A History of the Mahrattas v2.c55.15

v2.c55.15

² [Vāsota (Wassota) lies in Sātāra District at the head of a small valley which branches west from the Koyna river. The fort stands on the very edge of the Western Ghāts, the defences consisting of a vertical scarp varying in height from 30 to 60 feet, crowned by a wall and parapet from 6 to 8 feet high, and loop-holed at intervals. The cliff to the south of the fort has a sheer drop of 1,500 feet, and was used as a place of execution for criminals, like the Tarpeian rock of ancient Rome. Sivājī, who took the fort in 1655, renamed it Vajragarh, which name it has not retained. Subsequently it was used chiefly as a State prison. The fort was captured by the British in April 1818, Mountstuart Elphinstone being present at the siege, which he has described. The prize property amounted to two lakhs of rupees, in addition to family jewels of the Rājā of Sātāra, worth three lakhs of rupees. (I.G. Bom., i. 565.)]