A History of the Mahrattas v2.c58.8

v2.c58.8

It has hitherto been quite unnecessary to refer to the everlasting turmoil of Holkar's durbar. The Mahratta faction, which Toolsee Bye the regent joined, had, in a moment of superiority over their Patan rivals, put the minister Ballaram Seit to death, which threw the principal power into the hands of Tattya Jogh and Holkar's hereditary Dewan, Gunput Rao, a man of weak intellect, under the guidance of Tattya Jogh; he was also the paramour of Toolsee Bye, over whom his passion gave him entire ascendancy. When the Peishwa's emissaries were negotiating the confederacy against the British Government, one of their objects was to reconcile the Patan and Mahratta factions; but at the crisis when the British army crossed the Nerbuddah, there was a division amongst all parties and factions in Holkar’s camp. Gunput Rao had been for a time gained over to the Peishwa’s cause, and Toolsee Bye¹ had no will but his : Tattya Jogh, suspected of being favourable to a negotiation opened by Mr. Metcalfe on the part of the British Government, was placed under restraint, and the war faction or, in other words, Bajee Rao’s influence predominated. The negotiation alluded to, as opened by Mr. Metcalfe, was part of the Governor-General’s plan, who, as will be recollected, intended to form a treaty with Holkar, nearly similar to that which was concluded with Sindia. The proposals were made to Holkar at the same time that the terms were offered to Umeer Khan; but no reply was received until the middle of November, when a secret communication from Toolsee Bye, offering to place the young Mulhar Rao and herself under the protection of the British Government, was, by the advice of Tattya Jogh, transmitted to Mr. Metcalfe. The regency, however, being under the control of their own soldiery, were obliged to yield to the popular cry in the camp, and to move towards the Deccan, trusting to some favourable opportunity of effecting their purpose, though now obliged to join in the general demonstrations of loyalty in favour of the sovereign Peishwa. But Gunput Rao having, as already mentioned, been gained over, Toolsee Bye likewise seceded from the plan of seeking protection from the British; and Tattya Jogh, the original proposer of that measure, was placed in confinement. The soldiery were averse to the admission of terms from the British Government, because the chiefs knew they must lose the power and consequence which the existing state of anarchy conferred, and the troops apprehended the loss of their bread. Before Holkar’s army quitted Rampoorah, some advances were made by the Peishwa’s agent, and larger sums were promised as soon as they should cross the Nerbuddah. They were joined by Roshun Beg, one of Holkar’s commanders, with fourteen battalions before they reached Mehidpoor, and all were apparently enthusiastic in the Peishwa’s cause. The arrival of General Malcolm’s division in their neighbourhood caused some alteration in the minds of the regency; but the general indications of hostility were so strong, that Sir John Malcolm retired upon the 1st division advancing to Oojein. The division from Guzerat ought to have been by that time about the same point, but Sir William Grant Keir had fallen back a considerable distance, at the requisition of the Bombay Government, as in consequence of the Peishwa’s defection, disturbances were apprehended in Guzerat; but of this movement the Governor-General disapproved, and the division was ordered to return, for the purpose of co-operating as at first directed.