A History of the Mahrattas v2.c56.4

v2.c56.4

The defective nature of the political arrangements concluded by the British authorities in 1805-6 had become very evident from the state of anarchy existing in Malwa and Rajpootana; and the necessity of suppressing the spreading hordes of Patans and Pindharees was universally acknowledged. The numbers of these marauders had augmented to about fifty thousand men, of whom about one half were Pindharee horse.¹ Both the one and the other were systematic plunderers; but the Patans were associated, under Umeer Khan, for the purpose of invading and plundering such states as they could overpower or intimidate; whilst the object of the Pindharees was universal rapine.