The Military System of the Marathas, with a Brief Account of Their Maritime Activities c12.39

c12.39

For their ordinary transport the Marathas employed asses, camels and bullocks, but transport across the rivers demanded other methods. While operating in Northern India this was performed by bridges of boats, as had been usual in the Mughal days. Boats were chained together and made to support a light platform of sticks and mud over which the men and the beasts passed with their arms and stores. But it does not appear that the Marathas themselves had ever undergone the trouble of constructing such bridges; they generally got some local men to build bridges for them,⁴ and, while operating in Southern India, they crossed the rivers in basket-boats according to the custom prevailing in the locality. Lt. Moor gives the following description of these peculiar baskets: ‘From the month of June to October, the river is not fordable, and in that time round baskets are used to convey passengers, goods, and cattle across; these baskets are made of all sizes, from three to fifteen feet diameter, constructed with split bamboos, and covered with half dressed hides. The method of constructing them is very simple: a number of pieces of split bamboo, twenty perhaps, are laid on the ground, crossing each other near the centre, and there fastened with thongs; the ends of the bamboo are raised by a proper number of people, and fixed by stakes at due distances from each other, in which situation they are bound by other long slips of bamboo, introduced alternately over and under the first crossed pieces, and tied at the intersections; this being completed, beginning from the bottom or centre, the parts above the intended height or depth of the basket are cut off, and it is liberated from the stakes, overset, and covered with hides sewed together by thongs. They are not more than three feet in depth, and will carry thirty men: we are inclined to think some of them will carry many more, for if we mistake not, the Bhow's heavy guns were transported over this river (the Tungabhadra) and the Kristna, in these baskets. When bullocks are to cross, they are tied to the basket, goaded in the proper direction, and they tow it over the river; at other times it is rowed over with paddles, and when the water is not too deep; pushed with long bamboos.¹ It is needless to say that the basket-boat was by no means a satisfactory conveyance, for when the current was strong, it was likely to be carried away. But though clumsy, it had some special advantage, for its construction needed little time and less labour. A Maratha general was compelled to provide himself with beasts of burden before he set out on his expedition, but he did not always take the precaution of providing himself with boats or baskets in advance. He relied so much on local supply that Wellington laid down that a war against the Marathas should be commenced in June, for they would be unable to cross the rivers and harass the movements of the English army, if the baskets were properly guarded. It should be noted that during the critical days of Abdali's invasion in 1759 the Marathas relied on the local chiefs for building their bridges and the consequent delay considerably hampered their military operations.