A History of the Mahrattas v1.c11.11

v1.c11.11

The province of Kalliannee,¹ formerly belonging to the kings of Ahmednugur, and ceded to Beejapoor by the treaty of 1636, was principally confided to two authorities; the northern part of it, extending from Bheemree (or Bhewndy) to Nagotna (or Nagathanna) was under a respectable Mahomedan officer appointed by the king and stationed at the town of Kallian Bheemree. He had an extensive charge, comprehending several strong forts both above and below the Ghauts; but these forts from the causes we have endeavoured to explain were much neglected. The southern part of the province was held in Jagheer by an Abyssinian ²; the condition of his tenure, as far as can be ascertained, was the maintenance of a marine for the protection of the trade, and conveying pilgrims to the Red Sea. His possessions were not considered hereditary, but were conferred on the most deserving Abyssinian officer of the fleet, and the chief so selected was styled Wuzeer. The crews of his vessels were in part composed of his countrymen; and a small African colony was thus formed in the Concan. The great maritime depôt was the harbour of Dhunda Rajepoor, in the middle of which stands the small fortified island of Jinjeera.³ In the vulgar language of the Deccan, all natives of Africa are termed Seedees. The name of the principal Abyssinian at this time was Futih Khan, commonly styled the Seedee,¹ an appellation assumed by the chief and his successors, by which they have been best known to Europeans. The Seedee had charge of several forts, amongst which were Tala, Gossala, and Rairee; they were all intrusted to the care of Mahrattas.²