months, and it adds to our admiration for his character to see how his French gaiety of heart unites with his tenderness for his absent wife, not only to conceal the deadly monotony of his life in the river districts during the Rains, and the depressing and disheartening effect of the noxious climate in which he and his companions had to dwell, but also to make light of the imminent danger in which he stood from the unscrupulous human enemies by whom he was surrounded. FOOTNOTES: [Footnote 65: From certain letters it appears that, strictly speaking, the English Factory alone was at Cossimbazar, the French being at Saidabad, and the Dutch at Calcapur. Both Saidabad and Calcapur were evidently close to Cossimbazar, if not parts of it.] [Footnote 66: George Lodewijk Vernet, Senior Merchant.] [Footnote 67: The historian Malleson also confuses the two brothers.] [Footnote 68: The best copy I have seen is that in the Manuscript Department of the British Museum.] [Footnote 69: Gholam Husain Khan says that Siraj-ud-daula was born in the year in which Aliverdi Khan obtained from the Emperor the _firman_ for Bihar. This, according to Scrafton, was 1736, and the connection of his birth with this auspicious event was the prime cause of his grandfather's great reference for him.] [Footnote 70: See note, p. 88.] [Footnote 71: Uncle of Siraj-ud-daula, who died so shortly before the death of Aliverdi Khan, that it was supposed he was poisoned to ensure Siraj-ud-daula's accession.] [Footnote 72: Fazl-Kuli-Khan. _Scrafton_.] [Footnote 73: Law says; "The rumour ran that M. Drake replied to the messengers that, since the Nawab wished to fill up the Ditch, he agreed to it provided it was done with the heads of Moors. I do not believe he said so, but possibly some thoughtless young Englishman let slip those words, which, being heard by the messengers, were reported to the Nawab."] [Footnote 74: Europeans. Properly, Franks or Frenchmen. This term was generally applied by Europeans to the half-caste descendants of the Portuguese.] [Footnote 75: Captains or generals: a term of somewhat indefinite meaning.] [Footnote 76: In alliance with Salabat Jang, Bussy temporarily acquired a large territory for the French.] [Footnote 77: "After Mr. Law had given us a supply of clothes, linen, provisions, liquors, and cash, we left his Factory with grateful hearts and compliments." _Holwell_. Letter to Mr. Davis, February 28, 1757.] [Footnote 78: Imperial Charter.] [Footnote 79: For an explanation of the influence of the Seths, see pp. 84, 85, and note.] [Footnote 80: Ramnarain is an interesting character. He appears to have been one of the most faithful of the adherents of the house of Aliverdi Khan and on its extinction of the English connection. His gallantry in battle is referred to by Colonel Ironside. _Asiatic Annual Register_, 1800.]