A History of the Mahrattas v2.c55.57.2

v2.c55.57.2

and he may have thought, from the evident desire of conciliation which existed in the councils of the British Government, that much would be conceded to avert a war. The annual inroads of the Pindharees and a pilgrimage undertaken by Bajee Rao, for the second time, to a celebrated temple in the Carnatic, furnished ample excuse for raising troops, had a pretext been wanting; but the fact was, the Resident had been constantly pressing on the attention of the minister the inadequate force maintained by the Peishwa for the protection of his country. Up to 1812, exclusive of the troops maintained by the Jagheerdars, and the Sebundees, or irregular infantry employed in collecting the revenue, his army amounted to no more than two thousand five hundred horse and three thousand infantry. Four thousand horse were that year added to the establishment, and several hundreds each year subsequently; but instead of continuing to increase the levies of horse so useful to check the Pindharees, a large body of Gosaeen infantry was now entertained at Trimbukjee’s suggestion; and Arabs, whose enlistment Bajee Rao had at one time not only prohibited, but had begged of the Bombay Government to arrest on their route from the coast to his dominions, now met with every encouragement. An opportunity for exercising the new levies soon occurred by the refusal of Bappoo Sindia, Killidar of Dharwar, to surrender that fortress.