DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.25988#0404
Life of Mountsluart Elphinstone.
CH. XI.
380
encamps at Kirkee. We shall then be able to stop the intrigues
with our Sepojs, perhaps to punish the emissaries ancl those
who have joined them. 1 On the 29th, when just making up my
mind, I was full of ideas of the glory of quelling mutinies and
dispersing hostile armies, wlien everything seemed so much
against us. Now that I see how little the Peshwa did do, I
am abashed at the reduction of my own projects. “From the
sublime to the ridiculous is but a step.”
‘ The removal of cantonments took place as intended, and
was followed by the utmost exultation and insolence on the part
of the Peshwa’s people. Mr. Shaw was speared ancl plunderecl
at Gunaishkind 011 the evening of our removal. Our canton-
ments were exposed to ail sorts of depredations without any
diseouragement from the Government. The Peshwa’s troops
marched and paraded close to the Sungum as if to overawe us.
All business was at a stand, and the language and conduet of
the Court was haughty and almost hostile. This conduct and
the distance of our force gave us an appearance of weakness
fchat elated the natives, ancl began to depress our own people.
I11 the meantime Moro Dixit’s warnings to Ford, ancl other
indications, left little doubt of the Peshwa’s clesign to surprise
us. I had waited so long in hopes of a treaty with Sinclia
setting all to rights, but it appeared that my tameness invited
aggression. I therefore remonstrated in moderate language,
and ordered in the Light Battalion. At the same time tlie
Peshwa heard of General Smith’s concentrating at Fooltumba,
which he did of his own accord, and in consequence lie deter-
mined to attack us immediately. The morning of the 5th
began witli great preparations 011 his part, to which I was now
so used that I clisregarded thern. No preparation was made at
the Sungum, and the ladies who had returned there remainecl
undisturbed. Sorne explanations, however, made things seein
more serious, and towards noon the Peshwa’s intentions becarne
very doubtful, when a battalion of Major Pinto’s 2 rnoved out
1 What follows is written in a smaller handwriting, and evidentlv after the
affair of Kirkee, which took place on the 5th November.
2 Major Pinto commanded a battalion in the Peshwa’s service.
CH. XI.
380
encamps at Kirkee. We shall then be able to stop the intrigues
with our Sepojs, perhaps to punish the emissaries ancl those
who have joined them. 1 On the 29th, when just making up my
mind, I was full of ideas of the glory of quelling mutinies and
dispersing hostile armies, wlien everything seemed so much
against us. Now that I see how little the Peshwa did do, I
am abashed at the reduction of my own projects. “From the
sublime to the ridiculous is but a step.”
‘ The removal of cantonments took place as intended, and
was followed by the utmost exultation and insolence on the part
of the Peshwa’s people. Mr. Shaw was speared ancl plunderecl
at Gunaishkind 011 the evening of our removal. Our canton-
ments were exposed to ail sorts of depredations without any
diseouragement from the Government. The Peshwa’s troops
marched and paraded close to the Sungum as if to overawe us.
All business was at a stand, and the language and conduet of
the Court was haughty and almost hostile. This conduct and
the distance of our force gave us an appearance of weakness
fchat elated the natives, ancl began to depress our own people.
I11 the meantime Moro Dixit’s warnings to Ford, ancl other
indications, left little doubt of the Peshwa’s clesign to surprise
us. I had waited so long in hopes of a treaty with Sinclia
setting all to rights, but it appeared that my tameness invited
aggression. I therefore remonstrated in moderate language,
and ordered in the Light Battalion. At the same time tlie
Peshwa heard of General Smith’s concentrating at Fooltumba,
which he did of his own accord, and in consequence lie deter-
mined to attack us immediately. The morning of the 5th
began witli great preparations 011 his part, to which I was now
so used that I clisregarded thern. No preparation was made at
the Sungum, and the ladies who had returned there remainecl
undisturbed. Sorne explanations, however, made things seein
more serious, and towards noon the Peshwa’s intentions becarne
very doubtful, when a battalion of Major Pinto’s 2 rnoved out
1 What follows is written in a smaller handwriting, and evidentlv after the
affair of Kirkee, which took place on the 5th November.
2 Major Pinto commanded a battalion in the Peshwa’s service.