The Dynasties of the Kanarese Districts of the Bombay Presidency from the Earliest Historical Times to the Musalman Conquest c7.s9.84

c7.s9.84

In 1776 the internal dissensions of the Marátha state enabled an impostor to obtain some power, and circumstances made him choose the Konkan as the field of his exploits. He was known as Sadáshiv Chimnáji professing to be the son of Chimnáji Appa and to have escaped from the field of Pánipat, and he had been for some time in confinement at Ratnágiri in charge of the Subhedár Rámchandra Paránjpe. This man released him and he soon got a large force together, and by the end of the rains had taken twenty of the Konkan forts and had a following of 20,000 men. He marched through the Konkan and soon had possession of most of it, and in October went up the Borghát. There however he was attacked, and being driven down again tried to get protection at Bombay, as the Government had to some extent countenanced him, but not getting admittance he went on to Kolába. Rághoji Angria there took him prisoner and sent him to Poona, where he was soon afterwards put to death. A force was then sent into the Konkan under Bháuráv Phanse and speedily reduced it to obedience. Raghunáthráv, now an exile, and ready to ally himself with any one, had left Surat with the ostensible purpose of joining the pretended Sadáshiv Bháu, but had been compelled to seek shelter at Tárápur, from whence he came in November to Bombay in one of the Company's vessels.¹ There was at this time owing to the treaty of Purandhar peace between the English and Maráthás, but in January 1777 it was reported from Goa that the Marátha fleet had left Gheria with the design of attacking the Revenge and the Bombay grab, so the two vessels sailed off to look for them. After searching in vain about Gheria the Marátha fleet was found on February 16 at the entrance of a port of theirs called Cole Arbour, three frigates, five ketches and ten gallivats. The two ships went within gunshot of them, but they declined action.²