Mr. Thomas accordingly repaired to Bappoo; but his troops having again fallen in arrears, were become clamorous for payment: this conduct giving offence to Bappoo, à misunderstanding took place between him and Mr. Thomas, when the latter in difguft marched

away.

He was foon after attacked by Bappoo's force, who, on hearing of the retreat of the fhah, had determined on punishing Mr. Thomas for what he termed his late mifbehaviour. An action enfued; but the commander of Bappoo's troops being wounded in the conflict, he thought proper to remove to a distance.

An amicable arrangement between the parties would now have taken place, had not the Seiks in Bappoo's army, aware of Mr. Thomas's intention to enter the Punjab, used their utmost exertions to widen the difference. Hoftilities being again renewed, an action took place at the paffage of the Jumna; and though the country people had by this time joined the Mahrattas, Mr. Thomas, by a spirited attack, compelled them to leave him a free paffage.

Straitened for provifions, he proceeded on his route to the north-east frontier. In his retreat, he was followed by Bappoo's army; and the troops of Begum Somroo, as alfo those of Ragojee, governor of Delhi, had now increased the number of his enemies.

Over this combined force, however, he proved victorious; and having defeated the enemy in every attempt to interrupt him on his march, he at length reached the neighbourhood of Panniput. Here, on account of his inferiority in force, he was compelled for the present not only to relinquish the frontier towns, but to confine himself to Jyjur. Thither he shortly after arrived. Unable to fatisfy the demands of his troops, Mr. Thomas now determined to levy contributions on the territories of his neighbours. For this purpose he led his army to Oreecha, a large and populous town belonging to the rajah of Jypore.

As a ransom for this place, Mr. Thomas demanded of the governor a lack of rupees; which being denied, he ftormed and took poffeffion of the city. The fort, which was feparate, ftill

holding out, he was on the point of making a fecond affault, when the killadâr agreed to ranfom both for fifty-two thousand rupees. During the negotiations the town had unfortunately been fet on fire; which burnt so fiercely, that it was with difficulty extinguished, and not until goods to the amount of feveral lacks of rupees had been totally confumed.

About this time a reconciliation was effected betwixt Mr. Thomas and Vavon Row, when it was agreed to adjust all former differences; and Mr. Thomas, to evince the reconciliation was on his part fincere, brought under obedience to Vavon Row feveral refractory zemindars. He now entered the Jypore country the second time; and the Meenas, a thievish tribe inhabiting a part of the country on his route, about thirty cofs north of Jypore, having formerly invaded Vavon Row's poffeffions, Mr. Thomas attacked them in force, and in a very fhort time annihilated this neft of banditti. After these transactions, Mr. Thomas returned to Jyjur.

At this place, about the middle of the year

1798, he first formed the eccentric and arduous defign of erecting an independant principality for himself. The country of Hurrianah, which, from the troubled ftate of the times, had for many years acknowledged no 'mafter, but became in turn the prey of each fucceeding invader, appeared to him as beft adapted for the execution of his purpose.

The fcarcity of water, however, in this part of India, induced Mr. Thomas to poftpone his intended expedition until the approach of the rainy feafon. Having reinforced his army, and being well provided with every thing neceffary to enfure fuccefs, he commenced his march,

His first attack was directed against the town and fort of Kanhoree, the inhabitants of which place were notorious for their thievifh depredations. Advancing with celerity, Mr. Thomas, according to his ufual custom, attempted to carry the place by storm. In this, however, he was not only prevented by the fpirited conduct of the enemy, but compelled to retreat with the lofs of three hundred of his

men.

In confequence of this fevere check, it became neceffary to fortify his camp; and the constant and heavy rains which now fell preventing his erecting batteries, he fortified a chain of pofts round the town, and thereby prevented any fuccour from without.

The garrifon he well knew was straitened for provifions; and the fiege, thus converted into a blockade, augmented their distress. The enemy, by frequent fallies, endeavoured to interrupt Mr. Thomas's operations. In one of thefe, an attack was made on the redoubt occupied by himself. In the confufion attendant on a business of this nature, the greater part of his people, being panic-struck, ran away. Mr. Thomas was thus reduced to a fituation truly critical: five men only remained with him of the infantry, to whom had been allotted the particular charge of his fire-arms, consisting of pistols and blunderbuffes of a large fize. With these, and the affistance of a few horfemen, who had likewife adhered to him, he maintained the poft for a confiderable time against every effort of the enemy; and at