diftinguished for its beauty, than eminent for its rank and confideration. But neither the falubrity of the air, nor the delights of its fituation, were more alluring to trang ers, than the happy fecurity to perfon and property which it afforded. It accordingly became the coveted retreat of the people of all the Afiatic countries and religions, who weary of a busy life, vexed by its difappointments, or apprehenfive of its dangers, wifhed to enjoy during fome portion of their lives, the tranquillity of a fecure and happy retirement.

The expences of the prefent war with Hyder Ally and the Marattas, in which all the Englith prefidencies were fo deeply, and one at least fo dangerously involved, rofe to fuch an height, that the wealth and revenue of Bengal, great as thefe were, proved unequal to their fupply. New fources were accordingly to be fought and the weak and the wealthy were doomed, as ufual, to adminifter to the wants of the ftrong and the warlike. The profecution of thefe means of fupply, led to the fubfequent calamities of Benares; and fuddenly plunged Mr. Haftings, the governor general, into a new war, at near 600 miles distance from the feat of his government.

For the better comprehenfion or illuftration of this fubject, it will be neceffary to take fome notice of the late ftate and government of that country, as well as of its relation to, and the means by which it became dependent on the Eaft India company.

The country of Benares lies far up the Ganges, not a great deal fhort of 600 miles, to the

north-weft of Calcutta. The river, without taking in its continual windings, points generally from the weft to the east in its course through it. Its extent from north to fouth, including the diftricts of Chunar and Gazypour, which are united with it, is about 50 miles; nor is it much lefs from east to west; but it is a good deal indented on the former fide by the province of Bahar. It was a part of thofe extensive poffetions, which the misfortunes of the court of Delli, enabled Sujah U Dowlah, the grand vizier of the empire, and nabob of Oude, to fecure the actual fovereignty and poffeffion of in his own family. The Rajah, Bulwant Sing, was tributary to Sujah Ul Dowlah, for the country of Benares, and its dependencies. at a certain ftated tribute or rent, for it is difputed, though indeed of little confequence, to which clafs it properly belongs.

In the war which broke out in the year 1764, wherein Sujah Ul Dowlah fupported Coffin Ally Cawn, who had been the murderer of fo great a number of Engl th gentlemen at Patna, the Rajah Bulwant Sing, notwithstanding the relation in which he food with Sujah, took a decided part in favour of the English, and rendered them effential and acknowledged fervices. As Sujah Dowlah was fo entirely ruined by the war, that he scarcely hoped to have been left in potletion of any part of his territories, it was in the power of the English to dictate the terms of peace. Thefe were, however, fo much in his favour, as to excite no ímall furprize at the time, both at home [4] 2

and

negligence in ftating the terms of the 5th article of the treaty of Illahabad; and indeed it is not impoffible that he had himself been originally its contriver, and found means for its paffing without examination. The death of Bulwant Sing, in the year 1770, afforded this opportunity; the letter of the treaty was in full prefervation, but its spirit could not then fo clearly appear. The prefidency of Bengal was therefore obliged to interfere with vigour and fpirit in fupporting the interefts of the family, by procuring the inveftiture of Cheit Sing, in the government of his father, Bulwant's territories.

The negociation upon this affair was committed to Colonel Harper, who acted in it with great honour, and left no room for future doubt or evafion. The young rajah, upon this occafion, was obliged to make a prefent of twenty lacks of rupees to the Nabob vizier, and to increase the annual tribute, from twenty-one and a half, to twenty-four lacks. In the treaty, for the inftrument then perfected between Sujah Ul DowJah and the Rajah Cheit Sing was fo denominated, the former bound himself fpecifically, that nothing more than what was there in declared, thould ever be demanded of the latter; and he concluded, in the Mahommedan ftile, by a folemn appeal to God, the prophet, and the Koran, as parties and witnefles to the agreement, and, that between them, and their joint pofterity, there fhould never be a variation therein.

Colonel Harper in the consciousness of an integrity which

required no colouring, and which he difdained to illuftrate, informs his employers by letter upon the occafion, that he leaves it to the young rajah, and to all others who were concerned in or witneffes of the tranfaction, to ftate what his conduct had been in this bufinefs; only obferving, that he had taken the ftrictest care, not to diminish our national honour, difintereftedafs, and juftice; which he confiders, as having a greater effect, in fecuring the vaft poffeffions of the company, than even the force of their arms, however formidable. Sentiments, not more valuable for the humanity and hohour which they breathe, than for the wildom of the policy which they convey.

This conclufive fettlement of the zemindary in the family of Bulwant Sing, was then deemed of such confequence to the company's affairs, that the prefident and council of Bengal congratulated the court of directors upon it, as an event highly important to their interefts, and of great moment in its future confequences.

It would feem now that nothing farther remained to be done in this bufinefs; and that fo far as compacts and treaties can be binding, the zemindary was fecured to the family and defcendants of Bulwant Sing. Yet whether it proceeded from any fubiequent infractions of the agreement by the Nabob' vizier,

or from apprehenfions founded on the capricioufnels and faithleffness of his difpofition, which it was thought could not be too carefully guarded againft, we find that this bufiness [d] 3

was

was again taken up, and a new fettlement made in confirmation of the former.

was

This took place in the year 1773, when Mr. Haftings, then prefident of the council of Calcutta, thought it neceffary to make a progress to the court of the Nabob vizier, as well, perhaps, to obtain fome perfonal explanations from him with refpect to patt and current matters, as to form thofe new connections and arrangements, with pect to revenue, troops, and the acquifition of territory, which were foon after difplayed in their effects. Upon this occafion, a new treaty or inftrument, t the fame. pur ort as the former concluded and ratified, between the Nabob vizier, and the Rajh Cheit Sing; but with this farther confirmation, and advantage to the Rajah, that the prefident, by himself figning and becoming a party to the prefent, thereby rendering the company actual guarantees, at all future times, to the due performance of the conditions. Indeed the nece:lity of fomething ftronger than treaties to bind the faith, and to restrain the rapacity of the Nabob vizier, became upon that very occation fully apparent; for notwithitanding the vaft advantages, which at the expence of his neighbours, as well as of his natural lord, the Mogul, were then thrown into his hands, he was exceedingly diflatisfied with Mr. Hanings, for not permitting him to extort ten lacks of rupees from the young rajah, as well as to ftrip him of two very ftrong forts, which conftituted the beft defences of his country. Upon this occafon, as on the former, the in.

firument was made eternally binding upon the parties, and upon their mutual pofterity.

Upon the death of the Nabob vizier in the year 1775, and the acceffion of his fon and fucceffor Afloft Ul Dowlah, new arrange ments took place between the company and that prince, which affected the whole government of his dominions. Among thefe the fovereignty of Benares, and its de. pendencies, was entirely given over and transferred to the com. pany; the Rajah Cheit Sing then ftanding exactly in the fame degree of relation and vaffalage to that body, in which he had before stood with the Nabob of Oude. Nothing could exceed the fatisfaction which this transfer of fovereignty, and entire emancipation from a ca. pricious tyranny, afforded to the young kajah and his family. They were now placed in the hands of their old friends, allies and pro. tector, and the moft flattering profpects of latting quiet, fecurity and happinefs were in view.

Thele hopes were confirmed, if they could be fuppofed to re. quire any confirmation by a letter from Mr. Haftings, who had been appointed to the new and high office of governor general. This letter teemed with fentiments of regard, honour and juftice, and authorized the British refident at the court of Benares to affure the Rajah that no farther tribute than that already ftipulated, thould be exacted from him, and that it thould not under any future change of government be enlarg. ed. A recommendation about the fame time, from the governor general and council to

the

the Rajah, that he fhould raise and fupport a body of 2,000 horfe, or rather, perhaps, that he should increase the cavalry already on his establishment to that number, as it was in no degree preffed as an obligation, but feems to have been merely propofed as a meafure of common utility, and a provifion against any future and unforeseen danger, could afford no caufe of apprehenfion, nor indicate any change in the Rajah's condition. It is not denied, that the Rajah of Benares continued to adhere to the engagements on his fide, by the punctual difcharge of the ftipulated revenue, nor that his conduct was in every refpect highly fatisfactory, until new and unexpected demands occafioned fuch alteration in it, as proved at length the means of giving umbrage to the government of Calcutta. Upon intelligence of the war with France, it was determined by the governor general and council, in the month of July 1778, that the Rajah Cheit Sing thould be required to contribute an extraordinary fubfidy of five lacks of rupees, towards the expences which this new exigency would impofe on their government during the current year. It may be fuppofed, that the innovation thus propofed, and the danger of the precedent, affected the Rajah much more than the amount or value of the fum demanded. However that was, the governor general informs us in his narrative, that after many excufes, and proteftations of inability, the Rajah at length confented, with a very ill grace, to the payment, and difcharged it with a worfe

The increasing exigencies and expences of a war, which was becoming general throughout India, were not likely to produce any remiffion of thefe demands, when once the ice was broken, and the precedent eftablifhed. They were annually repeated; while the unwillingness of compliance, and the backwardness of payment, became every year more apparent, and afforded farther room for diffatisfaction. During the many ages in which the Hindoo princes and landholders have been doomed to fuffer the oppreffion and exorbitance of foreign power, a ftrict concealment of their wealth, and a confiant plea of ex. treme poverty, have been the weak means which they generally adopted to elude the extortion and rapacity of their rulers. The Rajah of Eenares reforted to this eftablished practice; and even fo early as the payment of the fecond year's fubfidy, although he was known or fuppofed to be very rich, he affected to borrow money in small fums, and even to fell his plate and jewels, as demonftrations of his inability; and was fill fo flow in his payments, that it was found receffary to quicken him, by fending two battalions of fepoys to be quartered in his dominions, and their pay to be charged to his account, until he had made good the whole.

The hird year's fubfidy was ftill worfe paid and the fame remedy, of fending troops to live upon him, was again adopted. The Rajah then carried the plea of inability and poverty fo far, that [4] 4

when