A History of the Mahrattas v2.c58.15

v2.c58.15

In the meantime Cheetoo, with his durra of Pindharees, had gone off in a north-westerly direction, when the pursuit was taken up by the Guzerat division with considerable effect. A part of the durra was destroyed, and several of their parties were overtaken in villages. Cheetoo, finding himself harassed, turned suddenly to the southward, and by passing through a very difficult country, where Sir William Grant Keir found it impossible to follow him, he effected his escape; he reappeared near Dhar, whither he was followed by the Guzerat division by another route. The broken remains of the durras of Wasil Mohummud and Khureem, at a time when they thought themselves secure from pursuit, were completely surprised in the middle of January by a detachment from Colonel Adams’s division, which destroyed a great number of them. Khureem was not with his followers at the time, having been left in a jungle as they were flying through Huraotee; but he was in Jawud when the town was stormed by General Browne, and escaped on foot with great difficulty. After a variety of adventures, Khureem surrendered himself to Sir John Malcolm on the 15th February¹; Namdar Khan came in on the 3d February, with such of his followers as remained, and many of the principal chiefs followed his example. The only terms required by Namdar Khan were an assurance that he should not be sent to Europe or Calcutta. Many persons belonging to the durras of Wasil Mohummud and Khureem gave themselves up to Zalim Sing of Kotah, and the small parties dispersed. Wasil Mohummud, in person, took refuge in Sindia’s camp at Gwalior, where the British authorities would not seize him, but caused Sindia to do so, that it might be manifest to all India that an enemy of the British Government could nowhere find an asylum. He was not imprisoned, but kept at Ghazeepoor under a strict watch; and at last, being intercepted in an attempt to escape, he destroyed himself by poison.