1816.

Correspondence.

3ii

Not, however, so bacl as in the Hegira at Bijapoor, for I got
my ride every morning as in ordinary times. After a great
deal of altercation the subsidiary force got to Seroor, and the
advance (the Horse Artillery), one regiment of N.C., one light
battalion, and all the flank companies, European and Native,
came on to the other side of the Kirkee bridge, when at length
Trimbukjee was given up. In September last our preparations
were immediateiy laid aside, and some time after the Peshwa
clispersed his troops, and everything is now quieter than before.
I used to be constantly employed in resisting the encroach-
ments and intrigues of the former Minister; and now I have
time to read Cicero till twelve every day, ancl Herodot-us
with Jeffreys (the doctor) from six o’clock till dinner time. I
hope my godson will know more Gfreek at ten than I do after
twenty years’ reading it, off ancl on. We have a hog liunt that
goes out every second Wednesday, in tbe evening, to. some place
from ten to twenty miles off, hunts on Thursday, returning on
Friday to breakfast. We hog-hunt till two, then tiff, and hawk
or course till dusk. This has gone on since this time last year
without ineonvenience, except that I have lost the skin of my
nose from the sun every time we have. been out. We do not
throw our spears in the old way, but poke with spears longer
than the common ones, and never part with them. This, with
officers from camp to breakfast and dinner (now and then), and
occasional visitors from Bombay or S.eroor, makes up our life,
which is equally exempt from gaiety and. melancholy. I shall
now give you what news there is ; if I have room and time I
will tell you about Ellora, &c. The Pindarrees are becoming
very bold. One party last year passed near Seroor, threatened
Punclerpoor, swept round to the south of Hyderabacl, approached
the Kistna, struck the ceded districts into consternation,alarmed
the people at Madras, returned towards the north along the
frontier, and recrossed- the Nerbudda loaded with plunder.
The accounts of their camp after this expedition put one in
mind of the first Mohammedan conquerors in Inclia, or the
Spaniards in America. One of the news-writers, when he
VOL. I. *x 4