country in open day, living on carcases. About the middle of September, or 'Kooar,' the rains fell, and so regularly that the grain which was thrown in the fields in the two previous years and did not generate for want of moisture, now came up profusely, and abundant was the produce. The state of things gradually changed for the better in October and November. An old Brahmin of Secundra Rao narrated that some years before 1810 the harvest was so plentiful that on the occasion he built a house which was on a very high plinth: he filled the plinth instead of with mud with an inferior course of small grain called 'kodun,' selling at that time uncommonly cheap, much lower than the cost of mud would be; when the famine came he dug up the coarse grain, which was found good, and sold it, and with the money he made his house a pucka one, besides gaining a large sum in coin."

CHAPTER V.

A.D. 1786-88.

Gholám Kádir-Pillars of the State-Siege of RaghogarhBritish policy-Measures of Sindhia-Rajput Confederacy -Battle of Lálsaut-Muhammad Beg's death-Defection of Ismail Beg-Greatness of Sindhia - Gholám Kádir enters Dehli-Is checked by Begam Sumroo and Najaf Kuli Khán -Gholám Kádir pardoned; joins Ismail Beg-Battle of Chaksána-Rajput Embassy-Emperor takes the fieldShahzáda writes to George III. — Najaf Kuli rebelsDeath of Shahzáda-Emperor's return-Battle of Firozábád -Confederates at Dehli-Their difficulties-Sindhia inactive-Benoit de Boigne.

1786.—The eldest son of the deceased chief of the Báwani Mahal was that Gholám Kádir, whom we have seen already in the character of a captive and a page.* It does not appear under what circumstances he had recovered his liberty; but, on the death of Zábita Khán, he at once succeeded to his estates, under the title of "Najib-ud-daulah Hosbyár Jang." As in the lower empire of Byzantium, so in the present case, in proportion as the State crumbled, the titles of its unserviceable supporters became more sonorous, until at last there was not a pillar of the ruinous fabric, however weak and however disengaged from the rest of the body, but bore some inscription equally "imposing" * Vide sup. Chap. iii.

in both senses of the word. Daulah or Daulat means "The State," and the Musalman nobles were called Arkán-i-Daulat-" Columns of the Commonwealth." Of these one was its Sword, another its Asaph (the "Recorder" of David and Solomon), a third its Hero, and a fourth its Shield. The young "Najib " Gholám Kádir Khán, was now the most prominent representative of the Hindustáni Afgháns. Among the Moghuls the leading spirit was Mohamad Beg of Hamadán, for whom the Patel provided employment by sending him with an army into Málwa, where he was for some time occupied by the siege of Rághogarh. This was a very strong fort, held by a colony of Kachwáha Rajputs since the times of Najaf Khán, and commanding one of the main roads between Hindustan and the Mahratta country. It had resisted the Mahrattas when they first invaded Málwa, and it was destined to resist Sindhia's successors almost down to our own times. It is now a peaceful market town, and the traces of its former strength are all that it retains of a military character.

Sindhia's progress in the Doáb was more rapid, nor was it long before Musalman jealousy began to be aroused. The Patel opened negotiations with Mirza Jawan Bakht, having the object of inducing that prince to return to the capital; but from this he was strongly dissuaded by the Viceroy Vazir, acting under the advice of Major Palmer, the British Resident at Lucknow. That gentleman considered the interests of the Company and of the Vazir as deeply bound up in the fate of the prince. Whilst he remained under their joint protection, the Mahratta usurpation must be incomplete; should he fall into the power of the Patel, a permanent Mahratta occu

pation would be established, which would be a serious danger indeed.*

1787. Under these circumstances the acting Governor-General Macpherson, who, as already noted, had succeeded Mr. Hastings when the latter left India, resolved on retaining a British Brigade in the Doáb; and Lord Cornwallis, on taking office the following year, confirmed the measure. That a change began to come over the policy of the British in India about this time is well known, however the English might strive to hide it from others or even from themselves: see, for instance, the following passage from the Calcutta Gazette for March 8th, 1787 :

"Though the Mussulmans dwindle into insignificance, we have nothing to apprehend from the Hindus. Many have urged the necessity of upholding the influence of Moghuls to counterbalance the power of Hindus; but this should seem bad policy, as we would causelessly become obnoxious, and involve ourselves in the interests of a declining State, who are at the same time our secret enemy and rivals."

The new Governor, likewise, further alarmed Sindhia by sending a minister to reside at the Peshwa's Court at Punah, and the Patel anxiously set himself to work to consolidate his power in Hindustan, so as to be ready for the storm, from whatever quarter it might break. Impressed with the success which had attended his predecessor, Mirza Najaf, Sindhia's first care was to organize a body of regular troops-a measure repugnant to the old politics of the Mahrattas, but none the less approving itself to his judgment on that account.

The nucleus of this force was the corps raised and organized, in 1785, by Benoit de Boigne, an officer

* Letter from Lucknow, dated 1st April, 1785. Ap. Mill.

whose history, as it forms an excellent illustration of the condition of Hindustan in the latter part of the last century, will be given briefly in a note at the end of this chapter. The General in command of Sindhia's forces was a Mahratta, named Appa Khándi Rao, of whom we shall hereafter have occasion to make further mention.

In civil matters, the first step taken by the Patel was the sequestration of a number of the Jaigirs*, of the Musalman nobles-a cause of discontent to the sufferers, and of alarm to the remainder; but even this step had a military character, for the Jaigirs were fiefs bestowed for military service, and their reduction formed part of the system under which he was endeavouring to organize a standing army. With this view he at the same time recalled Mohamad Beg from the siege of Rághogarh and attempted, vainly, to induce that Chief to disband his levies.

Amongst other unpopular measures must also be enumerated the removal of Rájá Narayan Dáss, who had for some time been in charge of the Home Revenues, and who was replaced by Shah Nizám-uddin, a creature of Sindhia's. At the same time the Gosain leader, Himmat Bahádur, went into open rebellion in Bundelkand, on being called upon to give an account of the management of his Jaigir, a measure which he construed as portending resumption.

Nor was it an easy matter, at this particular juncture, to set about military reforms, for the Rájputs, emboldened perhaps by the resistance of Rághogarh, now began to organize a combination, which not only implied a considerable loss of power and of revenue,

* The "Jaghire" of old writers. The spelling of the text is the correct one, “Jai" place, and "gir" holding.