A History of the Mahrattas v1.c23.69

v1.c23.69

Bajee Rao was handsome in his person, and his manner was more that of a frank soldier than of a smooth courtier; when in the field with his troops he kept up no state, and shared in all the privations of the meanest horseman. An anecdote illustrative of his character is preserved from the following circumstance. Before Nizam Ool Moolk had seen Bajee Rao, during the first campaign in which they were opposed to each other, the former desired a famous painter in his service to repair to the army of Bajee Rao and bring his likeness, taken in whatever attitude he might first see him. The painter executed his task, and on his return exhibited the Peishwa mounted, with the head and heel ropes of his horse in his feeding bag, like that of a common Mahratta, his spear resting on his shoulder, whilst he was rubbing with both his hands some ears of ripened Joowaree,¹ which he was eating as he rode.