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Rh pursuing their own selfish ends without thought of future consequences, and ever visiting with fire and sword the unfortunate people they plundered.

The Maráthá chiefs secretly favoured these predatory hordes, employing them often for their own purposes, and always disavowing responsibility when occasion required it; they never discouraged their increase, and, far from attempting to suppress the disorder, they made no effort even to mitigate it. When a Pindárí chief got too strong for them, they fomented the jealousies of a rival and sought to secure partial immunity for themselves by setting leader against leader; but the evil itself prospered and gained ground rapidly, and the settlement of 1805, far from putting an end to the troubles, such as they were in that year (as its advocates had hoped), only served to foster a most pernicious growth of marauders, by the independence which had been weakly conceded to the Maráthá princes at the end of a successful war.

It is obvious that the British Government was frequently harassed by these lawless bands, who, occupying a position nearly equidistant from the three Presidencies, moved readily in any direction from the centre of an extended circle, the circumference of which had constantly to be guarded. On two occasions considerable mischief had been done by them to British subjects or allies. In 1808-9 they entered Gujarát, and in 181 a they devastated Mirzápur and penetrated into territories which for years before had been free from their ravages. This last