A History of the Mahrattas v1.c24.87

v1.c24.87

The Deccan, thus completely drained of troops, presented an inviting field to the Peishwa, but domestic arrangements of the utmost importance demanded his presence at Satara. The Raja Shao had for some years been in a state of mental imbecility,³ brought on, it is said, in consequence of the death of his youngest wife, Sagoona Bye Mohitey; but as his health declined he recovered the use of his intellect,¹ and the dependants of the Peishwa about his person urged him to adopt a son. The Raja, on the loss of his only child some time before his derangement, had declared, contrary to all his former invectives against him, that he would adopt Sumbhajee, Raja of Kolapoor, provided he had issue; but as this was not the case, it was now proposed that he should institute an inquiry for some of the lineal descendants of Wittoojee, the brother of Mallojee, and uncle of Shahjee. Search was accordingly made, but none were discovered; and it was then suggested to receive the son of some respectable Sillidar of that Patell family, of which there were a great number. This proposal, however, Shao said, he had a strong reason for declining, and at last told Mahadajee Punt Poorundhuree and Govind Rao Chitnees that Tara Bye, who was still alive and residing in Satara, had somewhere concealed her grandson Rama, the son of the second Sivajee, who was born in 1712, after the death of his father. It is not known by what means Shao became possessed of this secret; and the subject, intricate in itself, has been so studiously involved in mystery as to excite a suspicion that the Peishwa was convinced of the legitimacy of Ram Raja, and found it necessary, for the purpose of rendering him insignificant, to invent, or at least to connive at the insinuation, that the whole was a trick of state. Tara Bye, on hearing of the intended adoption of Sumbhajee of Kolapoor, was heard to say, ‘I will prevent that’; and on being now closely questioned and encouraged declared the existence of her grandson. The eldest surviving wife of Shao, Suckwar Bye Sirkay, true to the inherent violence