Your peasher Vancatroyloo is a very careful, good man; he is well experienced in business; he has bound me by an oath to keep all this business secret, and that his own, yours, and my lives are responsible for it.  I write this letter to you with the greatest reluctance, and I signified the same to your peasher, and declared that I would not write to you by any means.  To this the peasher urged, that, if I did not write to his master, how could he know to whom he (the peasher) delivered the money, and what must his master think of it?  Therefore I write you this letter, and send it by my servant Ramanah, accompanied by the peasher’s servant, and it will come safe to your hands.  After perusal, you will send it back to me immediately:  until I receive it, I don’t like to eat my victuals or take any sleep.  Your peasher took his oath, and urged me to write this for your satisfaction, and has engaged to me that I shall have this letter returned to me in the space of twelve days.

The present Governor is not like the former Governors:  he is a very great man in Europe; and all the great men of Europe are much obliged, to him for his condescension in accepting the government of this place.  It is his custom, when he makes friendship with any one, to continue it always; and if he is at enmity with any one, he never will desist till he has worked his destruction.  He is now exceedingly displeased with the Nabob, and you will understand by-and-by that the Nabob’s business cannot be carried on; he (the Nabob) will have no power to do anything in his own affairs:  you have, therefore, no room to fear him; you may remain with a contented mind.  I desired the Governor to write you a letter for your satisfaction:  the Governor said he would do so, when the business was settled.  This letter you must peruse as soon as possible, and send it back with all speed by the bearer, Ramadoo, accompanied by three or four of your people, to the end that no accident may happen on the road.  These people must be ordered to march in the night only, and to arrive here with the greatest dispatch.  You sent ten mangoes for my master and two for me, all of which I have delivered to my master, thinking that ten was not sufficient to present him with.  I write this for your information, and salute you with ten thousand respects.

I, Muttu Kistnah, of Madras Patnam, dubash, declare that I perfectly understand the Gentoo language, and do most solemnly affirm that the foregoing is a true translation of the annexed paper writing from the Gentoo language.

     (Signed)

     Muttu Kistnah.

FOOTNOTES: 

[68] In this statement, the Ongole country, though it is included under the head of gross revenue, has been let for a certain sum, exclusive of charges.  If the expenses specified in the Nabob’s vassool accounts for this district are added, the present gross revenue even would appear to exceed the Nabob’s; and as the country is only let for one year, there may hereafter be an increase of its revenue.