New History of the Marathas v1.c11.41

v1.c11.41

The father hugged the son and bitterly mourned their lot, cursing the moment when they left their home. In desperation Shivaji often seemed to have given up all hope and made utterances calculated to accept anything that the Emperor would demand provided his life was spared. He begged each and every person of influence to intercede with the Emperor to have his life saved. Most of his men had already left him. He fell ill or pretended to be so. Only one or two servants Heroji Farzand and Madari Mehtar remained in attendance on him. In the evening of 17th August some one else slept in Shivaji's bed wrapped in coverings, and both Shivaji and Sambhājī escaped in separate baskets as narrated by Thevenot. Nirāji Rāoji, Dattāji Trimbak and Raghu Mitra are mentioned as having accompanied him. As soon as they reached their secret rendezvous, they mounted the horses that were kept ready for them by previous arrangement and rode away for the Deccan by way of Mathura.