DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.25988#0393
181(3—17.
Kirkee.
369
render tlie Peshwa more than ever dependent on our support.
In the opinion of Lord Hastings, any hostility on the part
of Bajee Bao would be amply guarded against hy the force
under General Smith, supported by that uncler the command of
Sir Thomas Hislop. The military operations of this great cam-
paign were made 011 a scale to meet every anticipated danger
from the hostility of the greater powers. The cluty that was
imposed on General Smith was to give a hancl to the force
that moved northward from the Heckan under Hislop, and at
the same time to watch the movements of the Peshwa. Hos-
tility had only been averted on the late occasion by the prompt
arrival of a large portion of the subsidiary force at the gates of
the capital. To advance beyoncl the frontier woulcl seem a
sure mode of precipitating a crisis; ancl this was the result of
the untoward occurrence that I have now to relate.
There coulcl scarcely be a stronger contrast than the cha-
racter of the wily Mahratta wliose closing scene we are fol-
lowing, and the joyous, generous nature of one of India’s best
soldiers and diplomatistSj Sir John Malcolim But they had
this in common : they were both of them great believers in the
power of diplomacy. It was Malcolm’s weakness to rely on
that address to which he had owed some of his success in life,
and the conficlence of successive Governors-general; but on
this occasion he was no match for the Mahratta prince. He
had proceeded from Calcutta, on a tour of visits to the princi-
pal native Courts, under instructions from the Grovernment to
souncl and report on their dispositions ancl designs. In the
month of August he arrived at Poona, ancl proceeded instantly
to join the Peshwa, who was absent on a pilgrimage to Punder-
poor, a place of sanctity about seventy miles distant. From a
letter of Malcolm’s, published in his 4 Life,’ it would appear
that he started on this expedition preclisposed to regard the
late conduct of the Peshwa as a temporary aberration, the
result of evil councillors, from which he was alreacly recalled
by the penalties that he hacl suffered. In this goocl motive he
woulcl be encouraged (as Sir John thought) by the language of
an old friend—by the hope of regaining the favour of the
VOL. 1. B B
Kirkee.
369
render tlie Peshwa more than ever dependent on our support.
In the opinion of Lord Hastings, any hostility on the part
of Bajee Bao would be amply guarded against hy the force
under General Smith, supported by that uncler the command of
Sir Thomas Hislop. The military operations of this great cam-
paign were made 011 a scale to meet every anticipated danger
from the hostility of the greater powers. The cluty that was
imposed on General Smith was to give a hancl to the force
that moved northward from the Heckan under Hislop, and at
the same time to watch the movements of the Peshwa. Hos-
tility had only been averted on the late occasion by the prompt
arrival of a large portion of the subsidiary force at the gates of
the capital. To advance beyoncl the frontier woulcl seem a
sure mode of precipitating a crisis; ancl this was the result of
the untoward occurrence that I have now to relate.
There coulcl scarcely be a stronger contrast than the cha-
racter of the wily Mahratta wliose closing scene we are fol-
lowing, and the joyous, generous nature of one of India’s best
soldiers and diplomatistSj Sir John Malcolim But they had
this in common : they were both of them great believers in the
power of diplomacy. It was Malcolm’s weakness to rely on
that address to which he had owed some of his success in life,
and the conficlence of successive Governors-general; but on
this occasion he was no match for the Mahratta prince. He
had proceeded from Calcutta, on a tour of visits to the princi-
pal native Courts, under instructions from the Grovernment to
souncl and report on their dispositions ancl designs. In the
month of August he arrived at Poona, ancl proceeded instantly
to join the Peshwa, who was absent on a pilgrimage to Punder-
poor, a place of sanctity about seventy miles distant. From a
letter of Malcolm’s, published in his 4 Life,’ it would appear
that he started on this expedition preclisposed to regard the
late conduct of the Peshwa as a temporary aberration, the
result of evil councillors, from which he was alreacly recalled
by the penalties that he hacl suffered. In this goocl motive he
woulcl be encouraged (as Sir John thought) by the language of
an old friend—by the hope of regaining the favour of the
VOL. 1. B B