southward; intelligence being received, that the Berar rajah had passed the hills which form the frontier of the province of Candeish, and was proceeding towards the river Godavery. On the 29th, general Wellesley arrived at Aurungabad, where he learned that the Bhoonsla, had gradually advanced to the eastward, and was at that moment at Lackeegaun, about 20 miles north from Pulteim. The rajah finding himself thus hotly pursued, endeavoured by various stratagems, to elude the vigilance of the British commander. Between the nights of the 29th, and 30th of October, he changed his camp five times. With a further view to distract general Wellesley's attention, he detached a body of 5,000 horse, to intercept a valuable convoy of supplies for the British army, which was distant only a few days march. But his design was seen through, and frustrated by the sagacity and activity of the British commander, who still continued to watch and harass the army of the rajah, confiding in the strength of the party under whose escort the convoy was placed, and the skill and bravery of its commander. Nor was he disappointed; the convoy was attacked by the rajah's cavalry at Amber, but captain Baynes, who commanded the British detachment, repulsed it with considerable loss, secured the whole of the supplies, and conducted them in triumph, a few days afterwards, to the British camp. This success still further encreased the rajah's efforts to avoid a general engagement, by every means that activity and local knowledge could furnish.

In the mean while, Scindiah, who saw all his projects subverted, his

French establishment and alliance utterly destroyed, his provinces conquered, his fortresses in the Deccan captured, and even his capital threatened by the victorious British, found that his best policy was to negociate. Accordingly, on the 11th of November, he sent an ambassador to general Wellesley's camp at Jaum, to propose a treaty of peace.

That officer, well aware that to gain time, (the usual object of Mahratta subterfuge,) was his purpose, yet anxious to evince the sincere wish of the British government for the restoration of tranquillity, received him with every demonstration of respect and satisfaction. After various conferences on the 23d of November, a cessation of arms was agreed upon, between Scindiah and the British force in the Deccan, and province of Guzerat. The princi pal condition of this truce was, that the army of the former should occupy a position 40 miles to the left of Elichpore, and that the British force should not advance farther into the territories of Scindiah.

While these negotiations were on foot, the Berar prince had moved towards his own dominions, and general Wellesley had descended the mountains by Bajoorah, in order to co-operate with colonel Stevenson in the reduction of the strong fortress of Gawil Ghur, on which service that officer had been detached after the fall of Asseer Ghur. On the 28th of November, general Wellesley came up with the greater part of the Bhoonsla's infantry, strengthened by a considerable body of Scindiah's regular horse: And as the latter had not fulfilled the conditions of the truce, he had himself demanded with such eagerness, general Wellesley resolved, notwith

standing

standing the eager remonstrances and protestations of Scindiah's ambassador, (still in the British camp,) to attack the enemy with all possible celerity. General Wellesley, immediately moved forward to Parterly, where he was joined by col. Stevenson's division, and whence the confederates had retired, although their rear was still discernible from a lofty tower near the spot. The extreme heat of the day, and the fatigue of the troops, disinclined general Wellesley from a further parsuit of the enemy until the evening. But the British troops were not long halted, before large bodies of horse were observed in front; and upon advancing the picquets in consequence, thewhole army of the confederated Mahratta chiefs was distinct ly perceived, formed in a long line of infantry, cavalry, and artillery, extending in front, nearly five miles on the plains of Argaum. General Wellesley, finding that the enemy was thus prepared for a general ac tion, lost not a moment in advancing with the whole of his army in one column; the British cavalry leading, in a direction nearly parallel to that of the enemy's line. On a nearer approach to the confederated force, the British army was formed in two lines, the first of which was composed of the infantry, the second of the horse: the right wing was advanced, in order to press upon the left of the enemy; the British left was supported by the Mysore cavalry. On arriving very close to the enemy's line, the 74th and 78th regiments were attacked by a large body of Persians, which, after a desperate conflict, those gallant corps succeeded in totally destroying; and Scindiah's cavalry, being at the same time repulsed with great lo-s' he 1st battalion of the 6th

1

regiment, the whole line of the ene. my gave way, and retreated with the utmost precipitation and confu sion, leaving in the possession of the victors 38 pieces of cannon and all their ammunition. The British cavalry immediately pursued, destroyed many of the fugitives, and captured the whole of their elephants and baggage. The loss on the part of the British forces was very inconside rable.

After this action, which, if not so brilliant, was certainly not less decisive than that of Assye, general Wellesley immediately moved towards Gawil Ghur in Berar, for the purpose of investing that fortress, considered to be one of the strongest in India, and hitherto deemed by the natives to be impregnable. For this purpose, he arrived at Elichpoor on the 5th of December, and halted on the 6th, in order to settle the plan of the proposed siege with colonel Stevenson, and likewise to establish an hospital for the wounded in the battle of Argaum.

The fort of Gawil Ghur is situated in a range of mountains, between the sources of the Taptee and Poonah rivers. It stands on a lofty mountain in this range, and consists of one complete inner fort, which fronts to the south where the rock is most steep; and an outer fort, which covers the approach to it from the north, by the village of Labada; all these walls are strongly built and fortified by ramparts and towers. The communications with the fort are through three gates; one to the south, with the inner fort; one to the north-west, with the outer fort; and one to the third, with the north wall. The ascent to the first, is very steep, and is practicable only for men; that to the second, is by

a road

a road for the communications of the garrison with the countries to the southward, but the road passes Found the west side of the fort, and is exposed, for a considerable distance, to its fire; it is so narrow as to make it impracticable for regular approaches, and the rock is scarped on each side: this road also leads no farther than the gate. The communication with the northern gate is direct from the village of Labada, and here the ground is level with that of the fort; but the road leads through the mountains for about 30 miles from Elichpoor, and it was obvious, that the labour and difficulty of moving ordnance and stores, thence to Labada, would be very great. Upon the most mature deliberation, however, the latter point of attack was determined upon, and as colonel Stevenson had long been destined, and was indeed, equipped for that service, his corps was direct ed to make the principal attack by Labada, and that under general Wellesley was to cover the opera tion of the siege, and, if possible, carry into effect attacks upon the southward and westward.

On the 7th of December, both divisions marched from Elichpoor, and, from that day till the 12th, the troops of colonel Stevenson went through a series of laborious service, such as had scarcely been ever witnessed. The heavy ordnance were dragged up, over mountains and through ravines, for nearly thirty miles, by roads which it had been previously necessary for the troops to make for the purpose.

On the 12th, at night, colonel Stevenson erected two batteries, for brass and iron guns, to breach the guter fort and the third wall; and

one to clear and destroy the defen, ces on the point of attack. A fourth battery was opened by general Wellesley's division, on the mountain, under the southern gate, with a view to breach the wall near that gate, or at least to divert and distract the enemy's attention. On the night of the 16th, the breaches of the outer wall of the fort were deemed practicable, and a storming party was ordered for the attack, at 10 o'clock on the following morn ing, under the command of lieute, nant colonel Kenny. At the same time, two attacks were to be made from the southward, the one on the south gate, by a strong detachment under lieutenant colonel Wallace, and the other of a similar force on the gate of the north-west, under lieutenant colonel Chalmers. These latter dispositions were calculated solely to draw the enemy's attention. from the real point of assault. At the appointed hour, the three parties moved forward;-that under colonel Chalmers reached the north-west gate just as the enemy were at tempting to escape through it, from the bayonets of the assailants, under col. Kenny. A dreadful slaughter ensued, and colonel Chalmers entered without difficulty. The wall in the inner fort in which no breach had been made, was now to be carried: after some attempts upon the gate of communication between the inner and outward fort, a place was at length found at which it was possible to escalade the wall. Here captain Campbell, with the light infantry of the 94th regiment, fixed the ladders, scaled the wall, and opened the gate to the storming party, who were quickly masters of the place; the garrison was numerous, and numbers of it were slain.

By

By the success of this timely, vigorous, and brilliant enterprize, the war was brought to a speedy conclusion. The rajah of Berar, awakened to a sense of his danger, determined upon an immediate and separate peace, without waiting to consult the wishes or opinion of his ally; and, without the loss of a day, dispatched an embassador to the camp of general Wellesley, at Deogaum, in the vicinity of his recent conquest; and the negotiation for a treaty of peace immediately commenced, and was concluded and signed on the part of the British government, and the rajah of Berar, on the 17th of Dec. 1803.

On the part of the rajah it was agreed, first, to renounce all adherence to the confederacy formed against the British government, between Scindiah, himself, and other chiefs; and to engage to give no assistance to those chiefs, should they continue the war: secondly, to cede to the company, in perpetual sovereignty, the province of Cuttack, including the fort and district of Balasore; also all the territories, the revenues of which he had previously collected in conjunc. tion with the nizam, together with all those situated to the westward of the river Wurdah and lastly, to engage never to take, or retain in his service, any Frenchman, or the subject of any European or American state, the government of which might be at war with the British government, or any British subject, whether Indian or European, without the consent of that government.

The British government agreed, that the forts of Nornullah and Gawil Ghur should be restored to the rajah of Berar, together with

the districts dependent upon them; that the river Wurdah, from its source to the Godavery, should be the boundary between the dominions of the nizam, and the rajah of Berar; that no aid or countenance should be given to any discontented relations or subjects of the rajah, who might fly from, or rebel against his authority; and finally, it was agreed, that in order the more effectually to preserve the relations of amity and good understanding between the contracting parties, that accredited ministers from each government, should constantly reside at the court of the other.

This treaty, ratified by the rajah of Berar, on the 25th of December, and transmitted to Calcutta, was speedily followed by one with Scindiah. That restless prince, finding that no chance existed of gratifying his ambition and revenge at the expence of the British government; having exhausted his resources and expedients, and without an ally; sent instructions to his embassador, (who still followed general Wellesley's army,) seriously to open negotiations for a durable and definitive treaty of peace: to which measure that officer acceded. By his firmness and decisive tone, the treaty was concluded in a few days, and on the 30th of December, 1803, a peace between the British government and Scindiah was signed in the English camp at Surge Angengaum. Its principal condi tions were as follow.

On the part of Scindiah it was agreed, first, to cede to the company in perpetual sovereignty, all his forts, territories, and rights in the Douab, together with all his forts, territories, rights, and inte

rests

rests, which lie to the northward of the dominions of the rajahs of Jeypoor and Judpoor, and of the Ranah of Gohud: secondly, to cede in like manner the fort and territory of Baroach, in the Guzerat, and the fort and territory of Ahmednughur, in the Deccan, and likewise all the territories which belonged to him before the commencement of the war, which are situated to the southward of the Adjuntee hills in the Deccan, including all the districts between that range of mountains and the Godavery river thirdly, to renounce for ever all claims upon the emperor Shah Aulum, and to engage never again to interfere with that monarch and lastly, not to take any Frenchman, or the subject of any European or American state, the government of which might be at war with the British government, or any British subject, whether European or Indian, without the consent of that government.

On the other hand it was agreed, first, to restore to Scindiah the fort of Asscer Ghur, and the city of Boorhanpoor, in the Deccan, and the forts of Dohud and Powan Ghur, with the territories in Candeish and Guzerat, appertaining to these forts secondly, to allow Scindiah, under the protection of the British government, to retain certain lands, which he had long held in his family, by gift from the kings of Hindostan; and that certain other lands, situated in the provinces conquered by the English, in Hindostan, which were held in Jaghire by persons belonging to the family of the late Madhagee Scindiah, should remain in the possession of those persons; and further, to prevent any individual from in

curring loss, or suffering distress by this arrangement, that the company should either pay pensions, or grant lands in Jughire, to such other persons as Scindiah should name, provided the sum to be paid did not exceed 17 lacks of rupees by the year: thirdly, to restore to Scindiah certain lands and villages, situated in the peishwa's dominions, and lately taken possession of by the British government or its allies, and which the family of Scindiah had long held as a personal estate: lastly, Scindiah was invited to partake of the benefits of the subsidiary treaties, existing between the British government and the peishwa and nizam; and it was stipulated, that for the future, accredited ministers from each government should, in future, constantly reside at the court of the other.

The treaty was ratified by Scindiah, and returned to general Wellesley for transmission to the seat of government. On the 15th of January, in the present year, that with the rajah of Berar was rati fied by the governor general in council; and, on the 13th of February, that with Scindiah was also ratified by the marquis Wellesley, who immediately caused the complete restoration of peace with the Mahratta princes, to be proclaimed, with the usual forms, throughout the British empire in India.

The news of this glorious event was received in every part of the company's dominion in Hindostan, with the most enthusiastic joy, which was demonstrated by public rejoicing in every town and settlement. The inhabitants of Calcutta, who had the best opportunity of witnessing the unwearied solicitude of marquis Wellesley for the public

interests