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in-chief, whose influence has continued to sway the mind of his master from that period until the present time,

The force thus raised amounted to forty thousand infantry, thirty thousand cavalry, with five hundred pieces of heavy artillery.

This acceffion of force, though dispersed over an extensive tract of country, the fruits of the late Scindiah's conquefts, could, when circumstances required, be brought to act in

concert.

On the other fide, Holkar, the ruler of Indore, (a province fituated in the centre of the Dekan) could at this time command an army of fifty thousand men, with three hundred pieces of cannon; and laftly, the Seiks, who, as we have already feen, were able to bring into the field nearly an equal number.

Holkar, however, not being at variance with Mr. Thomas, muft not therefore be numbered among his enemies, though the prodigious acceffion of force against him, in an union of the

Seiks and Scindiah, was of itself fufficient to aftound and overwhelm him.

To counteract the defigns of his enemies, Mr. Thomas, at the period we are speaking of, had an army whofe utmost force confifted of eight battalions of infantry, amounting in all to fix thousand men, fifty pieces of cannon, well appointed and well ferved, one thoufand cavalry, and fifteen hundred Rohillahs, with about two thousand men, who garrisoned his different forts; but with this force, comparatively so small, he had a spirit and elevation of mind not to be fubdued by accident, or depreffed by ill fortune; and not only waited the event with firmnefs, but declared previous to the commencement of hoftilities, that if his refources in money did not fail, he doubted not with his present army to hold out against the efforts of all the native princes of India.

To preferve, however, the thread of our narration, it will now be neceffary to remark, that repeated letters had lately been sent by Scindiah to Mr. Thomas, to induce him to act in

conjunction with Mr. Perron against their

common enemies.

In answer, he reprefented that Mr. Perron and himself being fubjects of different nations, then in a state of actual hoftility against each other, it was impoffible they could ever act in concert, or with cordiality. He was moreover convinced, that as a Frenchman, and poffeffed of a national enmity against him, Mr. Perron would always be induced to represent his actions in a light most unfavourable to his interefts that principles of honour, on the present occafion, forbad his acting under the command of a Frenchman: but if Scindiah was really defirous of employing him to the advantage of the state, or to his own benefit, he might beftow on him a feparate command, under the control of a Mahratta general; or, concludes Mr. Thomas with much fpirit, "should you "think proper to appoint me to the ma"nagement of operations, either offenfive or

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defensive, in any part of the Dekan, Hindooftan, or Punjaub, I am ready and willing "to undertake the charge, fo foon as the ne

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ceffary arrangements for the payment of my troops can be completed."

In reply to this representation, Scindiah, who had been tutored for the occafion by Mr. Perron, urged in the strongest manner the impoffibility of consenting to Mr. Thomas's requeft, as it would serve as an unfavourable precedent; he recommended moreover, that in the prefent inftance the national enmity of these commanders fhould be laid afide; and their mutual exertions made for the general benefit of the fervice, but at all events defired Mr. Thomas to fufpend his refolution until his own arrival in Hindooftan.

Some time after the above correspondence, Mr. Perron wrote to Mr. Thomas, requefting him to fend a vakeel to confer upon the fubject, for the mutual benefit of either party.

This request was instantly complied with; and Mr. Thomas's vakeel, having received the neceffary inftructions, was dispatched to Delhi. Arriving at Mr. Perron's camp, which was

pitched in the neighbourhood of that city, he was received in a manner the most cordial and flattering.

The affairs of Scindiah were at this time in a fituation that by no means juftified a protracted war in his poffeffions in Hindooftan, being himself engaged in an eventful and difficult contest with his ancient enemy Jeffwunt Row Holkar.

The cautious chief therefore thought that to temporife with Mr. Thomas would be the moft eligible method; as he might, in the course of his present warfare, have occasion for the fervices of Mr. Perron's troops.

In his mafter's name, therefore, Mr. Perron requested an interview. The fort of Behadur Ghur was the place named for the meeting. On his approach to that place, Mr. Thomas was informed that Perron had put to death a Seik chief, who had lately revolted from Scindiah, and of whose perfon he had got poffeffion by treacherous means.

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