Page:A history of the military transactions of the British nation in Indostan.djvu/43

Book VI. their numbers much diminished, repassed the western mountains, and quitted the province. The whole Morattoe nation in its two divisions of Poni and Berar, determined to avenge the death of Baschir Pondit, and the remains of his army were scarcely retreated before two others were in march to invade Bengal; each consisted of 60,000 men; but acted independently. The army of Poni was commanded by Ballerow Agerow, son of BallerowBallerow [sic], who, without dethroning the Sahah Rajah, or real sovereign of the Morattoes, had usurped the whole authority of the state, which he transmitted on his death to his son Balagerow. The other army was commanded by Ragojee Bonsola, who had some years before conquered, and had ever since governed the province of Behar. He is the same who, by the instigation of Nizamuluck, invaded the Carnatic in 1740, as now Bengal. The army with Ballerow entered the province of Behar, whilst the other, under Ragojee, marched through the mountains from Berar into Orixa. Allaverdy, on the news of their approach, broke the bridge at Cutwah, and encamped near his capital. Meanwhile, the two Morattoe armies, advancing without opposition, met at Burdawan; where the two generals agreed that the war should be carried on in conjunction, and the plunder be equally divided. At the same time they were joined by Meer-abib, who, as before, fixed another bridge at Cutwah, over which they passed into the island of Cossimbuzar; but Allaverdy, relying on the success of less hazardous measures, determined neither to offer or accept battle. Amongst the prisoners taken from the army of Baschir Pondit, was an officer of distinction, named Shaserow, whom Allaverdy had attached by several acts of generosity; in return for which Shaserow now employed his mediation with Ballerow in favour of Allaverdy, whose emissaries were at the same time sowing dissention between the two Morattoe generals, persuading each that much plunder had been secreted from the common stock of the army.

The explanations that ensued on this subject produced a coolness between them, which determined Ballerow to agree to the proposals of Allaverdy, who offered to pay two millions of rupees, on condition