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sultan's horse, then his palanquin, and beneath it a wounded man, who was soon recognised as a confidential servant, and who pointed out the spot where his master had fallen. The body was found, and forthwith identified by the killedar and the other attendants. The features were in no degree distorted, but presented an aspect of stern composure; the eyes were open, and the appearance of life was so strong, that Colonel Wellesley and Major Allan could not, for some time, believe him actually dead. It appears, that after having issued armed from the palace, with a band of trusty followers, he saw the English advancing along the rampart, and his men flying. He rallied them by the utmost efforts of his voice and example, shooting several of the enemy with his own hand; and he thus called forth that resistance which had proved so formidable. At length, when the determined valour of the British troops prevailed against all opposition, he was left at one time almost alone, and obliged to accompany the fugitives; but, with a few resolute adherents, he maintained the combat, till, being exposed to a fire from different quarters, he received two musket-balls in the side. His horse was killed under him; and, becoming faint with the loss of blood, he was unable to make his way through the crowd. He was overtaken by a party of the conquerors, when one of his attendants besought him, as the only means of saving his life, to make himself known; but he peremptorily forbade the disclosure. An English soldier then made an attempt to detach his sword-belt, when the sultan, with all his remaining strength, made a cut at the man, and wounded him near the knee. The soldier presently fired a ball, which entered the temple, and the wound proved speedily mortal. The body was carried to the palace, and was afterward interred, with royal honours, in the splendid sepulchre of the Lâll Baug, erected by Hyder.

Thus terminated a dynasty which, though short, and limited in respect of territorial dominion, was undoubtedly the most vigorous and best organized of any that had sprung out of the wreck of the Mogul empire. It arose, indeed, from the distracted state of India, and rested almost entirely on the personal character of its two rulers, the qualities of whose minds, striking though dissimilar, we have had repeated occasion to describe. It may be further noticed,

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however, that while Hyder entered on his career unable to read or write, and remained always a stranger to these primary elements of human knowledge, Tippoo, amid the most active cares of government, retained the habits and character of a man of letters. He read and wrote almost incessantly, carried on an extensive correspondence, and became the historian of his own exploits. Yet the adoption of hasty and superficial theories, in preference to the practical good sense which had guided his predecessor, led him often into crude and rash innovations, which were followed by disastrous consequences. The absolute indifference with which the subject of religion was viewed by Hyder, though marking a degraded state of moral feeling, induced him in his administration to adopt the wise measure of general toleration. Tippoo's mind, on the contrary, was occupied, and almost engrossed, by his Mussulman zeal, which be came the chief source of his crimes and follies. He fancied himself a sort of militant apostle, who was to spread his faith over the world. Combining this design with his projects of ambition, he waged sacred wars on every side; against the Nazarene English, against the Bramin Mahrattas, against the pagan and licentious nayrs. Ultimately, as we have seen, he sank into the most childish superstition, calling not only upon the Mohammedans, but the persecuted Hindoos, to practise their arts of divination. After the capture of Seringapatam, when his repositories were searched, along with treaties, state-papers, and political correspondence, there was found a record of his dreams and their interpretation, of which Colonel Beatson has preserved some curious specimens. At one time, when he was threatened with an invasion of the Mahrattas, he dreamed that a young man came up and accosted him, who in the course of conversation proved to be a female. Hence he sagely inferred that his enemy, who at first had a manly and formidable appearance, would in battle prove no better than women. On another occasion, when he was about to make war with the native Christians, he was favoured with a vision of a cow and a calf, the former resembling a tiger in aspect and fierceness; it had a slight motion in its forelegs, but no hind-legs. Tippoo resolved to kill this cow, but awoke before he accomplished his purpose. Hence, however, he thought himself entitled to infer, that he would

kill the Christians as he had proposed to kill the cow; that the slight movement of the fore-legs indicated faint attempts at resistance, while the absence of the hinder legs proved that they would have no alliances to support them. These lucubrations form a strange contrast to his display of talent on other occasions; nor can it be wondered that public measures resting upon such conclusions should not always have proved very prosperous.

This prince, owing to his long wars with the English, his cruel treatment of the captives, and the imbittered enmity which he manifested, was regarded by them almost as a monster in human shape. Yet when their armies penetrated into the interior of his kingdom, they found it flourishing, highly cultivated, and seemingly well governed. His people always showed a strong attachment to him, and the inhabitants of the ceded districts were ever ready to embrace his cause. But to the conquered nations he was at all times a cruel master, and rendered himself the object of their inextinguishable hatred; to which cause his downfall may, in a great measure, be attributed. It has been said, with the general approbation of British authors, that "Hyder was born to create an empire, Tippoo to lose one;" yet it may be observed, that he maintained a complete ascendency over all the native states, some of whom had matched, and even over-matched his father. He fell beneath the English power, employed on a scale, and wielded with an ability, of which, in the course of Indian history, there had been no example.

Mysore, having been thus completely conquered, remained, as to its future arrangements, entirely at the disposal of the British government. The Mahrattas had taken no share in the expedition, and the nizam would be obliged to content himself with whatever the victors might choose to give. The governor-general took for the company, in full sovereignty, the coast of Canara, the district of Coimbetoor, the passes of the Ghauts, and Seringapatam itself, the capital and main channel of intercourse. He thus secured the whole seacoast, and an easy communication across the peninsula. To the nizam was assigned a large tract of territory adjoining to his dominions. Another portion was reserved for the purpose of being offered to the Mahrattas, on conditions which, however, as will be hereafter seen,

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they did not choose to accept. There remained yet an extensive district in the interior of Mysore, which Marquis Wellesley judged most expedient not to partition, but to form it into a native kingdom under the protection and control of Britain. The question then arose as to the prince in whom the supreme dignity was to be vested. The governor-general would not have been disinclined to bestow it on one of the family of Tippoo'; but he justly considered, that the recollection of the recent greatness of their house must have rendered them always hostile to the power by whom its downfall had been achieved. It appeared, therefore, more advisable, after making a liberal provision for these princes, to draw forth from their deep humiliation the ancient race of the Rajahs of Mysore, to whom the people were still fondly attached. The representative of this house, a minor of five years old, and his mother, were found in great poverty and neglect; from which, amid the applauses of their countrymen, they were raised to the splendour and to some share of the power of Asiatic royalty.

CHAPTER IV.

Mahratta War, and Conquest of Central Hindustan.

Great Power of the Mahrattas-Shao succeeds as Rajah-Able Administration of Ballajee Wishwanath-Bajee Rao succeeds-Rise of Holkar and Sindia-Great Power of the Peishwa-Reduction of the Pirate Angria-Madoo Rao becomes Peishwa-His able Government— Ragoba-He is expelled by the Ministers-Forms an Alliance with the Government of Bombay-Keating's Expedition-Proceedings at Bombay disallowed-Treaty-War renewed-March against Poonah -Shameful Capitulation-Campaign of General Goddard-Exploits of Popham and Camac-Mahrattas allied with Britain-Increased Power of Mahadajee Sindia-His Death-Death of Madoo RaoVarious Intrigues-Jealousies of Britain-Dissensions of Sindia and Holkar-Defeat of Sindia and the Peishwa-Subsidiary Alliance with Britain-Opening of the Campaign-General Wellesley enters Poonah-Negotiations with Sindia and the Rajah of Berar-Hostilities commenced-Battle of Assaye-Of Argaom-Siege of GawilghurTreaty with the Rajah of Berar-Force of the Enemy in Central Hindostan-Battle of Coel-Capture of Alighur-Reduction of DelhiThe Mogul Emperor-Final Defeat of the Enemy-Treaty with Sindia-Rupture with Holkar-Retreat of Colonel Monson-Siege of Delhi-Defeats sustained by Holkar-Siege of Bhurtpore-Repulse of the English-Treaty-Hostile Conduct of Sindia-New System of Policy in Britain-Marquis Cornwallis comes out as Governor-general-Dies, and is succeeded by Sir George Barlow-Treaties with Sindia and Holkar-Lord Minto's Administration.

IN prosecuting, without interruption, the train of British conquest in Southern India, we have lost sight of the Mahrattas, unless in respect to their relations with the government of Mysore. The reader, however, will recollect the steps by which that people raised themselves on the decline of the Mogul empire, and became the most powerful instrument in its overthrow. They would even have occupied its place had they not encountered the more regular and formidable armies of the Afghans, from whom they sustained two such mighty defeats as would have annihilated any force which did not possess in itself a strong principle of vitality. But they soon recruited their strength out of the warlike and roving population of their mountain districts; and as the Afghans did not attempt a permanent establish

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