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route they encamped at Narnound, a town twenty cofs to the northward of Hanfi.

Here

Mr. Thomas refolved to attack them. For this purpose he marched all night, and arriving by daybreak in their camp, gave them a complete defeat. Their tents, baggage, the howdahs of their elephants, the bazar, with one thousand faddles, and about two hundred horfes, fell into his hands; but his troops dif--perfing on all fides in search of plunder, prevented his becoming mafter of their artillery and elephants.

From the inclemency of the feafon, Mr. Thomas was now neceffitated to return to the place where he had deposited his heavy baggage; and the Seiks, in their late defeat, repaired to Jeind. On their arrival they were refused admittance into the place, by the fister of Sahib Sing. This lady, who, as we have before seen, had on several occasions exhibited a spirit fuperior to what could have been expected from her sex, and far more decided than her brother, now offered to take the field in perfon. But the Seik chieftains, afhamed in being exceeded in fpirit by a woman, returned to encounter

Mr. Thomas, whom they found encamped near a large town. They now came to a refolution to conquer, or perish in the attempt: but whilst deliberating on the mode of attack, their own camp was fuddenly affaulted during the night by a numerous and daring banditti, who founded their trumpets with fuch loud alarms that the Seiks, thinking the whole force of Mr. Thomas was at hand, abandoned their camp with precipitation. This circumftance, though it occafioned no real lofs to the Seiks, had great effect on the minds of the country people, and leffened their ideas of Seik prowess. The Seiks were now as defirous of peace as they had before been determined on the continuance of hoftilities; and it was at length agreed between the contending parties that each should remain in poffeffion of their several districts, as they stood before the fiege of Jeind. Excepting the Rajah of Pattialah, all the rest were well satisfied with the termination of hoftilities. He alone refused to fign the treaty, although, in fpite of his remonftrances, it was done by his more fpirited fifter. For this conduct the Seik chief ungenerously evinced his refentment, by detaining her a prifoner; but Mr. Thomas,

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deeming it his duty to interfere on this occasion, by threats compelled him to release her.

About this time Mr. Thomas was invited by Ambajee to unite their forces: for his affiftance Mr. Thomas was to receive the monthly fum of fifty thousand rupees. Having at prefent no particular destination, he closed with the terms: and agreeably to the inftructions of Ambajee, prepared to lead his army to Oudipoor to encounter Luckwa; who by this time, having regained his liberty, was affembled in great force. As the country of Oudipoor constitutes one of the principal states of Rajepootana, and is on feveral accounts extremely interesting, we shall hope for pardon in digreffing a little from the thread of our narrative, and proceed to take a retrospective sketch of its geographical pofition, and internal resources.

CHAPTER X.

Geographical defcription of the country of Oudipoor or Mewar-its conftitution-manners and cuftoms of the inhabitants-military operations in the Oudipoor country-termination of the campaign.

THE

HE dominions of Oudipoor are feventy cofs from north to fouth, and fifty from east to west.

They are bounded on the north by Ajmere and the principality of Kithenghur, on the north and weft by Joudepoor, on the fouth and eaft by the province of Malwa, and the north-east by Kotah and Boondy.

The lands throughout Oudipoor are poffeffed by the princes, and chief nobility, and are held-as Jacedâd. Thefe lands at prefent can yield an annual revenue of a crore of rupees:

it formerly produced a larger fum, but the depredations committed by the Mahrattas fince taking poffeffion of a great part of this country, have caused its reduction to the present standard; and though the Mahrattas fince their conqueft have permitted the landholders abovementioned to retain their lands, yet by frequent exactions and vexatious mulets, their value to the proprietors is confiderably lef fened.

Most of the opulent towns in Mewar, which formerly acknowledged the authority of the Oudipoor family, are now in the hands of the Mahrattas.

The rajah is in a state fimilar to that of the emperor at Delhi; he is entirely guided by Mahratta councils, and dependant on them in a great measure for his fubfiftence: but in Mr. Thomas's opinion, they have not yet obtained the strong holds in his country, and this prince, at present so infignificant, may poffibly at no diftant period free himself from their ufurpations.

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