Shivaji and His Times c10.s7.6

c10.s7.6

The state of war with Bijapur continued, though languidly. A general of that State, probably Rustam-i-Zaman II., lay with his army on the Ghats near Kolhapur (July), ready to descend into Konkan and wrest Rajapur from the Marathas. In August, September and October Maratha bands spread northwards into the Koli country, giving repeated alarms to the port of Surat. But a body of three to four thousand Bhils of Ramnagar held the jungles and passes through that State and opposed the Marathas, who vainly offered them a bribe of one lakh of Rupees for a safe passage (middle of October 1674.)* Shortly afterwards the baffled Maratha army, after provisioning their forts in that region, marched away to join Shiva near Aurangabad, and Surat again breathed freely. They had found an easier prey in another quarter. Late in October, a large army commanded by Shivaji in person advanced into the Deccan plateau, skirted Bahadur Khan's camp, which was "hotly alarmed," looted several towns near Aurangabad, and then burst into Baglana and Khandesh, where they continued for more than a month (Nov. to middle of Dec.) Among other places they pillaged and burnt Dharangaon (10 m. north of Erandol) and its English factory. Qutb-ud-din Khan Kheshgi bravely opposed the raiders, but his small force was routed with the loss of 3 to 4 hundred men, and he fled to Aurangabad for refuge. (F. R. Surat 87, Surat to Bomb. 28 Oct., 1664; Vol. 107, Bomb. to Surat 2 Nov., 1674; Dungom to Surat, 10 Dec.; O. C. 4062.)