ners standing by with lighted matches in their hands.

By and by he sent a messenger asking Mr. Watts to come out and parley.
and offering a betel, the usual native pledge of safe conduct. Against
the advice of Lieutenant Elliott, Mr. Watts decided to leave the fort and
visit the Nawab himself. Next day, therefore, with Mr. Forth, the
surgeon, and two servants, he departed, cheerfully declaring that he
would make all right with Sirajuddaula. Mr. Forth returned a day later
with the news that on reaching the Nawab's tent both he and Mr. Watts had
had their arms bound behind their backs and been led as prisoners into
Sirajuddaula's presence. The Nawab had demanded their signatures to a
document binding the English at Calcutta to demolish their
fortifications. Mr. Watts explained that the signatures of two other
members of his Council were required, hoping that the delay would allow
time for help to reach him from Calcutta. After some hesitation two
gentlemen left the fort with the surgeon.

The same evening Mr. Forth once more returned to inform the garrison that
the members of Council had likewise been imprisoned, and that Mr. Watts
recommended Lieutenant Elliott to deliver up the fort and ammunition.

The merchants in the factory were aghast; Lieutenant Elliott fumed with
indignation; but they saw that they had no alternative. Their chief had
been removed by treachery; to resist was hopeless; and though such
submission to a native was galling they could but recognize their
helplessness and make the best of a bad situation. Desmond, besides
sharing in their anger, had a further cause for concern in the almost
certain loss of Mr. Merriman's goods. But the fort would not be given up
till next day, and before he retired to rest he received a message that
turned his thoughts into another channel and made him set his wits to
work.

During the siege natives had been allowed to go freely in and out between
the fort and the settlement; Ridurlabh was confident in his superior
numbers and could afford to regard with indifference the despatch of
messages to Calcutta. A messenger came to Desmond in the evening from
Surendra Nath, to say that Coja Solomon had returned to Cossimbazar, and
was now loading up Mr. Merriman's goods in petalas {cargo boats}, their
destination being Murshidabad. Desmond saw at once that the Armenian was
taking advantage of the disturbance to make away with the goods for his
own behoof. He co