A History of the Mahrattas v2.c40.3

Language: English

v2.c40.3.1

The fort and district of Nurgoond,¹ situated about twelve miles south of the Malpurba, belonged to a Bramin Dessaye, and had fallen under Hyder with the other Mahratta possessions south of the Kistna in 1778. This district had only been subject to the payment of a moderate tribute, and Hyder, satisfied with the Dessaye’s submission, exacted nothing more than what had been usually paid to the Mahrattas. Tippoo, however, soon after his father’s death had increased the demand, with which the Dessaye refused compliance; but concluding it would eventually be enforced, he secretly claimed protection from the Peishwa, whose subject he declared himself; and as secretly, through the agency of an Englishman in his service named Yoon, applied to the Bombay Government for the aid of some regular troops, representing that he was an independent Raja willing to co-operate in the invasion of Tippoo’s dominions. This application to Bombay was made before the treaty of Mangalore; but as no notice was taken of his overtures, the Dessaye continued to court the protection of the minister at Poona and the friendship of the powerful Bramin family of Putwurdhun, with whom he is said to have been connected.

v2.c40.3.2

When Tippoo, therefore, pressed his demand, Nana Furnuwees interposed and declared that he had no right to exact more than the ordinary tribute—‘that Jagheerdars, on the transfer of districts, were liable to no additional payments: and that the rights of Suwusthanees,¹ who had been guilty of no treason against the state to which they owed allegiance, had been invariably respected.’² Tippoo replied that he had a right to levy what he chose from his own subjects; and soon after detached two separate bodies of his troops to enforce demands beyond the Dessaye’s ability to pay, which was in other words an order to reduce his fort. The siege commenced in the month of March; and a body of Mahrattas, under Gunnesh Punt Behree and Pures hram Bhow Putwurdhun, advanced to its relief. Tippoo’s wukeels still remained at Poona, and Nana Furnuwees had sent orders to the Mahratta commanders not to precipitate hostilities; but by the time they arrived in the neighbourhood of Nurgoond, Tippoo’s officers had been compelled from want of water to raise the siege and encamp at some distance. They however sent in derision a message to the Bramin commanders, intimating that they had withdrawn their troops from respect to their master the Peishwa. Fired at the insult, the Mahrattas rode on to their camp, drove in their outposts, and pressed forward, until repulsed by two of Tippoo’s regular battalions supported by the cavalry; when they retired with the loss of twenty men and an elephant.

v2.c40.3.3

This premature attack was contrary to the orders of Nana Furnuwees; but as it had been made, he immediately directed Tookajee Holkar with a considerable force to support Gunnesh Punt and Pureshram Bhow; though he at the same time intimated to Tippoo his concern for the quarrel and his desire for an accommodation. Tippoo, whose motives will become apparent, expressed an equal readiness to meet his wishes, and even offered to pay two years’ tribute, provided his right of sovereignty was recognized in regard to Nurgoond. Nana Furnuwees, by the advice of Nizam Ally and on assurance that submission only was required from the Dessaye, acceded to what Tippoo proposed, and everything appeared to be settled except the mode of payment, for which a period of twenty-seven days was allowed, and the Mahratta army recrossed the Kistna.¹ But Tippoo had practised a gross deception:—Nurgoond left to its fate submitted; and the terms promised to the unfortunate Dessaye were not observed. After evacuating the fort, he and his family were treacherously seized; his daughter was reserved for the Sultan’s seraglio, and the rest were immured in Cabuldroog, where they perished. The fort of Kittoor,² which also belonged to a tributary Dessaye, had likewise been seized, and both that place and Nurgoond, before the opening of the fair season, were occupied by strong garrisons of the Sultan’s troops.