the British nation in Indostan.djvu/349

Book IX. amongst the troops, Mr. Bussy resolved tor the present to take Shanavaze Khan in his hand as far as he would go, by which he would at least be more narrowly watched, if not prevented from suggesting resources to Nizamally, and abetting them with his public influence. which, from his long services, and a persuasion of his attachment to the family of Nizamalmuluc was considerable. In conformity to this conduct, Mr. Bussy, by appointment, visited Nizamally, but with a very strong escort, which, when he entered the tent, was so disposed, as to be certain of avenging any attempt on his person. The interview continued with calmness until Mr. Bussy advised Nizamally to deliver back the great seal of the government to Salabadjing; when Nizamally answered with much heat, "that he with his brother Bassaulet Jung had been obliged to take it from him by the clamours of his own troops, who having been long disappointed of their pay, with an army of Morratoes in sight, could not have been restrained from open revolt, if he and his brother had not immediately furnished a part of their arrears, and given their own obligations to pay the rest: it was therefore unjust to deprive them of the means of reimbursing the money they had advanced, and still more, to disable them from providing for the discharge of their future engagements, the failure of which would, from the same cause, expose them to the very dangers which they had averted from Salabadjing." The next day Salabadjing visited Nizamally in his camp, and demanded the seal in form, but received the same answer. Whether from real or pretended indignation, Nizamally the day after sent for Shanavaze Khan, and reproached him publicly as the author of this advice: the next day, which was the 14th of February, as Bassaulet Jung was passing on his elephant near the palace of Salabadjing, a musket in the crowd went off, and the ball passed through the housings on which he was sitting: the man was immediately seized, and being questioned, said, he had been hired by Shanavaze Khan and Hyder Jung, with the promise of 5000 rupees, to shoot Bassaulet Jung. The story was carried, with as much incoherence as it was passing in the city, to the camp of Nizamally, who, pretending to believe the life of his brother in danger, mounted