A History of the Mahrattas v1.c22.82

Language: English

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undertaken without regular sanction, were highly resented by Bajee Rao. He marched from Poona for the purpose of punishing his misconduct, and sent forward Awjee Kowray to plunder in Berar. But that unfortunate officer¹ was attacked and defeated by Rughoojee in the end of February. Bajee Rao was preparing to avenge his loss, when news reached him of the arrival of Nadir Shah, the defeat of the Moghuls, the death of Khan Dowran, the capture of Sadut Khan; and finally, that the victorious Persian was dictating the terms of ransom at the gates of Delhi. These accounts exceedingly alarmed Bajee Rao, but the subsequent intelligence which he received at Nusseerabad informed him of the imprisonment of the Emperor, the plunder of Delhi, the dreadful massacre of many of its inhabitants,² and seemed for a time to overwhelm him. ‘Our domestic quarrel with Rughoojee Bhonslay is now insignificant,’ says the Peishwa, ‘the war with the Portuguese is as nought; there is now but one enemy in Hindoostan.’ He appears to have conceived that Nadir Shah would establish himself as Emperor, but he was not dismayed when he heard reports that a hundred thousand Persians were advancing to the southward.

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‘Hindoos and Mussulmans,’ says Bajee Rao, ‘the whole power of the Deccan must assemble, and I shall spread our Mahrattas from the Nerbuddah to the Chumbul.’ He called on Nasir Jung to arm against the common foe, and Chimnajee Appa was ordered to desist from the Concan warfare, and join him with all speed. Before Chimnajee received this command a detachment from his army under Khundoojee Mankur had reduced the forts of Versovah and Darawee; he was in possession of the whole of Salsette,³ and had begun the siege of Bassein. It was invested by an advanced force under Shunkrajee Narrain, on the 17th of February. The commandant represented with humility that he was willing to pay the Mahratta tribute, and that the Portuguese asked no more than the terms granted to the Seedee of Jinjeera. But he was mistaken in supposing that such a tone would avert the attack of a victorious Bramin. Chimnajee was unwilling to relinquish the capture of an important fortress which would secure his conquests, and without which the Portuguese had a key which opened a passage to the recovery, not only of what they had lost, but to the whole Concan from the Ghauts to the sea, and from Damaun to Bombay; therefore, although the mandate from his brother was urgent, he determined to secure Bassein. Aware of the risk to which he exposed himself by the chance of discomfiture, during the whole of March and April he pressed the siege by every possible exertion.

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Numbers were daily killed in his batteries and trenches, where shells and huge stones thrown from mortars did terrible execution. The numerous guns of the besieged were at last silenced, and a breach had been effected in one of the curtains, but it was not yet practicable. The mines of the besiegers were repeatedly counteracted; at length five were prepared, but so unskilfully, that the first only partially exploded, and of three mines close together, intended to be fired at once, two only went off. These, however, made a very large breach, which the Mahratta troops resolutely and promptly mounted, when the remaining mine having caught fire blew hundreds of the assailants in the air. The Portuguese flung a quantity of hand grenades amongst the crowds in the rear, whilst they plied those who had ascended with musketry, and drove them back with much slaughter. The defences were repaired with alacrity, the besiegers returned to the attack; but before attempting an assault at the former breach, the remaining mine under the tower of St. Sebastian, which had been constructed under the superintendence of Mulhar Rao Holkar, was fired: half the bastion was brought to the ground, and the assailants, after losing two of their colours, at last effected a lodgement. The besieged, however, although forty of their number were killed, and upwards of one hundred and thirty wounded at the breach of St.

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Sebastian, disputed every inch of ground, threw up a retrenchment of gabions, and mounted fresh guns, from which they kept up an incessant fire. At last, worn out by fatigue and distressed for want of provisions, the sea face being blockaded by Mannajee Angria, they sent offers of capitulation, which were accepted on the 16th of May, and eight days were allowed to embark their private property and families ¹ The Portuguese lost in killed and wounded, according to the Mahratta account, eight hundred men, whilst Chimnajee Appa acknowledges his own loss at upwards of five thousand, from the commencement to the end of this remarkable siege; the most vigorous ever prosecuted by Mahrattas. The Portuguese only enumerate their loss at the last breach. The capitulation was made by Captain de Souza Pereira, the same officer who before defended Tannah; Silveira de Menezes, the commanding officer, having been killed during one of the assaults.²