Page:A history of the military transactions of the British nation in Indostan.djvu/86

80 and determined to avail himself of the terror of his arms against his rival and relation, the Phousdar of Purneah. To perpetuate the memory of his victory he ordered the name of Calcutta to be changed to Alinagore, signifying The Port of God; and, leaving a garrison of 3000 men, and Monickchund to command in the place, he departed with the rest of his army on the second of July. Two or three days before his departure he published leave to such as had escaped the dungeon to return to their houses in the town, where they were supplied with provisions by Omichund, whose intercession had probably procured their return. But this indulgence was rendered of short duration by the intemperance of a Serjeant, who in a fit of drunkenness killed a Moorman. This happened on the last of June, on which the ban was published against every European who should be found in the territory. All fled immediately to the French, Dutch, and Prussian factories, from whence at different times most of them repaired to the fleet at Fulta.

As soon as the Nabob's army had crossed the river near Hughley, he sent a detachment to the French, and another to the Dutch settlement, threatening to extirpate them both, if they did not immediately pay him a large sum of money: but, after receiving many submissive assurances of their pacific dispositions, he consented to release the Dutch for the sum of 450,000 rupees, and the French for 100,000 less; which difference, it is said, he made because the French had supplied him with 200 chests of gunpowder, as he was marching to Calcutta. At the same time he released Mr. Watts and Mr. Collet, who had hitherto been led prisoners in his camp, and consigned them to the care of the Dutch governor at Chinchura, from whom he took an obligation to produce them whensoever they should be demanded. On the 11th he arrived at Muxadavad, from whence he issued orders, commanding the seizure and sequestration of all the effects and merchandizes belonging to the English, or their tenants, in all parts of his dominions. However, finding that no discoveries could be obtained concerning the treasures which he supposed to be buried in Calcutta, he, on the