The Dynasties of the Kanarese Districts of the Bombay Presidency from the Earliest Historical Times to the Musalman Conquest c7.s9.197

c7.s9.197

Ráygad was restored to the Peshwa in August,³ but after the rains the Bhils and Rámoshis were enlisted by him, and employed in shutting up the passes through the Gháts.² They also invaded the Kalyán district, and numbers of the inhabitants took refuge in the forts of Bassein and Máhuli.⁴ Early in November these marauders held the Borghát. The Bombay troops kept open communications between Khopali and Panwel, but a despatch from General Smith near Poona to the Commander-in-Chief in Bombay had to be sent round by Bánkot.⁵ When the Peshwa moved northwards in December, preparations were made to prevent him from going down into the North Konkan,⁶ and in point of fact he was on one occasion close to the Nánaghát.⁴ The fort of Kotligad in the North Konkan was at this time taken for the Peshwa by a Sardár named Bápuráv Lámbia, but on December 30 was retaken by Captain Brooks without loss.⁷ No other operations were necessary north of Bombay, but small forces were prepared for the reduction of the forts in the Southern Konkan. Hostilities were begun by the capture, at the end of November, of Suvarndurg, which made little resistance. In January 1818 a force under Colonel Prother, consisting of 380 Europeans 800 Native Infantry and a battering train, took Karnála, and within a month afterwards the forts of Avchitgad, Songad, Páli which was bombarded for two hours, and Bharap, the last a strong place the fall of which hastened the surrender of the Pant Sachiv to the British authority.⁸ It was cannonaded for twenty-four hours before surrendering, and an immense store of provisions found in it.⁹ About the same time Mandangad, where there were two forts with a triple stockade in the space between,¹⁰ was taken by escalade by a small force from Suvarndurg under Colonel Kennedy,¹¹ and here a seaman was killed and nine or ten sepoys wounded.⁹ These operations were in many cases very difficult from the necessity of dragging guns up to the top of the hills on which the forts stood. The acquisition of these was considered especially necessary, because the families of our sepoys belonging to this district had been so persecuted by the Peshwa's officers that in January 1818 proclamation was made offering pardon to all sepoys who might on that account have deserted from our army.¹ It was also rightly anticipated that outside of the forts we should meet with no opposition.