Fall of the Mughal Empire v3.c34.s12.6

v3.c34.s12.6

There had been an angry scene in the invaders' camp on the west bank of the Ganges. The pacific Visāji Krishna, inspite of his high title of the supreme agent for Maratha interests in Hindustan, was powerless. Tukoji Holkar, as usual, by his bluster carried the day, and taking Najaf Khan with himself forded the Ganges there with his 15,000 light horse, while Visāji, with the other half of the army, stayed behind at the village of Bhelon, two miles west of the ghat, in charge of all the camp, heavy baggage and the accumulated spoils of three years' campaigning in the North. The Pindharis looted the country round. As a wise precaution, a bridge of boats had been thrown by the Marathas over the Ganges at Puth, 50 miles higher up the river, to provide a safe path for retreat.