Fall of the Mughal Empire v3.c40.s11.8

v3.c40.s11.8

But the matter soon passed out of his hands. All the trained sepoy battalions took up arms, placed their officers under arrest, and with guns limbered up threatened to march on Mahadji's tent and extort their dues by force. Rana Khan advised a prompt settlement of their claims, but Sindhia replied, "If I pay the salary of the Telingas today, then the Hindustanis tomorrow and the Deccani horse the next day will ask for their dues. Six* lakhs is what their monthly salary amounts to." But more alarming news came from the Jaipur camp and at last Sindhia bowed to necessity. He offered two months' pay; but it was now too late. The sepoys and gunners replied that their salary was due for eight months and flour was selling at four seers to the Rupee, so that they were too weak from fasting to hold their muskets; that they must be paid all their arrear dues in full and for the future four annas a day in cash, or else they would go over to the Jaipur Rajah. Throughout the 30th and the forenoon of the next day the tumult raged unabated in his camp. Sindhia was utterly distracted; all his attempts to placate the soldiery, even by making his wife security for his good faith, failed. The exasperated sepoys abused and sent back his peace envoys. They refused the jewels that he offered, saying that they could not feed on gems, but wanted cash. Some regiments, however, accepted part payment, such as the gunners (Rs. 2,900), Lesteneau’s battalions (Rs. 1,000) and Murtaza Khan’s sons (Rs. 10,000.) [Akh. 47.]