Page:The Marquess of Hastings, K.G..djvu/160

152 While Bájí Ráo was being pursued, the regular conquest of his dominions was undertaken by several columns of British troops. Towards the end of April, the whole tract of country lying between Sátára and Khándesh, as well as the Konkan, were occupied, and the numerous strongholds that guarded these districts reduced. Pritzler having completed the task assigned to him by the beginning of the month, marched to the south to join General Munro, whose operations must be briefly alluded to. That distinguished officer had been engaged in the autumn of 1817 in carrying out the stipulations of the treaty of Poona in the south of the Peshwá's dominions; appointed to the command of the Deccan Reserve Division, he found that there was much to be done in the districts where he was stationed, and he temporarily placed General Pritzler at the head of the force. The departure of the division left him almost without any troops, having at his disposal only six companies, a few troops of cavalry, and a small battering train; but he speedily reinforced these meagre resources by levies drawn from the inhabitants, and such was his personal character that, in spite of his military weakness, he effected by the end of January the conquest of the whole country up to the Malpurbi river, and defeated a Pindárí band, which, eluding capture in the north, penetrated to a point near Dhárwár. On being now slightly reinforced, he advanced northwards, occupying the country up to Belgáum, and taking that stronghold early in April. The strain upon the small column