The Military System of the Marathas, with a Brief Account of Their Maritime Activities c9.83

c9.83

William Henry Tone reported to a Madras officer in the last decade of the eighteenth century that the Peshwa ruled over ‘a country of great natural strength, interspersed with mountains and defiles, all of which are defended by fortresses that are reserved as depots for treasure, or as retreats in the event of ill success or defeat. Perhaps no country on earth is better calculated for the purposes of defensive war; so that, whatever be the fortune of the Mahrattas in the field, we may safely pronounce, that in their own country, they will always be impregnable. I have counted in a day’s march through Candeish, nearly twenty fortresses, all in sight in different directions, Chandore, Unky Tunky, Saler Rouler, Nassick Trimmuck, Golna, and Mongy Tongy are all places of this description. A country so strongly situated is unconquerable; and of this truth the Emperor Aurangzibe, who made some attempt to subjugate it appeared latterly to be convinced.’¹