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The War of Bengal.
Book VII.

between the bridge and the Morattoe ditch, and about a mile and a half to the south-east of the English camp. On this insult, Colonel Clive immediately marched with the greatest part of his troops, and six field-pieces; as they approached, the enemy fired upon them from nine pieces of cannon, and several bodies of their cavalry drew up on each side of the garden, of which the attack appeared so hazardous, that Clive restrained the action to a cannonade, which continued only an hour, that the troops might regain the camp before dark: three Sepoys and two artillery men were killed, and about ten of the enemy's horse.

The next morning, the main body of the enemy's army appeared advancing in the same road as the van had passed, and a letter was received from the Nabob, desiring that the deputies would come to Nabob-gunge, a village six miles to the north of the camp: on which Mr. Walsh and Mr. Scrafton were immediately sent; who when they arrived at Nabob-gunge, found that the Nabob had quitted it some hours before: on which they followed in the track of the army, and in the evening arrived at his quarters, which he had taken up in a garden belonging to Omichund, situated in the north-east part of the company's territory, within the Morattoe ditch. Here they were introduced by Rungeet Roy to the prime minister Boydoolub, who suspecting that they intended to assassinate the Nabob, desired to examine whether they had pistols concealed, and then insisted that they should quit their swords: but finding that they would not submit to this humiliation, he conducted them to the Durbar, where the Nabob was sitting in full state, accompanied by all his principal officers: many others of inferior degree, such as were of the largest stature, and bore the greatest marks of ferocity in their countenances, had likewise been selected to attend on this occasion; who, to appear still more terrible, were dressed in thick stuffed garments, with enormous turbans, and during the audience sat scowling at the deputies, as if they only waited the signal to murder them. The deputies began by expostulating with the Nabob for entering the company's limits, whilst he was amusing Colonel Clive with offers of peace, after which they delivered a paper containing