repeat our instances on this subject, and Muhammed Shah confirmed his former engagement.

After our glorious and victorious standards returned to Candahar, we understood from our conquering generals employed with a part of our force in the reduction of

LETTER II.

From Nadir Shah to his son Reza Kuli Mirza, giving an account of the conquest of Delhi.

To the exalted and glorious son of our wishes, the valiant Reza Kuli Mírza, who is our vicegerent in Irán, the seat of our empire; our most beloved, the pre-eminent in royal rank, allied to us in dignity: be these glorious commands known.

Agreeably to our former communications, after the defeat of Afghan prince, Ashref Alí Merdan Khan was appointed our ambassador to the court of Hindustan for the purpose of representing to that court, that as the turbulent Afghans of Candahar and its neigh. bouring provinces were to be considered equal enemies to both states, it would be advisable to appoint an army from Hindustan, 10 occupy the passes, and prevent the retreat of the marauders. The emperor Muhammed Shah gave a ready assent, and concluded a treaty to the proposed effect. After the return of our ambassador, we sent Muhammed Ali Khan to the court of the Indian emperor to

that Muhammed Shah had in no respect fulfilled his engagements; and that no appearance of an Indian army had been seen in that quarter. This intelligence induced us to send, with the utmost expedition, Muhammed Khan Turkoman to the court of Delhi, to remind the emperor of his promises; but that sovereign and his ministers, in dereliction of their former engagements, treated the subject with neglect, omitted answering our letters, and even put restraint on the person of our ambassador.

In this situation we were impelled to march against the Afghans of Ghizni and Cabul; and after punishing the refractory mountaineers in that quarter, as we considered the neglect and contempt with which Muhammed Shah had behaved, and his conduct to our ambassador irreconcileable with friendship, we marched towards Shábjehánábád.

Of our success in reducing the provinces of Peshavir, and taking possession of Lahore, the former seat of empire, our beloved son has already been informed. We marched from that city the last day of Shavàl, and on Friday the 10th of Zelkad reached Ambala, forty farsakhs from Sháhjehánábád. We have learnt, that Muhammed Shah had collected from Hindustán and the Dec'hin, a numerous

force, and accompanied by all his nobles, by an army of three hundred thousand men, three hundred pieces of cannon, three or four hundred elephants, and other equipments in proportion, had marched from Delhi and arrived at Pánipet, a village twenty far sakhs from Ambala. We immediately directed the superfluous and heavy baggage of our conquering army to be left at Ambala, and advanced to meet the enemy. Muhammed Shah also left Pánipet, and marched to Carnál, which is twenty-five farsakhs from Delhi.

In the course of our march we detached a force of five or six thousand men in advance, who hadorders to observe the appearance, numbers, and order of Muhammed Shah's army. This body, when about two farsakhs from Carnál, fell in with the advance of the Hindustání army, which amounted to twelve thousand men; these they attacked and totally routed; presenting us with their general and many others, whom they made prisoners.

This signal defeat put a stop to Muhammed Shah's further advance. He halted at Carnál, and surrounded his army with a trench: he also constructed ramparts and batteries, on which he placed his

cannon.

We had sent a detachment to march to the east of Muhammed Shah's camp, and post themselves on the road that led to Delhi: this party received accounts on the night of Tuesday the 15th, that Saadet Khan, known by his title of Burhan ul Mulk, and one of the chief nobles of the empire, had reached Malabat, accom

panied by an army of 30,000 men, a train of artillery, and a number of elephants, and intended forcing a junction with Muhammed Shah. With a view of intercepting this force, we marched our army, two hours before day-break, to the east of Carnál, and occupied the road between that village and Pánipet. This movement, we hoped, would force Mahummed Shah from his entrenchments. About an hour and a half after day-light we had passed Carnál, and gained the east side of the Hindustání camp, when the advance-guard made prisoners some stragglers of Saadet Khan's party, from whose information we learnt that that general had succeeded in his design of forming a junction with the emperor; in whose camp he had arrived at ten o'clock the preceding night.

On this intelligence we were pleased to order our royal tents to be pitched on the ground which we then occupied, opposite to the camp of Muhammed Shah, from whom we were distant about one farsakh.

As the junction of Saadet Khan had been the cause of Muhammed Shah's delays, he conceived on that event his appointments to be complete; and, leaving two thirds of his cannon for the protection of his camp, he advanced with a great part of his army, a third of his artillery, and a number of his elephants, at twelve o'clock the same day, half a farsakh in the direction of our royal army, and drew up his troops in order of battle. Placing himself in the centre of the advanced lines, he stationed the remainder of his troops in the rear as a support.

Their numbers were incredible. They occupied, as close as they could be drawn up in depth, from the front line to the entrenched camp, a distance of half a farsakh; and their front was of equal extent. The ground was every where dark with their numbers, and to judge from appearance, we should suppose they were ten or twelve times more numerous than the army of the Abdal Gardoghly. We, whose only wishes were for such a day, after appointing guards for our camp, and invoking the support of a bountiful Creator, mounted, and advanced to give battle.

For two complete hours the battle raged with violence, and a heavy fire from cannon and musquetry was kept up. After that, After that, by the aid of the Almighty, our lion-hunting heroes broke the ́enemy's line, and chaced them from the field of action, dispersing them in every direction.

Saadet Khan, mounted on his state elephant, his Nisha Muhammed Khan, and other relations, fell prisoners into our hands. Samsám Ali Khan Dauran Amir ul Omra Bahadur, the first minister of the empire was wounded. One of his sons, with his brother, Muzefer Khan, was slain; and another of his sons, Mír Aáshue, was taken prisoner. He himself died the following day of his

wounds.

Wasili Khan, the commander of the emperor's body guard, Shadab Khan, Amir Kuli Khan, Ali Muhammee Khan, Mir Husen Khan, Khájez Ashref Khan, Aliyar Khan, Aakil Beg Khan, Shahdad Khan Afghan, Ahmed Ali Khan, Razin Rai Khan, com

mander of the artillery, as also Shir Khalu, with about three hundred other nobles and leaders, of whom fifteen were commanders of seven thousand, of four, and of three thousand, were slain.

Muhammed Shah, with Nizam ul Mulk, ruler of the seven provinces of the Dec'hin, and a chief noble of the empire, Kamer ul Din Khan, chief vizier, and some other nobles of less note, protected by a covering-party which had been left, made good their retreat within the entrenchments, and escaped the shock of our victorious swords.

This action lasted two hours; and for two hours and a half more, were our conquering soldiers engaged in pursuit. When one hour of the day remained, the field was entirely cleared of the enemy; and as the entrenchments of their camp were strong, and the fortifications formidable, we would not permit our army to assault it.

An immense treasure, a number of grand elephants, the artillery of the emperor, and great spoils of every description, were the reward of victory. Upwards of twenty thousand of the enemy were slain on the field of battle, and a much greater number were made prisoners.

Immediately after this action, we surrounded the emperor's camp, and took measures to prevent all communication with the adjacent country, preparing at the same time our cannons and mortars to level with the ground the fortifications which had been erected.

As the utmost confusion reigned in the imperial camp, and all discipline was abandoned, the em