A History of the Mahrattas v1.c19.130

v1.c19.130

When Ballajee Wishwanath departed for Delhi, he left his Dewan, Abbajee Poorundhuree, as his Mootaliq or deputy in charge of his seal of office, and the duties of Peishwa continued to be carried on at the Mahratta court in Ballajee's name. On his return to Satara with the imperial deeds, the scheme for collecting and distributing the revenues, which all admit to have been projected by Ballajee, was examined, and the system before alluded to, which had already been partially introduced, was now generally promulgated. A brief analysis of their plans for collecting and appropriating the revenues will afford more insight into the character of the people and the nature of Bramin power than the subject promises. It furnishes not only some explanation of the mode adopted for preserving a common interest among the Mahrattas, and affording pretexts for encroaching on the Moghuls, but it exposes the laboured artifice, by which the illiterate Mahratta chief becomes wholly dependent on his Bramin accountant.