Page:A history of the military transactions of the British nation in Indostan.djvu/61

Book VI. which extended on the brink of the river in front of the western side of the fort. In the mean time the widow of Allaverdy interposed between her daughter and Surajah Dowlah, and at length prevailed on her to acknowledge him; which she had no sooner done than Surajah Dowlah put her into close confinement, and seized her palaces and treasures, with the infant son of his own brother. As soon as lie had quelled this enemy, he proceeded with his whole army, consisting of 50,000 men, against the son of Sid Hamet in Purnea. Notwithstanding the diligence which had been employed to expel the spies employed by the Nabob in Calcutta, several found means to remain undiscovered; and, instigated most probably by the head spy, represented in their letters to the Durbar, that the English were very busy in raising strong fortifications. The Nabob, whose cowardice easily led him to believe any thing that alarmed his fears, gave such entire credit to the report, that on the day in which he began his march towards Purneah, he dispatched a letter to Mr. Drake, signifying that he had been informed the English were building a wall, and digging a large ditch round the town of Calcutta; and ordering him immediately to desist, and to destroy all the works which had lately been added to the fortifications.

It was unfortunate, Mr. Watts had neglected to inform the presidency of the complaint which Surajah Dowlah had made to Allaverdy a little before his death, in the presence of Mr. Forth; and of the conversation which ensued on that occasion: for whatsoever informations were now communicated, were considered as the artifices of the court to frighten the presidency out of a sum of money; whereas the conversation implied that Surajah Dowlah bore rancour against the English; and that both he and Allaverdy had been attentive to their military proceedings. But, wanting this information, Mr. Drake thought that the truth would be his best defence, and simply wrote a letter, importing, "That the Nabob "had been, misinformed by those who had represented to him that "the English were building a wall round the town; that they had dug