.318
HISTORY OP INDIA.
(Rook 111.
..p^i7i:i. from whom lie had most to fear. Farokshir, indeed, was left to act an liw father's deputy, })ut his authority, never confinned at Delhi, was easily set at nought; jatHtr and Jaffier Khan, bearing, among other lofty titles which Aurungzebe had con- government, fened upon him, that of naivah, or nabob, continued to extend and con.s(4idate his power. All important and confidential situations were filled by his own relations and dependants; and though he had many enen.ies at court, he was able to render all their machinations powerless, by the regularity with which he transmitted the revenue, increased by his exertions from £1,000,000 to £1,500,000 sterling. To a court so needy as that of Delhi, there could not be a greater recommendation of the merit of a provincial governor than the punctual arrival of long trains of bullock-carts laden with boxes of treasure. Still more to conciliate favour, the strong military escort which accompanied each train >)rought with them, as presents to the emperor and his mini.ster.s, numbers of elephants, horses, antelopes, hawks, shields made of rliinoceros hides, sword- blades, Silhet mats, Dacca mu.slins, Cos.sim- bazar silks, and various articles imported by European.s.^ The nabob, well aware how much his favour at court de- pended on these trans- missions, was careful to make them as widely known as possible, and gave them aU the ap- pearance of great public events. He liimself, accordingly, attended by his principal officers, accompanied the convoy some miles from Moorshedabad ; and besides intimating its approach by regular despatches to the vizier, caused it to be recorded and published in the royal gazettes. By this publication he not only relieved himself from responsibility in the event of the convoy not reach- ing its destination, but gave the necessary information to the governors on the line of route, and left them without excuse if they failed to pro^dde for its safe transport through their territories.
Jaffier Khan, presuming on the importance of the service which he thus ren- dered, and being by nature strongly inclined to arbitrary measures, often stretched his authority to the utmost, and was guilty of many acts of oppression towards both natives and foreigners. The desire to increase the revenue furnished him
Hackery or Billock-cart.^— From Solvyn, Les Hindovis.
' Stewart's History of Bengal, p. 380.
- The hackery is a cart consi.sting merely of an iron ax.le, traversed by two large bamboos, and is used for conveying merchandise ; tlie whole is made of wood without any piece of iron. They are common in many
of the towns >i Hindoostan. The Hindoo carters are without mercy for the oxen yoked in the hackeries ; they sit on the pole, and twist the tails of the poor oxen in the most cruel manner, goading them at t):8 same time with sticks pointed with iron. — Solvyn.
