Annals and Antiquities of Rajasthan, or the Central and Western Rajput States of India v2.c27.s7.t2.82.3

v2.c27.s7.t2.82.3

The edict remained uncancelled until these days, when amongst the industrious of all classes whom the proclamations² brought once more to Mewar, came Pema and his brethren. Although tradition had preserved the causes of their exile, it had made no alteration in their sentiments and opinions, and the dagger was always at hand, to be sheathed in their own flesh whenever provocation called it from the girdle. Pema beset the Rana in all his rides, demanding a reduction [704] or rather abolition of duties for his tanda ; and at length he took up a position on the terrace fronting the ‘balcony of the sun,’ threatening a chandni,³ for such is the term applied to this suicidal revenge. The Rana, who had not the nerve of his ancestor, sent to me to beseech my interference : with his messenger, one from me returned to invite the Bhats to a settlement. They came, as fine, robust, intrepid a set as I ever saw. We soon came to issue : I urged that duties must be paid by all who chose to frequent the passes of Mewar, and that they would get nothing by their present silly mode of endeavouring to obtain remission ; that if they would give a written agreement to abide by the scale of duties laid down, they should receive exemption for five hundred out of the forty thousand bullocks of their *tanda*, and be reinducted into Bamani ; if not, there were daggers (showing them some on the table), and they might begin as soon as they pleased.