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the English, had motives connected with the internal state of his dominions, which made him desirous, for the present at least, to claim on that ground the fulfilment of the treaty of Bassein.

Sir George Barlow was succeeded in 1807 by Lord Minto, a prudent and intelligent nobleman, who endeavoured in his general system to maintain the pacific policy recommended by the company, without shrinking from vigorous and even hostile demonstrations, when the conduct of the native powers appeared to render these necessary. The great states during his administration retained their position nearly unaltered; but animosities continued to ferment which were destined to burst into a violent tempest, and te involve India afresh in a sanguinary war.

CHAPTER V.

Pindaree War, and Conquest of the Mahratias.

Progress of the Pindarees-Their Character-Ameer Khan-Arrangements with the Peishwa-Trimbuckjee-He murders the Guzerat Minister-Is delivered up to the English-Escapes-Concessions required from the Peishwa-Marquis of Hastings arrives in India-Rupture with Nepaul-Death of General Gillespie-Successes of Ochterlony-Negotiations-Renewal of the War-Final Treaty-Alliance formed with Berar-Irruptions of the Pindarees-Opening of the Campaign against them-Treaties with Sindia and Ameer Khan-The Cholera attacks the Grand Army-Rise and Diffusion of that Malady in India-Alarming Accounts from Poonah-Operations against the Pindarees-The Adherents of Holkar join them-Battle of Mehidpoor -treaty-Final Catastrophe of the Pindaree Chiefs-Movements of the Peishwa-He attacks the English-His Repulse and continued Flight-Repeated Defeats-Surrender-Intrigues at Nagpore-The Rajah attacks the English-Issue of the Contest-His Escape-Subsequent Transactions-Contest with Bhurtpore-Conclusion.

In the aspect which India at this period exhibited, the most remarkable feature consisted in the marauding habits of the people by whom so large a portion of it was occupied. A new power which rose without any basis to rest upon, without country or territory to claim for its own, and without any regular place in the political system, was chiefly

CHARACTER OF THE PINDAREES.

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supported by the roving tribes named Pindarees, who carried to an extreme all the predatory usages characteristic of Mahrattas. The latter, indeed, regarded plunder as an essential. part of their policy; still they had a country and a home to which they were fondly attached; and they had regular Occupations which they followed in the intervals, independent of their more violent pursuits. Their chiefs aimed, not merely to enrich themselves by booty, but also to attain political power. The Pindarees, on the contrary, were nothing more than robbers, elevated by their number into armies; and their boast was, not that they were able to encounter disciplined troops, but that they could elude them. If overtaken or surprised, the point of honour was, who should fly swiftest. No barrier arrested them; they penetrated the closest chain of military posts, and found a way even between the divisions of an army drawn up to oppose them; they desolated the countries in the rear; after which, making an immense circuit, they returned home by a different route. Their aim was, not to possess a district, but to sweep away all that was in it. Obliged to pass with a celerity almost preternatural, and to employ expeditious modes of extracting treasure, they inflicted the most merciless tortures to compel the owners to yield up their concealed hoards. Red-hot irons were applied to the soles of the feet; oil was thrown on the clothes, and inflamed; the head was tied into a bag filled with hot ashes and dust. The proudest exploit of a Pindaree was to steal a horse; and this operation was conducted with a dexterity which might put to shame the most skilful of their fraternity in Europe. They could carry one off from amid a crowded camp: stretched on their bellies they crept to the spot, and lay concealed till a favourable moment, when they cut the cords, mounted, and galloped off among the bushes with a rapidity that defied pursuit. When an enemy was distant, they divided into small parties, moving in a circular direction, so as to sweep the whole country. Their numbers were continually augmented by disbanded soldiers, and by persons of idle and desperate characters. The chiefs annually raised their standard on the northern bank of the Nerbudda at the termination of the rains, that they might be ready, as soon as the rivers should become fordable, to commence a general

movement.

The Patan and other Mohammedan troops, who, in the wreck of all the thrones occupied by their countrymen, had no longer a sovereign in whose service to fight, afforded another source whence predatory squadrons were formed and recruited. Most of them rallied round Ameer Khan, a bold and enterprising chief, who in the last war had fought under the banner of Holkar. He still retained his allegiance to that house, and attempted to direct its councils; but his chief object was, with his chosen band of about 12,000 horse and 200 pieces of artillery, to overawe and extort contributions from the Rajpoot and other petty states in this part of India. Though equally destitute of fixed possessions, and as much devoted to plunder as the Pindarees, he acted more systematically, and aimed at the attainment of political influence; yet, in Sir John Malcolm's opinion, the Mohammedans, from their tendency to sink into indolence and luxury, are less to be dreaded than the Hindoos, who, though they yield for the moment, pursue their object, on the whole, with unwearied perseverance.

Though Ameer Khan formed a power distinct from the Pindarees, he easily attracted large bodies of them to any enterprise which promised to gratify their appetite for plunder. Such was the expedition which, in 1809, he undertook against Berar, then governed by an effeminate and unwarlike sovereign. He would have succeeded in subverting that monarchy, had not Lord Minto wisely departed from his strictly defensive system. A strong detachment under Colonel Close was despatched into the territory of Nagpore, which, it was notified to Ameer Khan, was under British protection. That chief made a blustering and indignant reply, but was soon, by different circumstances, compelled to retreat into Malwa; and the governor-general, on further consideration, gave up the design which he had once entertained, of crushing this turbulent and ambitious marauder. The arrangements with the peishwa, meantime, proceeded also in a very unsatisfactory manner. That prince began, indeed, by courting the English, and even soliciting the continuance of their subsidiary force in his territories; but his object was to regain the control, which he had almost entirely lost, over his dominions. Besides the provinces possessed by Sindia and other independent princes, numerous districts, especially in the south, had been parcelled out

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into jaghires, which, like the European fiefs in the middle ages, were held on the mere tenure of homage and military service. To make the resemblance more complete, the jaghiredars, during the recent period of public confusion, had secured for themselves a condition of almost complete independence. The company felt considerable difficulty when applied to for aid against these chiefs, with many of whom, during the late exigences, they had formed alliances; but, notwithstanding, they agreed to enforce over them the authority of the peishwa, not as an absolute sovereign but as their liege lord. As these proud chiefs, however, were little inclined to own even this imperfect obligation, they imposed on the prince the frequent necessity of calling upon his allies to support his claims, and of declaring their possessions forfeited. Thus, in a few years, principally through the aid or fear of the English, he had reduced most of these retainers, and enriched his treasury by extensive confiscation. Having completely recovered his power and provided the necessary funds, he resolved at once to shake off the British yoke, and to re-establish his influence over the great feudatories of the Mahratta state. For this purpose he availed himself of the services of Trimbuckjee Dainglia, a bold, able, but very dissolute minister, raised from the lowest ranks, and entirely devoted to his master's purposes. The British resident from the first viewed with umbrage the elevation of this personage, and was soon brought into direct collision with him. The peishwa, among his other plans of aggrandizement, had revived certain ancient claims on the guickwar or sovereign of Guzerat, with whom also the company had formed a subsidiary alliance. As the negotiations on this subject became extremely intricate, it was agreed that Gungadhur Sastree, the prime minister of that state, should repair to the court of Poonah, and endeavour to place them on an intelligible basis; having, however, previously obtained a safe-conduct from the English. From being supposed favourable to their interests, as well as from some personal causes, he incurred the enmity of Trimbuckjee and the peishwa. To gratify this feeling, they prevailed upon him to accompany them to Punderpoor, where a religious festival of peculiar solemnity was to be celebrated. After their arrival Gungadhur, though indisposed, was induced to repair to the temple with a few unarmed attendants.

On the way certain persons were heard asking in a whispering tone which was the sastree; to which it was answered that it was he who wore the necklace; but the question, it was imagined, was prompted by mere curiosity. The minister, having performed his devotions, was returning with a diminished escort, when several men, with long twisted cloths used for the purpose, called aloud to clear the way. The sastree being thus left alone, they rushed upon him with drawn swords, and quickly pierced him with numerous wounds. Every thing conspired to render it manifest that Trimbuckjee was the author of this daring crime. The assassins had left him in the temple, whither they were seen running back with naked weapons. On the most trivial pretexts, however, he declined to submit to any formal investigation. In short, the inquiries of Mr. Elphinstone, the resident, left no room to doubt that he was the direct instigator of the murder, and had obtained the full consent of Bajee Rao to its perpetration.

The British minister, on this emergency, determined to adopt the most decisive measures, and with the view of giving effect to the negotiation, ordered the auxiliary force to approach nearer to Poonah. The peishwa, evidently apprehensive of being personally charged with the deed, evaded, on various grounds, all communication on the subject. At length, two persons in his confidence waited on the resident, apparently with a view to sound his intentions. Mr. Elphinstone allowed them to understand that there was no design of fixing the crime upon the peishwa; indeed, if he made any allusion to the rumour of Bajee's guilt, it was with the air of entire disbelief, and only to show the necessity of his disproving it by bringing the real offender to justice. It was demanded that Trimbuckjee, who was openly charged with the murder, should, with his two principal accomplices, be placed in close confinement to await a full investigation. The prince studiously employed every expedient to save his favourite; sometimes he endeavoured to justify him, and at other times declared it beyond his power to effect his arrest. The suspicion thus afforded of a determination to screen the offender induced the resident, with the concurrence of the governor-general, to demand that he should be delivered into British custody. This proposal was of course still more revolting to the peishwa, who

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