A History of the Mahrattas v2.c59.18

v2.c59.18

To get possession of the country; to prevent the revenue of the current year, or the treasures of the Peishwa from being made applicable to purposes of hostility; to protect and conciliate the inhabitants; to attempt no innovations, and to endeavour to show the people that they were to expect no change but the better administration of their own laws, were the primary objects to which the Commissioner directed the attention of his agents. As the country was drained of British troops, the greater part of which had proceeded in pursuit of the flying Peishwa, the means of those agents were, at first, limited; but by raising irregulars, taking such places as they could reduce, destroying or executing straggling plunderers, especially when they were found torturing or murdering the villagers, opening negotiations with the Killidars of the stronger forts, and representing the hopelessness of resistance, the country with the assistance of such regulars as could be spared, fell almost as fast as men could be collected to keep possession. It not unfrequently happened that irregulars who had left Bajee Rao’s service a few days or hours before, entered that of the British Government; and instances are adducible, where, having quitted the Peishwa, they were enlisted, subsisted, supplied with ammunition, and fighting for the new Government, within little more than twenty-four hours; so readily do the irregular troops of India transfer their allegiance to the prevailing power. To these men the new conquests were frequently of necessity entrusted, and they proved, in no instance, treacherous or disobedient.