Page:The Marquess of Hastings, K.G..djvu/149

Rh Poona, determined to return to camp, and the better to deceive the enemy, gave out that he meant to continue his march to his original destination; thereupon the Maráthá horse made ready to fall upon him in the plains, but they got no such satisfaction, for when it was dark he retreated quietly to Sirúr, where he arrived on the morning of the 3rd, with his guns and his wounded, 'drums beating and colours flying.'

This brilliant defence added one more exploit to the long roll of British military achievements in India, where want of numbers was compensated by coolness in judgment and bravery in a desperate hour of peril; but it was dearly purchased, for although the defenders inflicted a loss upon the Maráthás of nearly 700 men, yet out of eight British officers (including two surgeons) there were five killed and wounded, and of a force of barely 800 men, more than a third, 271, were reckoned among the casualties upon that memorable occasion.

Smith reached the scene of the action on the 3rd, and followed the Peshwá on the 8th, who, having again passed close to Poona, pushed to the south, where he fell in with Pritzler. The latter now took up the chase, and pursued the enemy towards Gokák, but General Munro having hastily collected a small force to guard the line of the Gatpurba river, Bájí Ráo, too faint-hearted to fight, was obliged to turn in another direction. Moving rapidly, he now doubled