des my own), I heeded
little of it. The country was extremely flat, and much overgrown with
trees, particularly mangoes, which tree hath a most delicious fruit,
very grateful after toiling along the barren roads in the intolerable
heat of this climate. Travelling in company with an army, we were not
able to see much of the country people, who feared the Nabob's
character, and for the most part deserted their villages and retired
into the woods while we passed. One day we lay without the walls of
Chander Nugger, the French settlement in Bengal. These Frenchmen
had managed to propitiate Surajah by aiding him with a supply of
ammunition when he was on his march against Calcutta. To this they now
added a large sum of money, and by this means prevailed on him to pass
on without entering their town. They no doubt rejoiced, like true
Frenchmen, at the misfortunes which had overtaken the English, not
foreseeing at this time the happy revolution in our affairs which was
to make them sing to another tune.

Our progress through the country was so gradual that it was about
three weeks before we at last reached the Nabob's capital. During our
long march I had not once seen my cousin, nor did I know what had
become of him, nor whether he had stayed behind in Calcutta or
attached himself to the Moors' army.

Moorshedabad is a great, rich place, very oriental in character, there
being no foreigners resident in it, except a few Armenians, a race of
thieves and pedlars, worse than Jews, who also infested Calcutta. But
I had little opportunity of exploring its bazaars and palaces at this
time, being conveyed straight to a filthy hut, formerly used as a
cowshed, standing outside the Nabob's palace, where I found my
companions already arrived, and where I was forced to lie on straw,
and not allowed to move abroad.

In this miserable place, guarded by sentries, we lay for some days,
being all of us too feeble to contrive any plan of escape. Each
morning Surajah Dowlah sent a messenger to us, to ask if we were yet
prepared to disclose the truth about the treasure. We were informed
that he was deeply incensed at the failure of his raid on Fort
William, to which it seems he had looked to bring enormous sums into
his treasury.

On the third or fourth night, just as I was settling myself to sleep
on a rude heap of straw which I had gathered together against the wall
of the shed, the door softly opened and a man entered. As soon as he
spoke