ng provided with cannons and other munitions for a siege.

Thither, on the following day, Mr. Watts went to visit him, but
returned in much alarm to say that the Meer had received him in
public, in the hall of audience, surrounded by his officers, and had
given him no chance to refer to the subject of the treaty.

While we were discussing what this could mean an Indian arrived, who
proved to be a private messenger from Meer Jaffier himself.

This man informed us that Meer Jaffier had been obliged to receive Mr.
Watts as he had done to deceive Lal Moon's spies, the Nabob's
suspicions causing him to watch very strictly all intercourse between
his great men and the English agents. What he now proposed was that
Mr. Watts should come to his palace in the evening in a curtained
litter, by which means he might be introduced unsuspected into the
women's apartments, and there have a private conference with the Meer.

I could see that Mr. Watts regarded this invitation with very little
confidence, his experiences in the Nabob's Court having rendered him
cautious to an extreme. I therefore undertook to go in his place, an
offer which he gladly accepted.

As there was nothing to detain either of us in Moorshedabad after the
treaty had been confirmed, and every hour that passed rendered our
situation more precarious, it was further arranged that Mr. Watts
should take his departure at once, leaving me to follow during the
night. Accordingly he gave out that he was going on a visit to
Cossimbuzar on business connected with the Company's investment, and
set out the same afternoon.

I waited till it was quite dark before I got into the litter, which
had been prepared for me by two Indian servants on whose fidelity I
depended. They bore me through the streets on their shoulders at a
great pace, and, thanks to the respect which these people have for
their women, I passed undiscovered. Once, indeed, we were stopped for
a moment, and there was a short discussion, in which I heard the
voices of my attendants, though I could not distinguish what was said.
It terminated in a laugh, and they were suffered to proceed without
the curtains having been withdrawn. But it may be imagined how my
heart came into my mouth during the brief halt, and what relief I
experienced when the palanquin was set down within the gates of Meer
Jaffier's palace and I was able to step out.

The Meer received me in the presence of his son Meeram, a youth of
sixt