ANCESTRY 25

moving about in different directions like other Imperial
generals.

A year after this, the Emperor, on his way back from
Bahadurgarh, happened to pass by Islampuri. According to
his usual practice, he went to inspect Firuz Jang's camp
and was surprised to see his retainers in proper trim. The
camp was splendidly kept. The soldiery were undergoing
the best discipline. He had a huge force of artillery at hand,
the like of which no other Imperial general possessed. Firuz
Jang offered presents to the Emperor who accepted only one
small poniard (nlmcha) and gave it the name of Gha&bacha (son
of the Ghazi). The Emperor also took some of the ordnance
along with him and issued orders that the nobles and generals
should not be allowed to keep more than a fixed quota of
artillery. A despatch was immediately senjt to Prince Bidar
Bakht saying:

Firuz Jang who is only a "haft-hazdrn (master of seven
thousand) spends his own money on all manner of arma-
ments, including cannon, matchlocks, and small cannon,
and possesses a large quantity of all necessary equipments.
For this he does not get anything extra from the Imperial
treasury except what is fixed for him. You, who get so much
more than he does, squander money needlessly. You spend
on things for which you should not.1 „

For nearly two years Firuz Jang did not move out from
Islampuri. Then he was asked to join the Imperial camp. It
was through his recommendation that the Emperor appointed
Rustam Khan, in whom he had complete confidence, as the
deputy governor of Berar.2 The Emperor again sent Firuz Jang
to take charge of the governorship of Berar and to check the
advance of Nemaji Sindhia who had defeated and captured
Rustam Khan. This general led the Maratha counter-offen-
sive in Berar and Malwa. He, besides other Maratha chiefs,
had enlisted a huge army in order to ravage Mughal terri-
tories. He had established himself in Central India during the

1 Saif Khan was directed not to advance any further sums of money to
Bidar Bakht without the Imperial sanction. See Fardmm-i^Alamgin^ £5afia
Lib. Persian MS., No. 1275 (Tarlkh); MJSOM-'Akungri, p. 469.

8 Ma'athir-i-'Ilamgiri, p. 493.