mped was enclosed in a bank and ditch,
within which were mango trees, very regularly planted in straight
rows, the whole place being about half a mile in length, and less than
a quarter in breadth. It stood near the edge of the river, which
defended it from approach on the left, where there was a small house
or hunting lodge, which Colonel Clive chose as his headquarters.
Facing the grove to the north was the entrenched camp where the
Nabob's army had lain ever since their retreat from Calcutta. The
troops had been partly withdrawn a few days before, but they were now
returned; and we heard their drums and cymbals beating all night long.

Colonel Clive, who had restored me to my former position as his
secretary, and kept me near him, bade me lie down and sleep in the
lodge. But though I lay down, I was too excited to do more than doze
off for a minute at a time, and every time that I opened my eyes I saw
the Colonel either walking to and fro, as if impatient for the day to
break, or sitting at a table with maps spread out before him, studying
them by the light of a torch. Sometimes he went out of the lodge for a
few minutes to see that all was quiet, but soon returned and resumed
his meditations.

As soon as it was light enough to see, I got up, unable to lie still
any longer, and joined Mr. Clive.

"Ah, Ford, so you are awake, eh!" he observed smiling. "You don't look
as though you had slept very soundly. Let us get on to the roof, and
perhaps we may see what those fellows are about."

We mounted together by a narrow stair leading on to a flat roof, and
looked about us. On the left the mist was slowly rising from the
river, on the right the foliage of the trees hid our own troops from
view. But in front of us to the north we beheld spread out a scene of
such magnificence that I confess I trembled, and even Colonel Clive
uttered an exclamation of surprise.

The Nabob's army lay in their entrenched camp, one angle of the
rampart, that nearest to us, being strengthened with a small redoubt
armed with cannon. Behind and away almost as far as we could see,
stretched the tents and lines of armed men, the whole just beginning
to stir with the first movements of the day. In the midst rose a
splendid pavilion, adorned by flags, before the door of which stood a
train of horses and attendants, while lesser tents were pitched all
round it, each one displaying the ensign of some great officer. Crowds
of men could be seen push