A History of the Mahrattas v1.c15.22

v1.c15.22

After the third day, Sivajee, in consequence of intelligence from Burhanpoor, suddenly withdrew his army; and having left a letter for the inhabitants, demanding a tribute of twelve lacks of rupees a year, as the price of exemption from future pillage, he returned towards his own territory by the great road of Salheir. He had passed Kunchin Munchin, near Chandore, when he was closely pursued by a detachment of five thousand cavalry, under Daood Khan, a Moghul officer, whose approach occasioned no alarm; but Sivajee soon perceived that a larger body had got between him and the great pass near Nassuck, by which he intended to re-enter the Concan. He therefore broke his army into four or five divisions, in order to distract the enemy. A party from one of these divisions began to skirmish with the larger body; two of them threatened to charge it; whilst one division, to whom the treasure was entrusted, passed the enemy, pushed on towards the Ghaut, and made the best of their way into the Concan. Sivajee would have avoided an action, had he been sure of saving his booty, but he was obliged to move slowly to favour the escape of the division in charge of it. In the meantime Daood Khan came up, when Sivajee wheeled about, attacked, and drove him back; after which, having left a party to defend his rear, he moved on to the large body. Finding them drawn up on the banks of a tank, he instantly charged them, which being unexpected, the whole were put to the rout, and amongst the rest, a body of Mahrattas commanded by the widow of the