A History of the Mahrattas v2.c47.16

v2.c47.16

It was not supposed at the time, nor is it generally known, that Bajee Rao was the original cause of those excesses; he certainly never contemplated the commission of such barbarous enormities. He was shocked at the cruelties of Ghatgay, and remonstrated with Sindia on the subject; but the latter lent a deaf ear to complaints, which he considered mere hypocrisy or excuses to the world. Amrut Rao, who knew nothing of the existing compact, or that his brother had devised this mode of raising money, being irritated at the conduct of Ghatgay, and encouraged by the universal cry of abhorrence against Sindia, proposed to his brother the bold scheme of seizing Sindia when on a visit; in which Bajee Rao immediately acquiesced, and was soon eager to carry it into effect. Previous to this suggestion, Bajee Rao had concerted with Amrut Rao a plan for raising a body of regular infantry, which in that respect might place him more on an equality with Sindia and Nizam Ally: in cavalry he could soon become superior to both. Amrut Rao, from his early intercourse with the British troops, during the campaigns of his father Rugoba, had a decided predilection for that nation over all other Europeans. He selected Mr. W. H. Tone¹ to command the first brigade, of which the whole of the officers were to have been British subjects. To obtain a pretext with Sindia for this meditated augmentation, he referred to the state of their relations with the court of Hyderabad, and proposed that they should undertake a conjunct expedition against Nizam Ally for the recovery of the balance of the arrears of tribute fixed and of the districts ceded by the treaty of Kurdla; which had been restored by Nana Furnuwees without the Peishwa’s authority or Sindia’s knowledge. Sindia having readily acquiesced, the intention of the Poona court was formally announced to the British Government on the 9th February; but the brigade of infantry was never raised, and the rest of the Peishwa’s army, owing to his secret jealousy of Amrut Rao, his own ignorance of military affairs, and his unfit selection of a commander, became daily less efficient. Bajee Rao’s total want of preparation did not, however, deter him from carrying on the scheme against Sindia; strong factions began to prevail in the camp of the latter, which encouraged Bajee Rao to hope that, by fomenting the rising disorders, the ministers and army of Sindia might be brought over to his views, or soon be reconciled to the deposal of their master.