Page:Our Indian Army.djvu/423

Rh confederacy, and cease to hold direct communication with any of the native powers. These severe conditions the Peishwa sought by every effort to mitigate or elude; but as the Resident remained inflexible, a treaty to this effect was signed on the 13th of June, 1817.

But the Peishwa could not forbear contrasting his present humiliated condition with his former lofty pretensions as the head of a people who had spread the terror of their arms over a large portion of India; and a few months only elapsed before it became evident that he was again preparing for some hostile proceedings. Levies of troops took place unremittingly throughout his dominions; and by the 1st of October, 1817, there was not a single horseman in the country out of employ.

From this, and various other circumstances, it was inferred that the Peishwa was about to aim a blow at the British power: in the Concan, indeed, whither he would have retired had he been able, some of his chiefs resisted the English. This resistance, however, was soon put down by Colonel Doveton and Colonel Scott: the former routed and expelled the partisans of Trimbuckjee in Candeish; and the latter making ladders of his tent-poles, gallantly escaladed and stormed the strong fort of Dorana. After the loss of this, their chief stronghold, Trimbuckjee's 'adherents ceased to make head, and the murderer himself fled to the jungles in the valley of the Kerbudda, where he could communicate with Cheetoo and his Pindarries.

Among other indications of the spirit by which the Government of the Peishwa was actuated, were numerous attempts to corrupt the native troops in the British service. On this discovery, they were removed from the town to the village of Kirkee, in the immediate neighbourhood. There was only one brigade of Sepoys in all, but the position was admirably strong, being protected by a river in the rear and on the left, and supported on the right by the village; there were also other battalions